Need information on Back Up Iron Sights

[Ricrock]

Hello everyone,

I just purchased a new (to me) rear sight called "A2 Type Post, Fixed Match-Grade, adjustable Iron Sight". It is identical in operation and appearance to the sight on the carry handle, but it is designed to mount to a flat top rail, and is the same height as the A2 front sight. I am replacing the Magpul folding sight that came with my rifle because this new sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation.

The problem is I don't know how to use this sight. I need information on what the markings mean, and how to interpret them. Also I think the elevation wheel is read on the left side, but I'm not even positive this is true.

Can anyone recommend you tube videos, or written publications explaining how to operate and zero this sight for a novice like me.

I can zero the old Magpul sights since the elevation was only adjustable with the front sight. This new and desirable sight is foreign to me.

Thanks in advance,

Rick

 

[cyphertext]

Use this target and follow the directions on the bottom...

http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/targets/m4-carbine-zero.pdf

 

[cyphertext]

More info...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etnf76QTu_U"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etnf76QTu_U[/ame]

 

[Ricrock]

Thanks for your info...I'll check it out and if I have more questions I'll let you know.

Rick

 

[Ricrock]

Am I correct to set the settings on this sight on the left side?

 

[hdwhit]

Ricrock wrote:
Am I correct to set the settings on this sight on the left side?

I guess.

Like you, I found that on my S&W M&P-15 Sport II, the adjustment at the front sight alone was not satisfactory. At the time I bought my S&W, I bought an A2 carrying handle/rear sight.

After trying to use the Magpul rear sight, I found what even with the front sight adjusted as far as possible, I was still shooting 3 inches low at 100 yards. I removed the Magpul sight, installed an A2 handle/sight in its place and adjusted the front sight to near the mid-point of its travel within the front sight base.

Viewed from the left side of the rifle, I set the elevation aspect of the sight on "5" and then adjusted the windage. Within no time I was shooting groups that could easily be covered by a quarter.

Also, I previously posted about much the same problem as you experienced, so don't be surprised if a bunch of trolls come along to post suggesting that if the Magpul sight wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread any problems were of your own making.

Using the Magpul sight supplied by S&W, I could easily shoot 1" groups at 100 yards. The only problem was they were three inches BELOW the point of aim. When I switched to the familiar A2 handle/sight that I had used in basic training, my groups quickly aligned to the point of aim.

 

[cyphertext]

Am I correct to set the settings on this sight on the left side?

Yes, left side when looking at the rifle shouldered.

 

[cyphertext]

I guess.

Like you, I found that on my S&W M&P-15 Sport II, the adjustment at the front sight alone was not satisfactory. At the time I bought my S&W, I bought an A2 carrying handle/rear sight.

After trying to use the Magpul rear sight, I found what even with the front sight adjusted as far as possible, I was still shooting 3 inches low at 100 yards. I removed the Magpul sight, installed an A2 handle/sight in its place and adjusted the front sight to near the mid-point of its travel within the front sight base.

Viewed from the left side of the rifle, I set the elevation aspect of the sight on "5" and then adjusted the windage. Within no time I was shooting groups that could easily be covered by a quarter.

Also, I previously posted about much the same problem as you experienced, so don't be surprised if a bunch of trolls come along to post suggesting that if the Magpul sight wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread any problems were of your own making.

Using the Magpul sight supplied by S&W, I could easily shoot 1" groups at 100 yards. The only problem was they were three inches BELOW the point of aim. When I switched to the familiar A2 handle/sight that I had used in basic training, my groups quickly aligned to the point of aim.

While you may be on at 100 yards now, you are not using that sight properly. Rather than correcting the problem, you have simply masked the symptom.

As far as "trolls", those Magpul sights are on thousands of rilfe... probably more like hundreds of thousands. I don't care for them, but they do work. If you truly were out of adjustment in the front sight and have to rely on setting the rear sight to the 500 yard marking to zero, then there is an issue with your front sight... not the Magpul sight you had on there.

 

[Ricrock]

Thanks for the info on zeroing at 300 meters. I would prefer to do a 50Yd zero, so the POI is pretty much on (within about 1-1/2") from 50 to 250 yards, without having to hold either high or low within those distances.

How would you suggest I zero to that distance? Would I still use the 300 meter setting as mechanical zero and shoot with POA is on target, and POI is about 2 inches low? Or should I set the mechanical zero on 250 (which is supposed to be the same as 50)?

After zeroing the sights, what are the various numbers on the elevation knob for? How do I use the rear sight for various distances? Do I just turn the knob to approximate the distance from the target, or is there more to it?

Is there a military manual (or something) I can buy that fully explains the usage of this sight system?

Thanks,

Rick

 

[5point5sixGUY]

Video explains how the sights work.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzINqoSP4Eo[/ame]

Sight trajectories explained here.
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?65679-AR-15-Zeros-and-Trajectories

 

[cyphertext]

Thanks for the info on zeroing at 300 meters. I would prefer to do a 50Yd zero, so the POI is pretty much on (within about 1-1/2") from 50 to 250 yards, without having to hold either high or low within those distances.

How would you suggest I zero to that distance? Would I still use the 300 meter setting as mechanical zero and shoot with POA is on target, and POI is about 2 inches low? Or should I set the mechanical zero on 250 (which is supposed to be the same as 50)?

After zeroing the sights, what are the various numbers on the elevation knob for? How do I use the rear sight for various distances? Do I just turn the knob to approximate the distance from the target, or is there more to it?

Is there a military manual (or something) I can buy that fully explains the usage of this sight system?

Thanks,

Rick

The numbers on the dial are distances. The elevation knob is like a bullet drop compensation reticule in a scope... when the sight is zeroed properly, you would change the drum to the setting equal to the distance of your target. For it to work properly, you have to use the 300 yard zero. It is not meant to be used to adjust elevation for a zero... you do that with the front sight. One thing I should point out is that the Army uses meters, and zeros at 25 meters for a 300 meter zero, while the USMC uses yards and zeros at 36 yards for a 300 yard zero.

If you want to have a setting for a 50 yard zero, is it possible, but it requires you to make changes to the sight. You will need to Google "Revised Improved Battlesight Zero" or "Santose Improved Battlesight Zero" for instructions on how to re-calibrate the elevation drum.

 

[Ricrock]

Thank you Cyphertext, that is exactly the info I needed.

Rick