New AR-15 owner with a few questions

[alzgarvin]

I recently purchased a S&W AR-15. Model #811000 with 16" barrel, adj. stock, fixed front sight and handle with rear peep. Bought from dealer at show and did not get an owners manual. Was told did not come with one. Anyway, like the gun but I really suck with the peeps. Can put em in a plate at 100 yds but not in good groupings. I do fine with conventional open sights but cannot get a clear rear circle to center the front sight in. So I purchased the new BSA STSRGBD30LL tactical dot sight. Kinda cool, comes in a neat box and has a flashlight on one side and a laser on the other. Thought I would give it a try but two problems. First there is no mount included to put it atop the handle so I can leave the peep for backup. so I removed the handle and set it on top rail, but then the front sight is in the way which is part of the gas block. So first question; is there a decent adapter to mount the BSA to the top of the handle and is the front sight always in the way of dot sights and halo sights that I see in everyones pictures with handles removed to mount and front sight still in place? Looks like the front sight is in line with these sights when mounted in place of handle.
Second problem which may be moot if I cant mount it ; The dot that appears in the view finder is not a defined dot. It is fragmented and somewhat scattered. Seems this way on all colors and intensities. I am sure this should not be but have never really looked through a red dot . All I have owned are conventional scopes. Looked through halographics and they have a defined circle and dot. I emailed BSA and am waiting for reply. Neat all in one package but I cant imagine it being very accurate without a defined point.
Has anyone encountered either one of these problems? Thanks in advance to any replies.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

I build AR-15s so they come apart real easy to put accessories on. Sounds like this red dot should have the picatinny rail mount and this will fit on top of the receiver, or forward on the rail (if equipted). I feel, your scope is defective if it won't focus. You can try and clean it before sending it back.


They make all kinds of accessories for the AR and I buy a lot from Larue Tactical LaRue Tactical The best stuff anywhere.
Your gun really needs a rail, so any and all cool add ons just bolt on.

Here is my last build. It's a PVS-14 night vision rifle, with an Eotech weapons sight. (current US military optics). Most of the parts came from Larue and the back up iron sights (BUIS) are GG&G mounts.

 

[alzgarvin]

Thanks for the reply and the link for supplies. I know I rambled a bit so I may not have been clear. It does have a rail on top that the handle attaches to. But if I took the handle off and mounted the dot scope, then the front sight was in the way. I have since seen some AR's with scopes mounted on top of handle, but there must be some special adapter that did not come with my BSA.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

Then for 10 dollars this mount will attach it to your handle,
ARR-125 - AR-15 Tactical Mount 1 Piece Blued Easy Install No Drilling

It's a good mount, only 1 screw.

 

[Canuck-IL]

Most people using dots on an AR co-witness with the front sight - - after a couple of uses, you won't even notice the sight in the view.

Have someone else look through the BSA ... the uniformity of the circle can be very dependent upon your eyesight and also on how tired your eyes are at the time. I use 4 UltraDots and generally have an obvious "comet" rather than a circle - - less pronounced early in the day when I haven't spent 10 hours on a computer. The fractured view is the result of 57 year old eyes with some astigmatism...others see a perfectly round circle. Brightness and size are irrelevant.
/Bryan

 

[alzgarvin]

Great, that is exactly what I was looking for 500 Mag. I looked through several sources incl the first supplier you gave me with no luck. This will allow me to keep factory handle as BUIS. Removing the front gas block sight doesnt look like fun to me. Otherwise would install foldable fronts and rears and remove the handle. I think I will like the extra height too.
Canuck-IL . thanks for your ideas too. I did have several people look through the BSA dot and all see a very defined breakup pattern in all colors and intensities. It seems as if the lens is cracked on the projector lens. I know what you mean about the 50 plus eyes though, cause I have a pair. My eyesight is very good for closeness however, sucks for distances without lenses. As far as co-witness I can see what you would mean if the BSA sat just a bit higher, but the dot lands right on the base of the front sight. If it was up around the point or somewhere in the vee sides I could do the co witness thing. I will repost once I get response from the BSA people or the store I purchased it at.