Still obsessing about getting this look

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DavidRSA

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I am still obsessing about this and am rehashing a previous post...

The only thing I like about the colt version is the look of the front sight:

I have been researching how I could get this type of front sight on my MP-15-22. Contacted a few gunsmiths who don't seem to recommend adding a "real" front sight since it would require considerable work on either the barrel or the sight itself.. Belt-fed is looking into this for me as well...

Any ideas/suggestions anyone other than adding a real front sight? What about airsoft versions of this sight? (I cannot find any) I know from a previous poster that the quad rail on the MP15-22 is longer than on the colt so it may look a little off having the sight so far forward...

Or maybe this is a dream that will remain unfilfilled....:(


left.jpg
 
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Yep it's doable for sure.. I love the look of fixed front sights and I'm also a fan of M4 hand guards instead of full rails.

I think you would probably be the pioneer on this mod if you decide to go this route, so document, document and document some more.
 
It seems to me from what everyone is saying that adding the sight can be done it would just take some work.

As for the handguard part of it, yeah I think you would definitely have to shorten the handguard for it to look right. I dont think it would have the look you want if the sight was that far out on the barrel. To fix that you could either get the handguard adapter that tacticool sells and get a shorter handguard or you can shorten the original one like this guy did:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/114562-maybe-my-wife-can-have-kitchen-counter-back-now.html
 
Anything is possible for a machinist. How much money do you have? :D

I agree, the standard AR front sight looks best. Maybe some aftermarket company will make us one, but I doubt it.
 
I had some time at work today so I decided to see how it would look to cut back the handguard and add the front sight. I just got the pictures off the S&W website and used paint to edit them. I used the pictures of the M&P15 and the M&P15-22 and scaled them to their correct size to each other. Them I just copied and pasted the rest. I also did the carry handle cause I like it. I think it looks pretty cool and I may eventually get the inspiration to one day attempt this.

This is with two holes worth of length cut off the handguard:
mp15compare-2holetowersight-ch.jpg


This is with three holes worth of length cut off the handguard (which seems to be a closer length to the M&P15):
mp15compare-3holetowersight-ch.jpg
 
Yup that would be it!

Awesome! Gota find me a machinist who would do it.... what you think we talking about here including the cost of the sight?? $150? $200?
 
S&W did a nice job positioning the front sight on the 15-22, it's right where it should be. See the photo below.

The photo-shopped photos (posted at the start of this thread) are using a 16" barrel rifle as a base. This rifle will mount a bayonet, but it'll look dorky as the barrel is 1-1/2" too long.

The M4 Carbine has a 14-1/2" barrel not because it's a magic barrel length but because that length and the existing Colt's XM177 carbine handguards and gas design would allow a standard bayonet to be fitted if the barrel was longer. No major redesign needed, just extend the XM177E2 barrel three inches (from 11-1/2 to 14-1/2), screw on the M16A2 compensator, and *** Poof! *** a serviceable carbine that can use many standard parts. No need for special handguards, gas system, compensator, or bayonet.

This is a M16A2 with a bayonet and my 15-22 with a M16A1 suppressor (same length as the A2 compensator). Note the front sight position. The muzzles are in the exact same location, any difference is photo distortion. A M4 Carbine has the exact same length of barrel in front of the front sight as the M16A2 (and A1 for that matter). Much less than a NFA-legal 16" barrel with carbine handguards.

549871041-IMG_2010_03_10_0127_s.JPG


-- Chuck
 
It might be possible to have adapters made to fit the standard sight tower onto the 15/22 barrel. They would need to be simicircular shims to take up the slop.
 
Took a 15-22 and added the front sight post off the M&P 15 to it in GIMP. I shortened the rail by three holes .

MP15-22.jpg
 
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mp15-22.com may have a solution!!

Below is an EMail from mp15-22.com in response to my query as to whether they will be offering a kit that would give us front sight tower look we are talking about. If enough interest they will do it...so please email them and maybe our wish will come true here!
______________________________________
On Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 4:49 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:

David:
We are working on that exact setup. For the hand guard, you can use any
standard hand guard, any length. The kit will have our hand guard thread
converter so you can install a standard delta ring. The sight end will
have the standard end cap and front sight tower. There will be an adapter
that will keep the hand guard from rotating and also holds the front sight
in place. It is on the back burner for now, but can move to the front if
there is enough interest. Check on Tacticool22.com | Products, News, and Resources for .22 Caliber Tactical Firearms for updates and
current news.
Another option is for a free floating hand guard and the front sight.
The kit will be the same. Thread adapter and front sight adapter. What you
want to put inbetween is up to the end user. Oh yeah, no machining, just
install and go. No hand guard limitations either. Spread the word if you
can.
Best Wishes
Jody Scott
Team Leader, tacticool22
(Web) Tacticool22.com | Products, News, and Resources for .22 Caliber Tactical Firearms
 
James7800 said:
I actually bought one of those last night. Now I just need to figure out what to use as a spacer to make up the difference in diameter. Maybe a thin piece of aluminum?
Click to expand...

That's above my skill level. I'm sure Belt_Fed can recommend something that works.
 
whats the bore dia. on that sight..... from the pic it has alot of take up in its design.. a piece of shim stock would go a long way if its not to much larger
 
ya it aint going to close up that much... but yell at me ill get u some spacers
 
BELT_FED said:
ya it aint going to close up that much... but yell at me ill get u some spacers
Click to expand...

Yeah my math says I need about 0.04 in. thickness of sheet metal to wrap around, looking to see if I've got some aluminum sheet metal laying around here somewhere
 
Is this what you're looking for?

The A2 front sight post is drilled and tapped from the bottom.
image.php


The barrel was sleeved with 20mm heat shirk tube to provide thickness and friction.
The A2 base was cut lenghtwise and hold on by two clamp on screws (not installed yet.)
image.php


A close up look.
image.php



A convetional/traditional AR look...
image.php

image.php
 
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I've been intrigued by this.

I'm looking into getting mp15-22.com's barrel nut conversion to run standard ar-15 handguards. Then add the magpul carbine length handguard to it accompanied by the standard a2 front sight post.

Two options I have found:

Paintball Barrel M4 Front Sight Post

its made for paintbal guns, but mp 15-22's don't need this to function as anything more then a sight...

Also found this:
A2 front sight clamp on w/screws

What do you guys think?

edit:

also, whats the piece called that I pointed out in this picture:
mapul1.jpg


I noticed that doesn't come with either mp15-22's kit or the magpul handguard.

thanks.
 
Last edited:
Derek33 said:
I've been intrigued by this.

I'm looking into getting mp15-22.com's barrel nut conversion to run standard ar-15 handguards. Then add the magpul carbine length handguard to it accompanied by the standard a2 front sight post.

Two options I have found:

Paintball Barrel M4 Front Sight Post

its made for paintbal guns, but mp 15-22's don't need this to function as anything more then a sight...

Also found this:
A2 front sight clamp on w/screws

What do you guys think?

edit:

also, whats the piece called that I pointed out in this picture:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/DMN0166/mapul1.jpg

I noticed that doesn't come with either mp15-22's kit or the magpul handguard.

thanks.
Click to expand...

Don't go with the paintball tower. The sight is fixed, so it will not perform as a rifle sight.

The piece you're looking for is a Delta Ring.

delta1.gif


I personally prefer the rail look. I love hidden gas blocks with extended rails. My support hand sits at the very end of my 15-22 rail set when using my grip/stance for target transition and competition.
 
I, along with what I am sure is many others, would be very interested in a clamp on A2 front sight of the proper inside diameter, a front handguard retainer of the same I.D., an adapter barrel nut, and a delta ring sold together as a kit.

Since the barrel diameter of the 15-22 is constant and not some odd profile, the end user would be allowed to do a "dissipator" style rifle length handguard setup, a midlength handguard, or a carbine handguard.

Since most AR's with 16" barrels have midlength or carbine gas systems and handguards, and a large amount of 15-22's are being bought as "trainers" used to mimic a duty or "SHTF" carbine, I bet it could be a profitable endeavor for somebody.

Course, we'd need a 15-22 barrel wrench too, anybody already make one of those? ;)
 
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