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Posted: 7/17/2008 3:18:28 PM EDT
| I am building an M4 with a 14.5" Armalite barrel. What kind of front sight do I need? I am planning on using the detachable rear carry handle as the rear sight. I will be using an eotech years down the road with buis. I am confused about the "f" height front sight base. What are my options. I want an A2 style front sight but am unsure about sight heights. Thanks |
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If the barrel has a front sight base marked F on the side, use a standard AR15/M16 front sight post. That's because the "F" denotes a base that's .04 higher at the shelf than standard. If it doesn't, then you can assume it's the standard height base, and it may or may not need an .04 inch higher post to properly sight in. At that point a good part of the answer will depend on whose detachable rear unit you have. All I can tell you out of my own personal experience is that Colt, and any other maker who uses the milspec height sight base on their pieces will need an .04 inch higher post. Bushmaster, Rock River, DPMS and most of the other commercial makers, however, use an .04 inch LOWER REAR sight unit on their detachable tops, to avoid having to go to the higher front post. Since I have no experience with Armalite, I don't know which sight base they use, but w/o specific info on what you're going to need, I'd say get an .04 higher post up front; for two reasons. First, the higher post is also a bit narrower than the standard (rifle) post, to compensate for being closer to your eye. Second, if you don't end up needing the higher post point, it only takes a turn or two of the adjust wheel on the front post to get the thing sighted in. For the extra 5 bucks or so the higher post is going to cost you (from Bushamster or DPMS) having it on there may save you a frustrating first outing w/your new rifle. 
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| Actually what I am looking for is the correct sight base. I found one in the EE and it is marked "F". Would that be the correct height I need? My upper is a flat top right now from Delton but it is a little loose so I may replace it with a stag upper as I need another for a Dissy build I have planned. |
Are you talking about changing to a barrel w/an F base, or putting an F marked base on your current barrel? If it's the latter, count on spending about $75-$80 to have a 'smith mount the base; because unless you're a master machinist w/a fully equiped shop, you can't do it yourself. All that an F base is going to do for you is allow you to use a standard rifle height post on your rifle, instead of possibly needing a slightly higher post on your standard base. Sounds a a large extra expense for no difference in end result. 
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