buying an AR. flat top or not?

[sled]

  Question for ar owners.  Did you buy a flat top or not.  My concern is that the front sight may be in the way of an optic i might put on down the road.  Never owned one before so im looking for some input.  For now it will be for target and maybe some varmint hunting.

[JohnVH]

mine is, but I dont have a huge front open sight, you can either cut it off, or replace that with a lower gas block.

[ORCA_SIX]

You can get many AR-15 style rifles with the front sight already removed to be replaced by a front flip accessory or already installed as a flip up.

Check out www.ar15.com You don't have to be a member to go through the forums and look at pictures and setups.

[coop2424]

Have had a couple flat tops with the front sight on them.  Even with a scope mounted it does not impact vision through the scope having the front sight.  You can replace the front sight with a gas block that does not have the sight or one that flips up.

[h20hunter]

Yep...what he said....just leave it on.........

[Jim the Plumber]

I've owned over 30 Ar-15 style rifles. If you are using optics, go with a gas block that doesn't have a fixed front sight.

[h20hunter]

So Jim.....you know a few things about guns and such....

Why does the scope not "see" the front sight?

[Bean Counter]

I have had both rear and front flip up sights. When using an EOTech, I think having a fixed front post and a flip up rear is fine. Its not too annoying to have that as a cowitness.... sometimes its kind of nice.

[Blacklab]

Sled if your not going to use iron sights. Then just go flat and save a little $$$$. My 223 ar has a fixed carry handle with a m-223. No issues with the front sight, except when you first bore sight it. Nothing that a 25 yard range can't fix. With my first build I went flat top an no iron sights  Good luck, just like anything else it's prefence 

[Bofire]

  Get both!!!!!!!!!
Carl

[FALFire]

Why does the scope not "see" the front sight?

Depending on the actual scope magnification you may see a slight blur in the field of view but generally the front sight is so close to the objective lens that it simply does not appear while looking through the scope.

On my 2-7 Leupold I can see a slight blur but on my 4.5-14 the scope will not pickup any part of the front sight.

[KFhunter]

would it affect the light gathering qualities?

blocking part of the scope, even though you can't "see" it is going to block some of the light travelling from your target to your scope.

[FALFire]

I've never experienced light gathering problems caused from the front sight, the scope gathers ambient light from all angles.