Adding Accessories....

[KimberPB]

I was watching a Clint Smith urban carbine video last week and he, several time, mentioned what he thought of all the add on stuff. His stance was if it doesn't solve a problem he has no need for it on his rifle. He was using a basic A1 20" rifle with a flashlight. He said there are time were he would want to be able to identify his target before he shot so to solve that problem he mounted a light.

So what do you have on your AR's and why? Do you agree with Clint?

[Q-town]

Howdy, KimberPB! !...Here's my two cents worth. I believe that all who use a rifle should practice with iron sights as much as they practice with the gadgets (sights/scopes) that's on their rifles assuming one's vision is up for open sights... Now in saying that my wife and I both have Bushy A3 carbines. She has a 14.5" HB w/ permanent flash hider to make it legal length. It also has a collapsible stock which can be set to fit her for trigger pull length and winter vs. summer clothing. It also has a streamlight mounted light and an EOTech sight that co-witness w/ her open sights (rear sight is a flip up sight which is up all the time with the large peep sight being used). She is definitely faster on target and better at longer shots (100yds.+) using the EOTech, but she doesn't practice as she should. Which says the EOTech helps those with faster target acquisition and accuracy who are lax on practicing w/ their rifle. But what happens when the EOTech doesn't work; which happened when my wife and I were coyote hunting and the batteries went dead in her carbine in zero degree weather!! My 16" HB barrel carbine is set up the same way. I also have another AR I put together that has a Bushy 20" match barrel and upper and it is also an A3. I have a fixed 5x scope on it that has a quick detachable mount. I have a standard fixed stock with the carry handle strapped to the opposite side of my stock. I also have a butt stock weight in the compartment to balance out the gun and a two stage trigger. At present the carry handle/open sights are on it because I'm going to an Appleseed shoot in the near future. I will say this, I personally shoot more accurately with the standard stock than I do with the collapsible stock and am seriously thinking about putting a standard stock on my 16" carbine. That's probably more than you wanted to know...I hope I didn't bore you all.

[KimberRB]

I will say I have scopes and or red dots on most of my guns. I am getting older and my eye site is not what it use to be so I need a bit of help. Now with that said I do agree you should use open sites as well, as you never know when something will go wrong with the fancy gadgets.

[Palmach]

This is an interesting subject.

I was at a show last month and saw this guy pick up an AR from someone I know that is a manufacturer. This guy just kept adding on and adding one. I finally said that they should do a show on TV called "Pimp My AR" just for this guy.

Well the same guy was at another show this weekend. When I mentioned this to my friend's wife, she said that they used to have a guy that would come back show after show to add things on to the AR. Finally he asked if there was anything else that could be added, and the response was, "Well I could add a toilet paper roll holder on there for you in case you can't make it back to the head" LOL

Mine has a Pentagon L2 light mounted and that is it. The only addition I plan in the future is the Eotech.

[KimberRB]

Sounds like he needed to add a wagon to pull it around in.

[KimberPB]

Howdy, KimberPB! !...Here's my two cents worth. I believe that all who use a rifle should practice with iron sights as much as they practice with the gadgets (sights/scopes) that's on their rifles assuming one's vision is up for open sights... Now in saying that my wife and I both have Bushy A3 carbines. She has a 14.5" HB w/ permanent flash hider to make it legal length. It also has a collapsible stock which can be set to fit her for trigger pull length and winter vs. summer clothing. It also has a streamlight mounted light and an EOTech sight that co-witness w/ her open sights (rear sight is a flip up sight which is up all the time with the large peep sight being used). She is definitely faster on target and better at longer shots (100yds.+) using the EOTech, but she doesn't practice as she should. Which says the EOTech helps those with faster target acquisition and accuracy who are lax on practicing w/ their rifle. But what happens when the EOTech doesn't work; which happened when my wife and I were coyote hunting and the batteries went dead in her carbine in zero degree weather!! My 16" HB barrel carbine is set up the same way. I also have another AR I put together that has a Bushy 20" match barrel and upper and it is also an A3. I have a fixed 5x scope on it that has a quick detachable mount. I have a standard fixed stock with the carry handle strapped to the opposite side of my stock. I also have a butt stock weight in the compartment to balance out the gun and a two stage trigger. At present the carry handle/open sights are on it because I'm going to an Appleseed shoot in the near future. I will say this, I personally shoot more accurately with the standard stock than I do with the collapsible stock and am seriously thinking about putting a standard stock on my 16" carbine. That's probably more than you wanted to know...I hope I didn't bore you all.

+1 Q-town. I was curious what everyone else had to say be fore I posted but I'm right there with you. I agreed with Clint on much of what he had to say. For my first build I wanted a small lightweight tactical SHTF type of rifle. So mine has a 6 position collapsible stock, Flattop upper with a 16" ultra lightweight chrome lined bushy barrel. M4 handguards, EoTech, and vertical grip. The only 2 things I may add/change would be the addition of a light and possible swap out the M4 handgaurds with YHM lightweight rail handguards.

But like you said I practice with the EoTech and with just my iron (standard front post with a flipup A.R.M.S. buis rear) You never know when it may fail or the batteries run out.

[KimberPB]

I will say I have scopes and or red dots on most of my guns. I am getting older and my eye site is not what it use to be so I need a bit of help. Now with that said I do agree you should use open sites as well, as you never know when something will go wrong with the fancy gadgets.

Yep thats what Clint was talking about. If your eye sight needs help thats a problem and the fix would be some kind of red dot or scope.

[whiskey]

My 5.56 AR is enhanced with an EOTech and a VFG. The HWS is for faster target aquisition, not precision. I'm thinking about ditching the foregrip on this one:

My 40S&W AR also has a VFG but this one also has a light for target identification. It's what I grab when I hear a "bump" in the night. The VFG and sling are for weapon retention. I keep 'em utilitarian. I plan to SBR soon:

OOPS! Old pic doesn't show the light