Duty Rifle help

[FourXFour]

I'm getting ready to start working at night again and I'm starting a little project. I'm looking for the best way to quickly install a light and possibly red dot or reflex sight to a fairly standard Colt AR-15. I basically want to set up an active shooter bag with six AR mags, six Glock mags, extra flex cuffs, extra personal light, tac light for AR and possibly a Trijicon Reflex sight.

The problem I have is that in my dept we are not issued rifles, they are kept in the vehicles. I'm not interested in leaving any of my equipment on the rifle while I'm not at work.

I have the bag (Maxpedition Fatboy S-Type) and all the mags & cuffs. I also have a surefire X-200 & Streamlight M3X that I can put on a rail that attaches to the front sight with just two screws.

The problem I now have, is finding a quick release sight that would possibly attach to the top of the carry handle. I can set up the light ahead of time, but due to the way the AR is mounted in the patrol car, I don't think I can attach a sight at the beginning of the shift, it would have to be in a "hurry."

The other issue I have is having the sight be accurate on so many different rifles.

This may all be a waste of time, but it's something to keep me busy for a few weeks.

Thanks for any help

[toolman_556]

One thing to consider is, if you are allowed to lock personal weapons on the carry bar in the vehicle is to case the issue gun and trunk it, putting your own flattop with BUIS in tis place. The Eotech's are getting a lot of press, and are cool for a heads up, but hard to beat the proven durability of an Aimpont Comp ML. The comp ml is more of a standard cheek weld than the eotech. I always thought of putting an archery eotech on a rifle.... it has 2 rings you center for longer eye relief on compound bows.
back to your mount dilemma, I have never seen a qd a1/2 carry handle attachment for the dot sights. Most require a wrench and I would not guarrantee POI repeatability upper to upper. If you run a 4 rail handguard, its possible to mount it to the 4 rail in front of the handle repeatably, but if you are running plastic, the game is done. Now plastic will be easier to maintain rate of fire for longer because it won't heat up as fast a free float tube. The carbon fiber would be equal to plastic for heat conduction. The solid aluminum tube and 4 rails suck heat away from the barrel real quickly and get very hot to handle when the manure hits the rotary gas redistribution device.

[OutintheWoods]

Are you saying you need to mount it to one rifle, or potentially multiple rifles in different cars?

In other words will it be the same car, same rifle all the time?

If it's the same rifle no problem. Most manufactures make precision quick release mounts that will allow you to mount the sight and hold zero if you remount everytime the same exact way.

This is a cantilever co-witness mount from eotech.

http://www.eotech-inc.com/images/tacmount1.gif

This is a carry handle mount that simply screws into the carry handle hole. Push it forward as far as possible when mounting and tightening the screw.

http://www.eotech-inc.com/images/tacmount2.gif

Now if you're talking about potentially mounting it to a different rifle than the one you zeroed, you're going to have problems with zero no matter what you do.

In that case, you need to have a long talk with the Chief about the importance of hitting what you aim at.

[WA-K9]

I mounted an M3 on the forearm and it has been working great. I would stay away from the Eotechs. You might be ok in S.F. but up here we are in a semi arid region w/ lots of sun. On a bright day the Eotech is not bright enough to be visible. Aimpoint or the vaunted Acog would be my suggestion. I am personally saving for a mini Acog. I leave my light on the gun at work and just keep it cased in the trunk.

[twostepct]

I'm with OITW on this. Are you going to be putting this sight on one or many different guns? If one and you find that the mounts are repeatable enough to trust, why not carry the rifle in a different way? We don't have racks (we carry personally owned rifles) in our cars, so mine rides between my seat and the radio console. Where there is a will there's a way. As for the the bag, you have me thinking about doing the same thing now!

[Skintop911]

You've defined parameters which will produce more tail-chasing than results. You're best to stick to the irons on the gun. They've worked for centuries, their batteries won't go dead, and they'll already be on the gun when you're in the hurry you describe.

The light is a useful addition and not so problematic. Try one of the strap-on mounts from (SOE?), or snap on polymer rails. No screws, no mess, no bother.

As for the bag- Go-bags are a great concept. Do work with the max a bit, though, and see if you lose any gear when you run, climb, etc, especially when the compartment(s) are unsecured.

[Michigun]

Forget the optic… biggest reason is that you’ll have no idea about your zero taking it from AR to AR to AR.

White light is VERY important, ESPECIALLY if you’re running around at night… the nice thing is that when a target is lit up with a light the irons are outlined quit nicely on it & are VERY useful like this… it sounds like you have a quick way to mount your light(s) already, but have you thought about something like this found on Bushmaster’s www site?

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/handguards/hpm3.asp

It would work nicely for mounting up those tac lights you listed & allow you more mounting points then that front sight one you talked about.

[FourXFour]

Thanks for all the help, I think I'm going to give up on the sight idea (iron sights have been fine so far). I do like the bushmaster light adapter.

thanks again.

[Skintop911]

Originally posted by FourXFour
I do like the bushmaster light adapter.

I have not seen that one before, but it is the same type of unit as others available. That should meet your needs.

(Unless it has screws that need to be staked or anything that should be top-dead-center ;e ;e ;e ;e )

[Skintop911]

Hey, anyone else notice that the description on the Bushmaster mount says, "fits rifles only", but they show a carbine in the pic? ;e

[Michigun]

Originally posted by Skintop911
Hey, anyone else notice that the description on the Bushmaster mount says, "fits rifles only", but they show a carbine in the pic? ;e

Yeah, I noticed that too... ^8 (A quick call to Bushmaster will tell ya what you can expect from it though.)

www.brownells.com sells a similar mount like that one found at Bushmaster... heck, it may even be the exact same one. I've run across it a few times at Brownells, but damn if I can find it now.

[Michigun]

Hey, finally found that mount at Brownells!

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20826&title=M-SERIES+HOLDERS

It looks like there are 2 different models, one for a 20” rifle & one for a 16” carbine… Bushmaster must not have the carbine mount.