Convert My AR to a Flat Top....Thoughts and Ideas Please.

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

I have a Colt LWT Sporter that has a permanent carry handle. I have been thinking of adding an optic to it and mounting it on top of that carry handle just doesn't do it for me. I have looked at other options like the cantilever mount that puts the optic over the handguard and that still might be a possibility, but they are expensive.

The solution I have been thinking of lately is for me to just get a decent FLAT top receiver and swap out all my parts to the new receiver and then I wouldn't have any problems at all mounting optics. I would like to be able to co-witness with my front sight as it seems this is the more practical and effective use of optic sights on the AR.

As far as cost, a new receiver would run about $150, maybe less if I could find a deal on one at one of the forums. The cantilever mount that I mentioned earlier would cost about $125. It's not cheap, but that's a GOOD ONE. It's the one that anchors to the front of the carry handle instead of just having a single screw for the top of the carry handle to secure it.

So what do you all think of swapping out for a flat top receiver?

Thanks for the help.

Nala

[gemo]

http://colemantyler.com/products.php?cat=129
100$ for a stripped upper reciever but they have complete ones for 150$

You could swap the parts into a stripped reciever.
check out ar15.com for instructions.

[orlando_5]

One of my AR15 has a permanent carry handle with a scope. There nothing wrong with it. Shoot fine and accurate. My next built is an IDF M4 clone that has a permanent carry handle.

There no need to change parts, just built another one.

[Onmilo]

Thing is, if you use a standard .250" pivot pin upper, you will also need to get an offset pivot pin to make up the difference of your Colt's .315" pivot pin hole.

Look here;
http://www.brownells.com
for the tools and upper receiver and parts you will need to do the rebuild.

[remat]

Been thinking of doing that to my A1 also.
Won't you also need to get a taller front sight post? That is assuming that an A2 taller post will fit in the A1 FSB. I know that the A1 has an additional adjustment notch.

Anybody know if you can just drop an A2 post in an A1 FSB?

[remat]

Anybody know if you can just drop an A2 post in an A1 FSB?

Nobody knows?

This page implies that the FSB's are the same:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=123&t=241681

[Onmilo]

Sorry, it was my nap time.

Yes, you may drop in fit an A2 square post front sight to an A1 front sight housing, or vice versa for that matter.

[TexasNativeDRJH]

Hey all,

I have a Colt LWT Sporter that has a permanent carry handle. I have been thinking of adding an optic to it and mounting it on top of that carry handle just doesn't do it for me. I have looked at other options like the cantilever mount that puts the optic over the handguard and that still might be a possibility, but they are expensive.

The solution I have been thinking of lately is for me to just get a decent FLAT top receiver and swap out all my parts to the new receiver and then I wouldn't have any problems at all mounting optics. I would like to be able to co-witness with my front sight as it seems this is the more practical and effective use of optic sights on the AR.

As far as cost, a new receiver would run about $150, maybe less if I could find a deal on one at one of the forums. The cantilever mount that I mentioned earlier would cost about $125. It's not cheap, but that's a GOOD ONE. It's the one that anchors to the front of the carry handle instead of just having a single screw for the top of the carry handle to secure it.

So what do you all think of swapping out for a flat top receiver?

Thanks for the help.

Nala

I'm in the same boat you're in, luckily someone posted good links on cheap stripped uppers.

What kind of optics are you wanting to add? Right now on my AR I have a cheap ($70) picatinny quad-rail forearm with a red dot mounted just in front of the carry handle. It gives me a nice co-witness with my irons without the obstructed view the carry handle mounts give. I'd rather have an A3 upper though, but it works for now.

http://glocktalk.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=152949&d=1214961872

[awcrooks]

I bought my Bushmaster M4 without doing much research back in late 2004 and ended up getting an A2 since it looked more traditional. Well long story short, I realized that for what I wanted it to become, I was going to need a flat top.

I purchased a CMT flat top, clam type armorer's block, and the armorer's wrench to take on the task a couple months ago. The job of swapping the stuff over was a LOT easier than expected. Since I already had everything apart I also threw in a new gas tube for safe measure.

Went from this

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/awcrooks/DSC02153.jpg

To this

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/awcrooks/DSC03296.jpg

[Nalapombu]

Nice looking conversion. That's what I want mine to look like.

Nala