Rifle Scopes Picatinny Rail Riser

[sdkidaho]

My LMT has the fixed front sight. I recently put a scope on and the front sight does cause a bit of a distraction. Are these rail risers ok to use or is that not advisable?

Just wondering the pros and cons of using them and if there is a good way to determine what size is best. I wouldn't want to get them and have it be too high and make it uncomfortable to see through the scope.

 

[KeithR41]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

Swap out the gas block for a low-pro. Takes 5 minutes and you can still mount your scope properly.

41

 

[ChielScape]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

A low-pro with rail for a flip-up BUIS.

 

[Bedlam]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

If your cheekweld is natural right now, a riser will mess that up.

I agree with the other responses and I'd say as long as you are spending money it's better to swap for a folding front sight.

 

[sdkidaho]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

Wouldn't I have to swap out the barrel also? My front sight is attached to my barrel. Sorry - I'm sure these are beginner questions...

 

[KeithR41]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

No. The gas block is removable.

41

 

[OpticsPlanet]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

What mount are you currently using? I would stay away from a riser if possible. The less moving parts the better. I would go the new gas block route with a flip up front sight or a higher mount.

Chase B.

 

[Opticsspecialist]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

i would stay away from a riser, either get some flip up sights or deal with the front sight being in the optic. is it obscuring your target, or just in the lower part of the scope?

 

[sdkidaho]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

I had a red-dot scope on there and so that front sight was fine, but I recently bought the Nikon M223 and have it mounted with the Nikon mount for that scope.

I don't think it will obscure the target, it's more or less a ghost type image in the lower part of the scope, but it is a bit distracting.

I'll look up the gas block route and see what that entails, but is that something a novice can change out? I'm not opposed to doing my own work, I've just never done that before.

 

[Opticsspecialist]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

if it's that lmt factory front sight, can't you just take it off? personally that is what i would do if it's bothering you. it won't hurt anything

 

[sdkidaho]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

I didn't think I could, it is the factory front sight but it looked like it was attached to the barrel (soldered on?). Maybe I need to look at it a little closer...

 

[KeithR41]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

It's not.

41

 

[Bedlam]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

I can't believe LMT would solder it on there. Mostly likely if it is a class front sight block (FSB), it is pinned in place with two tapered pins.

You can either pay a gunsmith to swap the front sight blocks, or do the following yourself:

Remove flash hider.

At the FSB, knock out pins from the skinny side using a punch and a heavy hammer. These are in there really good so you'll have to support barrel really well to prevent bounce or anything else that would absorb the blow. You want good clean hits against a very solid surface and the barrel held very tightly. Remember the pins are tapered so I hope you are hitting the correct side... might want to look that up if you can't tell.

When the pins are knocked out you can slide the FSB off and install a new one. I would get a clamp-on style that doesn't mount with pins.

Reinstall flash hider. If it used a peel washer it should index correctly again. If it used a crush washer you can try reusing the crush washer but you might need a new one if the flash hider doesn't index correctly.

This is an overview. Probably there are step-by-step instructions for all of this out there just one Google away.

 

[sdkidaho]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

"Assuming" I was able to do that, do I then have to do something with the gas block still?

Thanks for the help guys - much appreciated.

 

[KeithR41]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

The FSB (front sight base) is your gas block so no, you should be done at that point. Except you would have to remove the gas tube and reinstall it on the new gas block. It's held in place with a small roll pin.

It's a pretty easy job, and the answer to your initial question.

41

 

[sdkidaho]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

Ok, so remove the flash hider.

Take out the pins on the FSB, which I assume are these that I have circled in yellow:

Once those pins are out, (and the one small pin above those as well I assume?)I can slide the FSB off of the barrel. Then I'll need to install the the lower profile gas block. Something like one of these?:
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Gas-Block-s/44.htm

And while checking out those low profile gas blocks I found a video on Brownells that shows how to swap it:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/vid=19/pid=7592/Product/AR-15-M16-ADJUSTABLE-GAS-BLOCK

So yeah, not "too" bad. Thanks guys - again, I appreciate the help/guidance.

Darby

 

[jvencius]

Re: Picatinny Rail Riser

Or, as another option, you could break out the Dremel tool, chop the stock FSB down into a low-pro gas block, then install a longer handguard to cover it and provide a place to attach a flip-up front BUIS. If you go with a handguard that extends over the now low-pro gas block, that would also provide you a longer sight radius so you could be perhaps a smidge more accurate with irons.