BUIS: Fixed or Folding?

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  • MCgrease08

    Grandmaster
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    37   0   0
    Mar 14, 2013
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    Depends on the optic.

    For me I like folding because it gives the option to co-witness with a red dot if I'm in the mood to do it. When I first started with a red dot I thought I would always want to co-witness, but turns out I found it to be slightly distracting. I really did not like running the red dot with an A2 fixed sight as I was spending to much time trying to line everything up rather than just focusing on the dot. (I run a true co-witness rather than lower third). With flip ups if the dot ever goes down I just have to pop the sights and the cheek weld and stock position is the same, I just use the sights through the glass.

    If you like to co-witness all the time fixed front would be fine. Particularly with a lower third setup and a quick release red dot. But if you do wind up using the back ups the shooting position will likely be different because you're going to have to drop down lower to get on the sights.

    I don't really run scopes or LPVOs on my fighting guns (yet) so I have limited experience with that set up. Some guys like offset sights with a scope. In that case they are often fixed.
     

    Gabriel

    Grandmaster
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    9   0   0
    Jun 3, 2010
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    Fixed makes more sense when you consider speed of acquiring the irons if your optic goes dead, but I like folding so it's not in my line of sight while I'm using a red dot.

    I have one rifle with 45 degree offset BUIS (which I really like). Folding was the way to go for easier transport and fitting it in the safe easier without the extra space of the sights sticking off the side.
     

    VERT

    Grandmaster
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    23   0   0
    Jan 4, 2009
    9,801
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    Seymour
    My rifle has folding BUIS. I did have a spare rifle with fixed front and rear sights that I liked. Given a choice I would pick a quality set of folding sights because you can choose to leave them up or get them out of the way.
     

    indyjohn

    PATRIOT
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    77   0   0
    Dec 26, 2010
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    In the trees
    Folding. Out of the way until I need them.

    INGO-SPR2.jpg
     

    mark40sw

    Sharpshooter
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    Jul 5, 2015
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    Roanoke
    I don't even buy them. Buy a quality optic and it won't break.

    I buy vortex razor, nightforce, aimpoint optics and hope they don't go down when it matters. But there may be times when any optic can not be expected to perform. Going from very cold into a warm environment? Condensation quickly forms on glass surface until glass has had time to warm up.

    Also have a dirty water or mud/clay on scope glass. Even worse, any type of liquid like tree sap or man made (paint, adhesive). Not likely but really suck at a bad time.
     

    Fixer

    Expert
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    26   1   0
    Nov 22, 2009
    1,157
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    Fort Wayne Area
    Vortex Spitfire sits on my 45acp AR pistol. It has an glass etched Dual Ring reticle that can be used with or without the red/green illumination. BUIS are not needed with this application. Most of the other red dots have canted 45 BUIS. I have both flip up and fixed.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
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    Speedway area
    I don't even buy them. Buy a quality optic and it won't break.

    So you have never pulled an optic fitted piece out and the battery's were dead.....?????
    I do not buy low end or junk and have had failures. A Trigicon and a Cmore come to mind.


    I call total :bs:
     

    T-DOGG

    I'm Spicy, deal with it.
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    262   1   0
    Feb 4, 2011
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    Depends on the setup and usage. I'm not an operator, not deployed or using my rifle for work though, so my opinion is from a civilian standpoint. A law enforcement, military, or competition shooter will have different opinions.

    I have a fixed irons only 16" rifle, no optic. This helps keep me up on my iron sight skills, so they don't diminish. Probably a good way to keep tabs on my eyesight as well.

    My other guns have optics, red dots and magnified glass, they get flip ups. The optics are in QD mounts. I don't personally care about witness or co-witness necessarily, I either use the optic or the irons, not both. If the optic becomes inoperable, whether it's battery or obstruction, the flip ups are there if I need them.
     

    Ruger_Ronin

    Turkey Herder
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    Aug 22, 2017
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    Depends on the setup and usage. I'm not an operator, not deployed or using my rifle for work though, so my opinion is from a civilian standpoint. A law enforcement, military, or competition shooter will have different opinions.

    I have a fixed irons only 16" rifle, no optic. This helps keep me up on my iron sight skills, so they don't diminish. Probably a good way to keep tabs on my eyesight as well.

    My other guns have optics, red dots and magnified glass, they get flip ups. The optics are in QD mounts. I don't personally care about witness or co-witness necessarily, I either use the optic or the irons, not both. If the optic becomes inoperable, whether it's battery or obstruction, the flip ups are there if I need them.
    Very well stated, I concur these points. Flip sights for use when needed, never without.

    I run MBUS pro on all setups, with one rifle exception being an A2 front post and MBUS in the rear. Magpul did a great job with this offering allowing to mount the rear sight directly above the charging handle without interference.

    I as well use one or the other. Co witnessed during sight-in procedure for red dot helps expedite the process tremendously, but I find it too "busy" to run it as such. QD mounts are a plus, but sometimes bring a price increase. Thumb screw type will do with a small dab of blue loctite.
    NOT having back up irons is like taking the spare tire out of your trunk. I buy good tires, but they aren't nail proof.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
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    Apr 8, 2012
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    I'm in the process of changing all my set ups due to aging eyes. I have had optics on rifles for several years and am transitioning pistols to RDS. I have a "precision" rig that has a decent 3-9 Leupold on it. That one won't need back ups.

    I have a "plinker" that is being reconfigured into more of a SHTF rifle. I'm getting a more robust lower, upper and handguard. It currently has a 1-4 LPVO Leupold. I'm thinking of swapping that out for a RDS. Then I will think about BUIS. I have seen guys running RMR type back ups offset. That is a consideration since if I have to switch to irons, it's going to be fuzzy shooting.:) Though not as bad with a rifle...

    I could just stick with the LVPO and not have to worry about BUIS, but I'm thinking the RDS would be faster to pick up targets, lighter and take up less room on top of the rifle.

    If I would do BUIS, they would be folding since I currently own a set.
     

    Tactically Fat

    Grandmaster
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    Oct 8, 2014
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    You know my opinion, OP: unless you're going to war with that rifle, or unless you're a cop and it's your duty rifle, you do not *need* BUS at all. It's a "want" or a "nice to have" item, but not a need.

    Especially so with as good as even cheap optics are these days.
     

    Route 45

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    Dec 5, 2015
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    You know my opinion, OP: unless you're going to war with that rifle, or unless you're a cop and it's your duty rifle, you do not *need* BUS at all. It's a "want" or a "nice to have" item, but not a need.

    Especially so with as good as even cheap optics are these days.

    neverknow.gif
     

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
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    Aug 26, 2011
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    Folding. I dont want anything blocking any of my sight picture when I'm using a red dot or a scope. This includes on a pistol. I dont like suppressor sights on my red dot guns.
    If you have folding sights with a fixed scope (required a tool to remove) then you have wasted your money and the purpose of folding back up sights. You should use 45 degree offset folding sights if that kind of mount is on your rifle.
    All of my scopes are on QD mounts. If my main optic goes down, all I have to do is quickly detach it and deploy my folding sights. You cant do that if your scope sits over top your rear back up sight.
     
    Last edited:

    Trigger Time

    Air guitar master
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    Aug 26, 2011
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    You know my opinion, OP: unless you're going to war with that rifle, or unless you're a cop and it's your duty rifle, you do not *need* BUS at all. It's a "want" or a "nice to have" item, but not a need.

    Especially so with as good as even cheap optics are these days.
    Every single gun I own (well 99%) i buy or build because they are capable of "going to war". That's just a minimum quality threshold that any gun should pass imo.
     

    mark40sw

    Sharpshooter
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    Jul 5, 2015
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    Roanoke
    You know my opinion, OP: unless you're going to war with that rifle, or unless you're a cop and it's your duty rifle, you do not *need* BUS at all. It's a "want" or a "nice to have" item, but not a need.

    Especially so with as good as even cheap optics are these days.

    Hopefully never *need* back-up sights. Just like I hopefully will never *need* those seat-belts in my trucks.

    Been to a war overseas decades ago, being under attack without a means to personally counter is a very stupid feeling that I do not wish to experience again. Not if i can prepare for anything now.

    But yes, if the gun is not ever to be considered for self defense or a "range toy", then back-ups not needed. I go to an outdoor range year around, seen several non duty grade optics fail.
     
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