A1 Carry Handle vs A2 Carry Handle vs Detachable Carry Handle 

One thing to keep in mind with detachable carry handles, they are not all created equal. The cheap ones have weak detents so when you flip the aperture from large to small or vice versa, it's common that the windage knob also moves. I've noticed this on the cheap carry handles as well as the cheaper A2 fixed sights you can buy. So when someone sees a carry handle for $29.99 and another for $79.99, one of them will have a forge mark and the other will not and the one with the forge mark is higher quality all the way around.

I was recently issued an A1 (hard to believe, I know) and couldn't figure out why both rear aperture holes were the same size. I originally trained on A4's in the Marines so I kept flipping back and forth wondering if I was just too blind to see the difference in size. Now I know it wasn't just me! Thank you for this video!

Love my old school sights, no need to worry about batteries dying, lens broken, knocked outta alignment, they just always work, period!

Most of my AR's are fixed carry handles. I served in the USMC 02'-06' and it is what tickles my fancy. I prefer the A1 but also use the A2.

Did basic training with the a1 m16 best rifle ever in my opinion 👍🏿

It is kind of cool that the AR has been in long enough that there are entire generation of people behind each of the type of sighting systems. A lot of folks don't realize but there are situations where an AR15 could be registered an a curious & relic firearm. There are very few samples remaining but they are out there.

That ability to go 4-6 clicks below the 6/3 or 8/3 is called the RIBZ method. Revised Improved Battle Zero. You have to use a allen wrench and unscrew the set screw on the inside of the range drum and turn the knob back (4 for the Improved Battle Zero or 6 for the Revised IBZ), then tighten it back down together. That allows a 50-200 and a 100 meter range using the smaller aperture for more precise shooting .vs the 0-200 large/low light one.

Dude, I love the series. These episodes are actually answering my questions. Nicely doneA

Was near to getting a Detch. CH and a gooseneck and thsi vid saved me from finding out the hard way. Going to just stick to my cowitness with a red dot and fixed rear iron

If they kept making fixed, we’d all get them. But flat tops work sufficiently enough

Neat LEO AR Mauser Man. (It's also neat that every word in that sentence coincidentally had to be capitalized.

They should have combined the a1 and a2 sight . 0-200. Flip to L for 300. Drum 400 plus

Iron sights little and big opening are for day and night

I like the A1 carry handle uppers but I always put the larger A2 apertures in them.

I would note that all detachable are most definitely not built the same. NEVER GET ONES WITHOUT FORGE MARKS, and always get forged one. Square forge marks are the most common and best to get, brand aside. I had a colt one I ran for a year and the rear sight completely sized and had to be painfully removed and placed in the spare parts bin of shame. The advantage of carry handle optics mount has to be the height, you can’t mount anything beyond the classic 1-4x scope or red dots, but definitely allows you to mold your skills to what a lot of the old dogs had to learn with.

One thing thatbyou missed and it may not be a big deal to you, but having humped one (m16a1) for extended periods of time, i like the fixed handle because my thumb will fit through it to carry the rifle at the balance point. You showed your fingers getting in there but i apparently have fat thumbs and they dont go through the detachable handles at all. Thats my only gripe.

Great video! I learned a lot.

Nice acquisition!

It’s simple the A1 is the better combat sight while the A2 is the better target sight

I guess you have never seen a double ended A1 sight adjusting tool. The large end fits the rear sight windage drum, the small end fits the front sight post. This tool only fits the A1 rifles only. Also a double ended one was made for both A1 and A2 front sight posts. The 5 prong end fits A1 posts, the 4 prong end fits A2 posts.

Love ur channel btw keep it up

Found out the hard way that the gooseneck mounts don't fit the detachable carry handles...oh well. Another excuse to build that fixed handle A1 dissipator upper I suppose lol

All of these sights are now obsolete. The MaTech BUIS replaced the detachable carry handle sight and it can easily be zeroed for a 300 meter battle sight zero and bullet drop compensation function without fuss on either an M4 or A4. This sight can remain attached and zeroed on an M4 or A4 hosting an ACOG or LPVO. One thing though, the fixed carry handle sight match conditioned to 1/4 min value and finer aperture still rules in NRA Long-Range (1000 yard) Service Rifle Competition, since its greater sight adjustment range than others permits a greater range of holds on target without reaching an adjustment limit. BTW, note that the click value of sights on carbine are greater than when sights are on rifle due to divergence of the sight radius. Also the zeroing procedure for A2/A4 requires a one MOA clockwise offset from 8/3 or 6/3 marking at 25 meters since the 20 inch barrel rifle produces a slightly flatter trajectory than the 14.5 inch barrel carbine. Of course this offset is removed from the sight after zeroing by turning elevation wheel counter clockwise back to 6/3 or 8/3.

Whats nice is that you can put an A2 aperture on an A1. If you wanted the bigger aperture you can still zero

12:26 illegal to have that requirment because it's unconstitutional, so *ignore*

Since the A1 peep holes are small do people modify at least the closer range peep by drilling it larger?

No offense intended but you sound just like Matpat from Game Theory

I run detachable rear sight assemblies (carry handles) on all five of my ARs; two A3 Style rifles and three differently set up carbines. You should never go cheap on rear sights; save yourself the grief and exasperation. Mine were all purchased from a well-known high grade manufacturer. They were expensive...as in a little over $100 expensive. But you do, in fact, get what you pay for.

Do they still sale the 1st .. old-school blk a2 a1 handle rifles

A2 is cool. Upper receiver is hard to get because not too manucturers are making it anymore. Thank you for posting

Great video man! As much as I want to go trade my flat top on for an A2 it just makes since that I get a good attachable handle to start with! Another question how would an attachable handle work with a fold up front site? I have one of each, but I am curious as to how or if that would work. Thanks for sharing!

👽 I believe it's called a OPTICAL RISER is it's real name. but it's ok I could b wrong & does it matter ?

Hey do you happen to remember what brand that goosestep mount is?

love the vintage guns

Very nice guns! What's the piece on the charging handle with the A2 upper on it?

🇦🇺😎👍Hey Big John

👍

Is that a s.a.w sling on the 16?

Why so complicated? My Ak has way simpler sights.

The " L " STANDS FOR " LOW LIGHT " SHOOTING........ M16A1 HAS A 250 METER ZERO WITH THE UNMARKED REAR SIGHT.

Slow your speach rate for a much better video.

You had as much or more room with the detachable handle. You need to watch your video

You should eat more sonny, you're nothing but skin and bones!