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Review: LMT Defense Flip Up Sights

By on July 21, 2015 in Guns, Reviews

When you think LMT, you probably don’t think back up iron sights… That might change by the end of this review. I have been spending some quality time with a set of AR-15 back up sights with a very straight forward name – the LMT Defense Flip Up Sights. At first glance, you might see some influence from other sights on the market but when you drill down a bit you see some unique features that make these worthy of your consideration.

LMT Defense Flip Up Sight Front Top LMT Defense Flip Up Sight Folded

Overview

This review will cover the L8BUI556 sight set which consists of the L8N 5.56 Flip Up Rear Sight and the L8K Flip Up Front Sight. They can be purchased separately or as a set.

Both the front and rear sights feature steel construction with a black phosphate finish. They weigh in at 4.4 ounces for the set. The sights do not lock in the up or down position. They have a strong and positive detent that keeps them upright until you decide to fold them (or down until you need to deploy them). Both sights mount via a large cross bolt that can be turned with a flat head screwdriver or an improvised facsimile.

The front sight features large ring shaped protective ears. LMT managed to cram a standard AR-15 front sight post into the relatively compact design.

The rear sight has a BDC cylinder that is marked in increments of 100 yards out to 700 yards. Elevation adjustments are made at the front sight as normal but bullet drop can be compensated by twisting the cylinder in the desire direction. Each click of the BDC cylinder is a 1/2 MOA elevation adjustment. The windage adjustment is accomplished via knobs on either side of the sight and offers 1/4 MOA increments.

The rear sight features two, same-plane apertures which can be easily selected by the shooter. The sight can be folded with either aperture in the deployed position. The smaller one measures .0625″ in diameter and the larger measures .125″ in diameter.

LMT Defense Flip Up Sight Front

Observations from Use

These sights are easy to install and zero. They have a Z (zero) setting on the BDC cylinder which I did not use. I just set the cylinder to the 200 yard mark, zeroed at 50, and then confirmed that I was zeroed at 100 yards on the 100 yard setting. I generally just keep the BDC cylinder set at 200 yards for everything from arms length to 200 yards just for consistency sake with my other ARs that have 50/200 yard zeros.

The dual windage knobs on the rear sight made zeroing just a little bit easier. While zeroing, I was laying in the prone position with the muzzle resting on a backpack. The left side knob allowed me to reach back with my support hand to make adjustments. If you are unsupported, you can still use your strong hand like you would on most sights. I suspect that my southpaw friends will appreciate the ambidextrous knobs as well. I do wish they were smaller to avoid getting knocked off zero. I didn’t have a problem but smaller knobs might keep Murphy at bay, especially since these knobs are basically used to zero and then never touched again.

The BDC cylinder is easy to read and easy to use. It is plainly marked from 100 to 700 yards. The cylinder bottoms out on the 100 yard mark which serves as a sort of zero-stop. One full rotation puts you on the 600 yard mark with the 700 yard mark coming about a half turn after that. This means that the 700 yard mark is located between the 400 and 500 yard marks on the cylinder and the shooter needs to give a full rotation before settling on the 700 yard mark (not that these sights will be used often at 700 yards on an AR-15 carbine). There are 10 additional clicks after the 700 yard mark before the BDC cylinder hits a hard stop which is nice because it makes it hard to get lost when you are dialing distance.

LMT Defense Flip Up Sight Front Folded

The apertures on the rear sight have it going on. They are same-plane which is a big plus in my book. You can keep either aperture in the ready position and still fold the sight normally. The smaller aperture is fairly standard in size and provides very fine aiming. The larger aperture is actually smaller than most rear sights. It is large enough to provide some additional light and speed but still small enough to be used as slightly extended distances. I suspect that it’s smaller size is dictated by the form factor of the sight but it works.

I am glad to see that these sights use only a detent to stay in position rather than a positive lock. In my experience, this makes sights much better equipped to handle impact. Every rail mounted fixed sight or locking sight that I have drop tested will bend or break, often on the first drop. Typically, those that use only detent action to stay in place survive repeated drops because they can collapse on impact. That was the case with the LMT Flip Up Sights. I dropped them 3 times from waist height with no physical damage other than scratching.

The front sight has a lot going for it. I was thrilled to see that it uses a standard front sight post. That may seem like a small thing but it actually one of the features that really sets these sights apart. By shoehorning a standard front sight post into a relatively compact front sight LMT has given you a ton of options like tritium front sight posts, finer front sight posts, and the ability to use common front sight adjustment tools.

I would prefer to see the standard, outward curving front sight protection ears but that is just personal preference. I know that some people find the round ears to be faster since you basically look through the sight and place the entire round front sight assembly on your target to get a quick hit up close. However, I find that sometimes my eye wants to center the round protective ears rather than the front sight post during slow fire.

LMT Defense Flip Up Sight Rear

It is obvious that LMT took great care to remove sharp edges from these sights. Even the top of the rear sight apertures is blended into its dome shaped protective ears to make the whole structure as blunt as possible. The lack of sharp edges and break away action of the sights are all part of the original design requirements to create sights that were as safe as possible to the shooter.

These aren’t the smallest or lightest sights on the market but they should be pretty darn durable. Like I said, they came through 3 drops basically unscathed and the all-steel construction should make them plenty rugged.

Wrap Up

These LMT Defense Flip Up Sights may have a mundane name but they pack of lot of slick features. The windage knobs should be reduced in size and I would prefer outward curving protective ears on the front sight. The rear sight is very well designed with its same-plane apertures, ability to fold with either aperture in the ready position, and dual windage knobs. The use of a standard front sight post give the end user tons of options. These sights are definitely worth a look for your next build.

Check out the Flip Up Sights at LMT Defense.

Disclosure: These sights were provided to me for review, free of charge, by LMT Defense.

Sneak Peek: T.REX ARMS 6 Second Mount Holster

By on July 20, 2015 in Guns, Tactical Gear

T.REX ARMS will be releasing a holster for ALG Defense 6 Second Mount equipped Glocks. The holster is based on their yet to be released drop leg design with their slick swiveling leg strap anchor.

trex 6 second mount holster

The holster will be compatible with a number of attachment systems including Safariland’s ubiquitous 3 hole system. This will give the user nearly countless options for how they attach the holster to their gear and make it possible to fine tune the ride height.

The holster body is molded from .125″ kydex which is the thickest material you see in common use for holsters. This thickness should provide plenty of protection for the firearm. It is not a concealment holster to the use of thicker material is appropriate and welcome.

Keep an eye on the T.REX ARMS website for more details.

Ruger Precision Rifle

By on July 18, 2015 in Guns

Ruger’s new Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) is ambitious to say the least. It manages to shoehorn a staggering amount of features, interesting design elements, and forward thinking modularity into its steel and aluminum chassis. If it manages to live up to its marketing, it could turn the market on its ear.

Ruger Precision Rifle

Ruger has not received enough credit for how they have improved the quality of their barrels. They are hammer forging many (if not all) of their rifle barrels in house and they have seen accuracy improvements across the board including in the Mini 14, which is now MUCH more accurate than the internet thinks. Even Ruger’s budget American Rifle exhibits excellent accuracy so it makes sense that they would build this new precision rifle around one of their hammer forged barrels.

Barrel aside, the RPR’s real headlines are being generated by its chassis. The receiver is steel which rides in an aluminum chassis. The barrel can be changed and headspaced with a standard AR-15 armorers tool and headspace gauges which is more than just a little cool. This use of a barrel nut that is compatible with AR-15 armorers wrenches also means that the RPR can accept AR-15 rails like the Samson Evolution KeyMod rail that is included.

The RPR’s top rail has 20MOA of elevation built in. It is attached to the receiver via screws and easily replaceable.

The chassis allows the use of AR-15 buttstocks via a carbine receiver extension. The RPR ships with an adjustable Precision MSR Stock that appears to be very well suited to intended use of this rifle. The user could also use the stock of their choice as long as it is compatible with an AR-15 carbine receiver extension.

The grip and 45 degree selector are standard AR-15 parts so the user can customize them to suit their tastes. The included selector is reversible for left and right hand use.

The Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger is externally adjustable from 2.25 – 5 pounds via a wrench that is stored on the rifle.

The innovation continues to the magazine well where you will find an adaptable system that can be made to work with 3 different types of magazines that are common to long range precision. The RPR can accept SR-25 pattern magazines like those from DPMS and Magpul’s PMAG LR. It can also accept AICS magazines and some M-14 magazines.

The RPR is loaded with even more meaningful features than I can cover here outside of a review. It is well worth looking through Ruger’s RPR website to get more information. As amazing as all the engineering and features that are crammed into this rifle are, the price may be the most impressive. It will be available chambered in .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, or .243 Winchester for an MSRP of $1399.00. The actual street price will likely be down around $1200.

This is a strong offering from Ruger, especially following the release of the strangely packaged and marketed SR-556 Takedown.

Challenge Accepted! Lightweight on a Budget Build

By on July 17, 2015 in Guns, Reviews

After I completed my Sub 6 with a Twist build, I received an email from a someone who stated that anyone could make a lightweight rifle if they had “unlimited funds like you”. This gentleman obviously doesn’t have access to my bank statement but I took that email as a personal challenge to prove him wrong.

SUB_6_With_a_Twist

The mildly infamous Sub 6 with a Twist Build

My goal was to build a good quality, reliable carbine that weighed around 6 pounds and cost around $1200. I acknowledge that $1200 is a lot of money but it is still less than some stripped-down, off-the-shelf carbines. The plan for this one was going to be far more ambitious than just iron sights and plastic hand guards. In order to prove this guy wrong, this project would have to have a 12″+ hand guard, a weapon light, and a quality optic. To really prove him wrong, every part would have to be scrutinized for cost in dollars, cost in weight, and quality so that not only was this build affordable, it was also functional.

I am proud to say, I nailed the weight and came in just over $1200 on the price. However, the prices are all listed at retail. A savvy shopper could easily bring the price below $1200.

The Build

I’ll start with the lower as it is an easy one that can be knocked out at one vendor and then move on to the upper parts which requires more thought. Finally, I’ll wrap up with the accessories that make this into an exceedingly useable carbine.

Lower Build

The obvious choice for the lower was a GWACS Armory CAV-15 MKII. Their one piece polymer lowers are extremely durable, very lightweight, and economical considering that they include the pistol grip and buttstock. I have used them extensively and have come to trust them. The lower itself costs $129 and the lower parts kit adds $64.95. If you can find a few extra dollars in your budget, GWACS Armory’s new lightweight pivot pins will save you even more weight.

Upper Build

The upper receiver is where much of what makes an AR-15 reliable happens. This is perhaps the most delicate balancing act between cost in dollars, cost in weight, and quality. Fortunately, we live in a bit of a golden age for the AR-15 and there are no shortage of choices.

The barrel was an easy choice. Faxon Firearms makes great AR-15 barrels that are VERY affordable. I have one of their 16″ midlength, lightweight 4150 barrels that has been a real performer for me. For this build, I used a 16″ midlength, lightweight profile 416R stainless barrel with QPQ finish which has been an impressive performer and will be the subject of a full review later. It is accurate, lightweight, very reliable, and at just $189 – a perfect choice for this build. If you want to save even more, use the 4150 version of this barrel at just $175 (less if you shop around).

This Faxon Firearms barrel was critical to this build. Much of the weight (barrel profile) and reliability (gas port, chamber, etc.) of your build will come down to barrel choice. It would be more difficult to hit the weight and budget numbers, while still building a reliable carbine, without their barrels.

While I was perusing Faxon Firearms, I also picked up their gas block and gas tube. Buying these with the barrel saves $5 ($29.99 for the gas block and $15.99 for the gas tube). Faxon Firearms’ gas block also happens to be skeletonized which saves weight.

I picked up a blemished stripped upper from Aero Precision. I use Aero Precision’s upper receivers in many of my builds and have come to trust them. Their blem uppers also happen to be a great deal. Watch for sales and shop around for an even better price than the $49.99 reflected in the final price for this article. If you are anything like me, you have a forward assist and dust cover laying around.

1200 Lightweight

Here it is. You can cram a lot of carbine into $1200 and 6 pounds.

It isn’t hard to find bolt carrier groups for around $140. Pick up the one you are most comfortable with and run with it. In that price range, I really like the Sionics Weapons Systems NP3 coated BCG. Add the charging handle of your choice. You should be able to find a plain one for around $15 if you shop around.

When you think of lightweight and affordable rails, you think of the ALG Defense EMR. It isn’t just a decent cheap rail. It is one of my favorite rails regardless of price. I chose the 12″ EMR V0 since it comes with all the rail sections I would need later in the build, costs only $135, and weighs in at a scant 7.84 ounces including the barrel nut!

The ALG Defense EMRs also have integral sling swivel sockets which saves weight and cost. This is often overlooked but should be considered when planning a lightweight/budget build. The EMR V0 comes with a barrel nut, rail sections, and integral sling mounts. It is a good deal on its face but it is mind blowing deal when you consider the cost of those items.

Accessories

The accessories are what round out this build and make it really impressive for the cost. You can spend more than $1200 for a basic AR-15. If you follow this recipe, that same $1200 builds you an AR-15 with 12″+ hand guard, a weapon light, and a quality optic.

I chose an INFORCE WML for the weapon light. It weighs 3 ounces and has in integral mount which makes its $125 price tag seem even more reasonable. You could go cheaper on the light but it will difficult to find a set up this light in weight.

Magpul’s MBUS back up iron sights are an easy choice for this build. They are affordable and lightweight. A set can be purchased for around $80 (less if you shop around, especially on the secondary market).

The optic that I chose weighs around 6 ounces with its ADM QD mount, has 50,000 hour battery life, rugged construction, has a variety of mounts available, and uses a common CR2032 battery. Sounds expensive, right? It is also backed by some of the best customer service in the business yet it costs only $238.99 (with an ADM mount so it could cost even less with a less expensive mount). The Primary Arms MD-ADS has impressive specs and has proven itself to me as a solid value.

I just used an A2 flash suppressor that I had laying around. If you don’t have one, ask a buddy.

The Tally

The total weight of the carbine build listed above worked out to 6 pounds even. I was hoping to go under 6 pounds but I am glad I didn’t go over.

The total cost was $1219 going by mostly normal retail prices. Like I said before, a savvy shopper could easily build this for less than $1200.

Wrap Up

This build made me realize how blessed we are as shooters/consumers. A build like this wouldn’t have even been possible just a few years ago. Rails were much heavier, barrels were more costly, weapon lights were massive, lightweight optics were more costly, and there certainly weren’t as many choices.

Expensive AR-15s are often expensive for a reason but, in this golden age of AR-15s, you should never feel like you have to settle. There are enough options out there that anyone should be able to build something close to what they want at a price they can afford if they are willing to do some leg work.

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