Transition to BUIS

01 Jan 08

A point to consider, from a friend and Operator currently deployed overseas:

"Over here, we regularly use both Aimpoints and EOTechs, to great effect! We like 1X optics, because they are fast, and we can see so much around the aiming point. However, I teach all my teammates with optic-equipped rifles, to still keep their backup-up iron sights (BUIS), both front and rear, up and deployed all the time!

In fact, we have little use here for any species of fold-down sights. They will always be folded down and unusable when you desperately need them. With iron sights always deployed, when the illuminated reticle on your optic goes south, all you have to do is drop your eye a quarter of an inch, pick up your iron sights, and continue to engage as if nothing had happened. The transition requires no hand motion, and can be accomplished instantly. The move, of course, needs to be practiced regularly.

I submit that 'full-time' iron-sights, as a complement to your 1X optic, is the best way to go!"

Comment: My friend's comments are, as always, founded on extensive operational experience. However, with rifles other than the AR-15/M-4, flip-up iron sights may be the only BUIS available. And, when they are always up (deployed), they are in danger of being broken off. They are far more durable when folded down and out of the way.

The issue of the "clutter" contributed by always-deployed BUIS is one that I suspect is highly individual. As one who is poor at multi-tasking, I don't like clutter in my optic. Stadia lines, range-estimation aids, stock-quotations, and everything else incorporated into rifle optics these days are counter-productive, as least for me, when I'm trying to concentrate only on my aiming point.

Based on my friend's advice, I'm going to drill both ways. Depending upon the equipment we're using, we will all have to be well practiced in instantly switching from electronic reticle to deployed BUIS. We may also have to be adept of instantly deploying flip-up sights that are normally folded down!

/John