Thanks to the lastest additions to this thread for their input and bumping it.   Some very good posts on here.  


Not me but a friend from church last weekend.  Rifle is zero'd and ready to take on the taliban.  Or ISIS.  Whatever.  I know it never will, but at least it's ready to.  

And I won't ever be swimming with it, so....  LOL.  

Combat Diver; did you ever feel like the A2 sights were a detriment?  I really like having adjustments more readily available, but so many people say they can move are a bad idea for a combat rifle.  I just like them in case I have to move them for different POI from different ammo.   And maybe someday I'll use them for a match shooting at distance.  Or my Son.  Or I suppose my daughter could use it too.

JJREA

Never thought they were a detriment.  I have never experienced the sights moving off when patrolling, sea kayaking, diving/swimming, parachuting, or skiing.  That includes M16A2s and M4A1s when using the handle.  One thing AMU taught me during the All Army Matches was to use a paint marker/sharpie to mark the side of the knob and knob on my zero.  This way I had a reference mark when I add my come ups I can return to zero quickly.  In 05-06 also had a M16A2 that I used on our rifle range in Iraq (max 485 yds to get ready for the 06 All Army Matches) and kept that to back up my other arms above my desk (Colt M16A2 (loaded with Mk262), Bulgarian AKM, Iraqi Tabuk DMR AKM, and Colt M4A1, not shown is the Mk13 .300 Win Mag bolt gun I signed out)  If I'm going to be gone, I'm going to have fun!




During the First Gulf War I learned that the Army's saying, "Train as you fight, Fight as you Train" is true.  Didn't think about our immediate action drills, just executed them and when I had a target I estimated the range and focusing on front sight (remember saying to self: target 175m, front sight, front sight, squeeze when under fire).  I also counted my rounds in my mag as I fired them off.  Again used a M16A2/M203 with quad sight (dropped couple HEDP into trench at 425m)


CD

My first build in 94 was an A2 Govt. It is one o f my two favorites. The other is the XM16E1.

Have an A2 build in the safe..

Double Star lower, CMMG LPK, Colt A2 stock, and complete FN A2 upper group.
Retimed the rear sight to the proper USMC 8/3-2.

Before I got out of the Corps, an armorer hooked me up with an issue sling.

I would love to find a nice all mil-spec Colt lower in grey, as I know where I can find pretty inexpensive Colt grey complete A2 uppers.

But aside from an M-16 registered lowers, finding a grey Colt lower that is 100% mil-spec isn't gonna happen.

The A2 was the only rifle I was ever issued. Got out before OIF...

One of these is not like the others

For some reason I always like the ARMS free float rail system.  I hear they're heavy, but they just remind me of when I first started getting into AR's and seeing those.  Half of the new fangled AR's all look really strange to me.

Thank you for serving!!

My trapdoor .45-70 Springfield would look at home in that pic too.

This.

That is very important to do after you obtain your zero.  That way, if by change your rear sight was changed, you would not only know it but be able to easily correct it.

The only thing I don't like about the A2 sight is I wish the steel protective "ears" of the rear sight were raised a little higher to better protect the aperture from damage if dropped.  As it is, they are barely higher than it, and you can still drop the gun in such a way as to have the aperture take a direct hit which would ruin the sight.

I never noticed that about the A2.  Is an A1 sides any higher than the the ap?  On an M14 and Garand there aren't any at all.  

I gotta get me one of these paint pencils.  Or I guess I could use a sharpie.  But a paint pencil would at least scratch off.  Or does sharpie come off with the right cleaners?

Yes, the "wings" are much higher on the A1 in relation to the aperture than the A2.  I know about the M1 / M14 and that bugged me about them as well, though those rifles did have a much beefier aperture than the AR.

Just ordered a Fulton Armory Legacy Rifle...20 inch bbl.  You should check them out.

Third one down doesn't have a sling . . .  

That is the 1816 restoration project.

I like the idea, I just don't like the price.  Charging near $1,200 for a basic AR in this market, with ARs going for $500 and sometimes under, is just pure arrogance.  I can build a comparable rifle for almost half the cost.  I could see charging $800 for a retro niche AR, but $1,200?