Would any of you feel comfortable fielding the PRI front sight (always flipped up) as a replacement sight to your A2 FS?

Yes and I wish they made a fixed version becasue its got the best sight picture out there.  Its much easier to center the front circle in the rear circle aperature to use and just put the top of the front sight on what you want to hit.  Its a lot harder for me to guess where the front sight is and decide if its perfectly centered or not on a standard front sight.

The main issues are getting hit hard frontal and lateral blows.  If it gets hit from the front its folding and aluminum on the top part.  However it will just get folded down if struck too hard and not break so no big deal there.  Lateral blows are a non issue as I use the 4 set screw version which holds it in place.  Its a bit more of an issue with the clamp on version pictured as its hold ing the gas block with friction.  It would take quite a whack to shift it and that is your only real concern.  You have to make that choice for yourself.

Hmm.. it would seem to me that having a full circle in the front would detract my eyes from placing the tip of the front post in the center of the rear aperture.  Instead I'd be centering the circle inside the circle.  This could be bad if the tip of the front sight post isn't exactly in the middle of the ring.  Do your eyes still focus on the front post or do you find yourself focusing more on lining up the rings?

What do you guys think?  I don't really have a problem getting a quick & accurate sight picture with the standard setup and I'd rather not block more view than I have to.  I do like the protection of the front sight post that the ring offers, but this alone is not enough.

You actually block less view as the rings overlap and disappear on the small apperature and you just get a ring of llight around the front ring with the large apperature.  It does not matter if the front sight post is in the middle of the rear aperature if the rings are alligned.  You still just make the POI the tip of the sight post.  Alligning the rings is much faster and more instinctive than centering the tip of the sight post for me.  The V front sight blocks more of the useful view.  Its just like how the peep aperature rear allows you to instictively be in the middle of the aperature, the front automatically alligns and your all set.  If you get it you wont be disappointed.

Hmm.. I don't know if it would be possible but could someone post pics of the sight picture through the small and large apertures?

I dont think it would come out from a photo and the sight picture is also different depending on the distance from the rear sight.

I also wish they made a fixed version, not because I have played with them on an AR, just because I have shot quite a bit with match airguns and smallbores that have hooded peep sights.  and they aren't as slow as everyone thinks they are.  I really prefer them to blades on both a speed/accuracy level and an overall accuracy level.

I bet that it wouldn't be too hard to get them formed out of appropriate thickness 4130 sheet.  Add machined steel pieces for reinforcement where needed then TIG together.  Then just do a little machining for the pins and you have a good hooded front sight.  It might be  project to look into.

Can you also use the PRI front sight further out toward the muzzle on a 16" upper in order to extend your sight radius (kind of like a BM Dissipator)?

Is that do-able or does the PRI require use of the gas block?

What's a decent price for one and what's a good source?  Thanks.

You could replace the sight tower with a milled or low profile block and then put the PRI out to where it would be on a 20" like a Dissy.