Well for my very 1st post here, I have a ugly problem (ok...ugly to me)

I finally picked up a AR15 after waiting several years.  I got a Bushy Carbon-15 M4 flat-top (yes, after the fact I found this forum and too late figured out I may have made a huge mistake) to plink with.  It has been about 15 years since even my old .243 deer rifle has made it out of the gun vault as I'm much more into clays and upland game to feed my shooting habit.  But that alas is another story.

So I get my Bushy, I head out to the range this past weekend to sight it in and puch some paper with my father.  I was planing on just iron sighting for now and maybe later slapping on a ACOG.  I had no problems with the irons while getting it zero'd at 25 yards.  But once I placed the targets at 100 yards (a standard national match target) I could not see squat.  I even had my glasses on.  Even though I did hit the paper, and managed to put a 5 shot group inside 2.5".....it was really just guessing as i could not see anything well enough to maintain a proper sight picture.

So, now that I'm thinking of putting some sort of scope on the thing, I forsee a rather large problem.  With the flat-top M4 config, how do I mount the scope high enough to clear the front sight posts and not need a chiropractor afterwards.  I have looked around the web at different options and the one that I know will clear is the YHM see thru 3-rail riser but damn if that dosent look real tall, hence the pain in the neck.  Another option is a 1/2" spacer and tall rings....but will that clear?  I'm not worried abotu physical contact between the scope and the front post, but what the post is going to do to the sight picture at 4x magnifcation.  Then again, is this even a problem?

Need some advice here guys, this looks like the place for it.

Not a problem.

The center of your scope should be about 1.5 inches above the flattop.

Don't worry about the FSB, it will be a slight blur at lower mags and undetectable at higher mags.

Enjoy your Carbon15, I love mine.

do you have the actual "flat top" carbon 15 or the goofy tall lookin carbon 15?


with magnified scopes you will not see the front sight and if you have a low powered scope it will be a faint blur.

the A3 style flat-top....not the raised rail one.

So 1.5"....thats not as bad as I feared.  I can make that work.

Thanks guys, I am finding lots of useful stuff here.

Quoted: Well for my very 1st post here, I have a ugly problem (ok...ugly to me) I finally picked up a AR15 after waiting several years.  I got a Bushy Carbon-15 M4 flat-top (yes, after the fact I found this forum and too late figured out I may have made a huge mistake) to plink with.

???  No, not at all a mistake.  Most of us here feel that the flat top is the best of both worlds since you can have a carry handle for irons, but you can pop that off and use a scope.

So, now that I'm thinking of putting some sort of scope on the thing, I forsee a rather large problem.  With the flat-top M4 config, how do I mount the scope high enough to clear the front sight posts and not need a chiropractor afterwards.  I have looked around the web at different options and the one that I know will clear is the YHM see thru 3-rail riser but damn if that dosent look real tall, hence the pain in the neck.  Another option is a 1/2" spacer and tall rings....but will that clear?  I'm not worried abotu physical contact between the scope and the front post, but what the post is going to do to the sight picture at 4x magnifcation.  Then again, is this even a problem? Need some advice here guys, this looks like the place for it.

Your concerns are VERY unfounded.  These "issues" have been long addressed for us AR15 owners, and there are several options to choose from ranging in price from $55 - $215 and then some.

If you're never going to remove the scope (or don't mind having to re-zero afterwards) you can do the 1/2" riser and somewhere between 1/2" and 1" tall rings.

There's the one-piece alternative from Armalite, RRA, LaRue, and others.  For the most part, these will return to zero when removed and replaced on the same rifle in the same spot.  Funny thing, ability to return to zero appears to be directly related to the cost of the mount  The more it costs, the better it returns to zero.

Keep in mind that although people will tell you "same height as irons" for the Armalite, it's really a TINY bit low for a lot of folks at only 1.2" above the flat-top, and will put the front sight smack dab in the center of your optic glass.  RRA, ($50) LaRue ($195 -$215) and most others will go about 1.5" or 1.6" giving you a little more height and comfort.

Welcome

Never noticed the front sight past 4X with my Luppy.   With my TA11 I can see a slight blur but that's only on a very bright sunny day.  You did fine.

Spend the next couple of weeks cruising this sight and you will be amazed at the knowledge collected here...

I agree, you will have no problem putting a scope on that thing, the front sight post is no problem for me with a 3x9-36 MRT, I hardly notice it at all.

Even my 2x Aimpoint magnifier sees through my front sight for the most part.

Just don't skimp on the optics.  Be sure you find something good and fitting for your rifle.  For an M4, the ACOG TA01NSN is perfect.  

A.R.M.S. makes some nice QD rings with spacers that would work.