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  • Post last modified:October 27, 2023
Trijicon MRO on AR15 with a2 front sight

Does A2 front sight interfere red dot sight?

While this problem exists for AR rifles with the flip up front sights and standard A2 fixed front sights, there are ways around it to eliminate the front sight post interference with the optic.

Here are some things you can try:


4 Ways To Mount Red Dot With A2 Front Sight

ar15 sight picture

There is nothing wrong with the front sight post co-witness with a red dot sight.

When using a magnified optic, the front sight post actually doesn't obscure the shooter's sight picture.

  • Change To A Flip Up Front Sight - Just tuck it away! A flip up front sight is the easiest way to deal with front sight post interference when looking through an optic. You get the benefits of sight co-witness when needed, and just fold it up when not needed.

check out our recommended red dot sights here

  • Use Offset Sights - Mount an angled offset red dot on the top receiver. The shooter can simply tilt the rifle and aim without the A2 front sight getting in the way
trex arms offset leupold deltapoint pro mount
  • Raise Optic Height - Raise the optic height to clear the front sight post out of the way as much as possible using a 1/3rd co-witness mount or an riser mount. A 1.57" - 1.93" optic mount height is the choice.
Scalarworks MRO mount
ddm4v1
  • Use Magnified Optic - When using a magnified rifle scope, the front sight post does fade away when magnification increases and it will not get in the way of the sight picture
vortex razor 1-10x lpvo at 1x engaging targets
  • Piggyback Red Dot Setup - This is similar to using an offset sight while the reflex sight is mounted on top of a magnified scope to raise the height, which is popular for Trijicon ACOG and other magnified scopes. However, this is not the most common setup and can be expensive.
ACOG 3.5X SDP with RMR

Hope that helps!


Co-Witness With A2 Sight Picture

Sight Picture co-witness

Referenced LaRue Tactical

Why Is Co-Witness Useful ? - Co-Witness between the optic reticle and the front sight post gives the shooter the following benefits:

  • Use as backup sighting system in the event of optic failure
  • Use front sight post as the offset aiming reference point
  • Serves as a reference point for zeroing reflex & holographic sights (Only if iron sights are already zeroed)
  • Works with 8/3 and 6/3 carry handle iron sights

When is it not neccessary? - Co-witnessing the front sight can be annoying for the following reasons:

  • Front sight post is generally bigger than a 1 MOA size reflex sight reticle that blocks the bottom half of the sight picture, and sometimes obscures overall field of view for target ID during day and night.
  • As optic durability and reliability have significantly improved in the recent years, the need for back up iron is almost rare unless optic battery completely dies

When To Use Absolute Co-Witness?

Absolute Co-Witness optic mounts are the least popular on AR15 rifles because it doesn't allow proper cheek weld for most people and it sits the optic way too low on the rifle.

A absolute co-witness height only works if the top receiver already sits as high as a 1/3rd co-witness and the cheek weld position is perfect like AKs

When To Use 1/3rd Or Taller Co-Witness Optic Mount?

night vision goggle with ar15

Referenced The Firearm Blog

Better Clearance For NV Goggles -This also aids anyone who wears bulky safety glasses and a pair of night vision goggles.

Better Reticle Clearance - Having the reticle sitting above the front sight post provides a clean field of view that isn't obstructing the sight picture for zeroing and target assessment down range.