We recently received our first shipment of Magpul MBUS front and rear sights in.  Since my rifle has a fixed front sight post, and I’m not yet in the market for a new flash suppressor, gas block, and rail I don’t really have a use for a flip-up front sight and I’m a fan of symmetry.  Luckily our fulfillment manager picked ‘em up the first day and installed them immediately.  He was then gracious enough to let me borrow his rifle for the day and play around with the MBUS.

The first reaction around the building is that they’re big.  And honestly, they are a little big when they’re flipped-down.  However, we tested it right next to a Troy Industries Flip Up Front Sight and flipped-up in the usable position they’re almost exactly the same height.  If you don’t have a lot of real estate on your top rail it might be a little crowded, though give it a chance.  Once mounted they don’t look nearly as big as they do when they’re just sitting on your desk.

Installation was cake, a few minutes time and you are good to go, however, installing them in the vicinity of a firing range helps because you have to install a small cotter pin in the front sight, but only after you’ve sighted it in.

Durability is another concern some people have voiced, and while I didn’t run around the building knocking displays over with the sights, they seem pretty rugged.  I really liked the release mechanism on the both sides of the sights.  They get released with some authority leaving no doubt that they are good to go.  You can just press on the front of the sight to release it, but it’s also a phenomenal way to relocate the skin on your finger, stick with the little release levers.  A few of the guys in the building were nonplussed that there was no release button necessary to fold them back down because it’d be “catastrophic if it happened in battle.”  Personally, I don’t view shooting at the range as “battle” but I can see the concern members of our Armed Forces may have.  Though I think you’d have to hit your rifle in a very awkward way to accidentally fold them down without destroying your rifle at the same time, which would be by all definitions “catastrophic”.

Lastly, and a huge plus, is the price.  To the best of my knowledge there isn’t an alternative that offers a complete set of quality back-up iron sights for roughly $100, and with the Magpul name to boot it’s hard to pass up.  Personally, when I get around to removing my front sight post I’ll have a set of the MBUS in flat dark earth, and be done modifying it.  Promise.

Posted on June 24th, 2009 by jwb-sgc
Filed under: Rookie Reviews...