AR15 Carry Handle Quality?

[BrasilNuts]

I'm putting together a 16" mid length for my brother and he's really not interested in an optic. My original plan was to get him a Magpul BUIS and be done with it, but I think a carry handle with a rear sight will serve him better. I've been looking at carry handles on the internet and the prices vary from $19-$100.

Does anyone have any experience with the quality difference between the top and bottom prices? Edited October 5, 2014 by BrasilNuts

[Guest tangojuliet]

the reason of not getting a A2 upper O.o  ...........

[btq96r]

Don't be afraid to get an older, beat up looking carrying handle.  You can get it touched up with a fresh paint job and it will look brand new, but you know it's going to last.  I have a carrying handle that is over 15 years old sitting in my spare parts pile.  With no batteries required, you best believe it is going in my get out of town bag if worst comes to worst. 

[Oh Shoot]

Main diff is simply the type of aluminum and quality of the little parts and construction that make up sight and clamping mechanism. You can see the problems with the cheaper ones on some Amazon reviews, like elevation mechanism slipping/failing, flip sights become loose and floppy, clamp bolts strip, etc.

 

I don't know the best rated for money spent, but have one AR with carry handle, and went with PSA's branded mil-spec one, sort of high end of middle price range I guess, about $60-75 best I remember.

 

- OS

Edited October 5, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[BrasilNuts]

the reason of not getting a A2 upper O.o  ...........

Soooo... Uh... Yeah... Anyway...

[BrasilNuts]

Don't be afraid to get an older, beat up looking carrying handle.  You can get it touched up with a fresh paint job and it will look brand new, but you know it's going to last.  I have a carrying handle that is over 15 years old sitting in my spare parts pile.  With no batteries required, you best believe it is going in my get out of town bag if worst comes to worst.

I saw a old scratched up Colt on EBay I might take another look at, thanks.

[eRay]

You don't see them for sale as often now as most manufacturors now ship the flat top carbine with a magpul rear sight instead of a carry handle to cut costs. eBay and AR15.com still have one occasionaly but prices usually run $60-$75. Palmetto State Armory has a mil spec one for about $59 that is probably just as good. I would stay away from the $20 to $30 models. You usually get what you pay for.

[atlas3025]

Ditto on what Eray said.  The ones that sell new for less than $50 are garbage.  The actual sight mechanism is wobbly.  You can find used milspec ones from time to time at shows and on ebay for $25 or so.  

 

If it has forge markings on it, then it should be GTG.  The cheap Chinese ones do not have the forge markings.

Edited October 5, 2014 by atlas3025

[btq96r]

I saw a old scratched up Colt on EBay I might take another look at, thanks.

 

Forgot to add, if you know anybody who lives near an Army or Marine post, they can probably find one that fell off of an M4 at a reasonable price.

[rugerla1]

I've often wondered this same thing. I will wait and get a better quality one now. 

[Ted S.]

I think my stag came with a cheap...er, "stock" A2, and it was fine. I believe some places may sell build your own kits for less.

EDIT: Cheap isn't the best word. The sight kit itself goes for $65 - carry handle. Edited October 6, 2014 by Ted S.

[2.ooohhh]

Forgot to add, if you know anybody who lives near an Army or Marine post, they can probably find one that fell off of an M4 at a reasonable price.

 

^This, they apparently fall off those M4s all the time.  :squint:

[Guest tangojuliet]

Soooo... Uh... Yeah... Anyway...

not a complete a2 upper just a stripped one lol

Edited October 7, 2014 by tangojuliet