Iron

The rifle’s iron sights are its primary sighting system. When optical sights, lasers, and other aiming gizmos fail, the iron sights are always there to fall back on. Iron sights are also quicker to acquire and offer a greater field of view than most any other alternative. Do not get a rifle with detachable iron sights that can get lost.

The A2 sights are supposed to be superior to the original A1 style and allow for easy windage and elevation adjustments. In addition, the A2 sights are calibrated for adjusting range; zero your rifle for 300 meters and you can dial in the range up to 800 meters. In reality, a combat rifle should never have the sights adjusted once the rifle is zeroed. All that "adjustability" only introduces the chance that the sights will be knocked out of adjustment. Preference is the simpler A1 sights, but replace the tiny aperture with the A2 aperture for better target aquisition at closer ranges. The recommended zero is 300 meters, as the bullet’s flat trajectory will require no adjustments from 0-300 meters.

Optical sights can enhance target acquisition, particularly at longer ranges. While iron sights should be the rifle’s primary sights, a scope can offer some advantages.

It is easier to aim and more precise using a scope. Magnification can vary, but about 4x is ideal for the medium ranges we’re interested in. A key benefit for an optical sight on the survival rifle is in target identification. Although a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope offer a better picture, the rifle mounted scope is always with you, does not require an additional set of hands and eyes, and eliminates the need for movement when switching from target identification to firing. The current cost and dependency on batteries prevents the current generation of weapon mounted night-sights from being practical. However, a scope with an illuminated reticle can offer some benefits when shooting in low light. Even though such a scope would be dependent on batteries, they are small, last a long time, and are commonly found. Once the supply of batteries is exhausted, you only loose the illumination; scope will function fine (minus illumination) without the batteries.