How to pick an AR carry handle?

[dieselpower]

while I wouldn't want to use airsoft gear, last I checked up is up, down is down, left is left, and right is right, how is it that an airsoft company would screw that up?

I could understand if its a bad idea due to inferior materials which don't allow the sight to hold zero..

I'm new to this AR thing, so I'm just trying to get this is all sorted out.

That has some truth to it, and is why many shooters fool themselves into buying airsoft accessories.

Mechanics
Same plane flip peeps. On a Real carry handle the peep sight can be flipped to one of the two peeps. The center of these two holes is exactly the same, called same plane sights. On airsoft they are not and believe me...they can be VERY far off.

Windage adjustment. For a primary sighting system this has a more critical factor then elevation in relation to what can go wrong in an airsoft product. The peep sight rides on a screw under tension to keep it in the same place. If that breaks the peep will walk on every shot.

Elevation adjustment. Again for a primary sighting system this would be more critical then windage in relation to engineering of the device. Each click of the wheel has to be an exact amount to adjust trajectory as needed. On an airsoft sight one click could be 30 feet while the next click is 15...you just don't know. Even if you could work out the clicks, there is still a material concern.

Locking lugs. The screw studs are under a lot of stress. On a airsoft they are not engineered for strength, they are designed for looks. A good slam and the carry handle is loose, not at the thumb nut, but the stud. And the thumb nut can loosen up too.

Optics channel. The Channel on top is designed and engineered to be level with the bore. On an airsoft, once again, its for looks not use. Its not in-line with the bore on any plane.

Design
You would think its not hard to copy a carry handle...its harder then you think. The shroud around the peep must be able to take big time hits. The mechanical system must be quality or its going to break. You will be turning the knob and wheel all the time...it has to hold up. Inferior parts break. The elevation wheel needs to have a mechanical stop on the up side. Airsoft elevation wheels turn all the way out. The optics channel will not be smooth and may not even be the proper size to cradle the optic mount sitting in it. The bottom needs to be flat and the side angles on the rail needs to grab and hold solid on the upper.

Material
Cant say enough here. Cheap metal snaps and bends. The screw threads need to be strong and solid.

I shoot Iron Sights, with a C-more RDS to back me up when speed is needed. I need those front and rear sights to be 100% reliable. If you are going with an optic...its not that big a deal. If you plan on the iron sight system being your primary...spend the $80 and get a Mil-spec or Commercial Carry Handle that is proper for your FSB. Avoid Airsoft.

[MrPlink]

Design
You would think its not hard to copy a carry handle...its harder then you think. The shroud around the peep must be able to take big time hits. The mechanical system must be quality or its going to break. You will be turning the knob and wheel all the time...it has to hold up. Inferior parts break. The elevation wheel needs to have a mechanical stop on the up side. Airsoft elevation wheels turn all the way out. The optics channel will not be smooth and may not even be the proper size to cradle the optic mount sitting in it. The bottom needs to be flat and the side angles on the rail needs to grab and hold solid on the upper.

Material
Cant say enough here. Cheap metal snaps and bends. The screw threads need to be strong and solid.
.

doesn't sound that hard to me. Looks like you just managed to explain it in a couple paragraphs

Now Im off to hongkong to teach all the counterfeiters how to greatly improve their products

[B yond]

I bought a cheap UTG carry handle from amazon for around $30, despite mixed reviews. I slapped it on my DTI upper with A2 FS and took it to the range to set a battlesight zero and it was dead on right out of the box.

I was so happy I bought another for my dedicated .22 upper and it was also dead on horizontally, but I had to raise my FSP a little on that upper since it uses a railed gas block that is probably not mil-spec and I had thrown on a cheap front sight.

[dieselpower]

I bought a cheap UTG carry handle from amazon for around $30, despite mixed reviews. I slapped it on my DTI upper with A2 FS and took it to the range to set a battlesight zero and it was dead on right out of the box.

I was so happy I bought another for my dedicated .22 upper and it was also dead on horizontally, but I had to raise my FSP a little on that upper since it uses a railed gas block that is probably not mil-spec and I had thrown on a cheap front sight.

I can weld a flat washer to your upper and zero it...doesnt prove a thing.

Its ZERO at one yardage only. This is fine for the range guy who is only goofing off with a carry handle.

It will not hold up under repeated use, it will not maintain zero when adjusted for different distances, it will not hold up to repeated shocks. It is not made for that.

[evidens83]

Get your self a BCM carry handle for your BCM upper. You are guaranteed it working right.

QFT!