Modern red dots are better than they’ve ever been. They’re tougher, battery life is measured in years, and outright failures are relatively uncommon. Even so, I’ve had more than one optic quit on me over the years. Thankfully it’s always happened on the range rather than during a police call, a hunt, or a competition. Even so, if it can happen on the range, it can happen anywhere. That’s why I still consider backup iron sights cheap insurance on a serious-use rifle.
Now, that doesn’t mean every rifle needs them. I have plenty of rifles that are simply range toys. If the optic quits working on those it’s more of an inconvenience than anything else. Those guns can wait until I get home to swap a battery or replace an optic. But on a rifle that might be called upon for defensive use, I still like having a set of backup irons to supplement the optic. Hopefully they’ll spend their entire life folded down. If they don’t, you’ll be glad they’re there.
Strike Industries’ Polymer Backup Sights offer an affordable way to add that extra layer of insurance without adding much weight or taking a big bite out of your rifle budget.
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Strike Industries Polymer Backup Sights
The Strike Polymer Backup Sights (SPBUS) are a manually deployed front and rear sight set designed for any firearm equipped with a standard 1913 Picatinny rail. Rather than relying on a spring loaded deployment system, the sights are simply flipped into position by hand. It’s a simple approach that keeps them secure until you actually need them.
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The sights are constructed from Strike Industries’ reinforced Extreme Polymer with steel hardware at the mounting points. Folded down, they maintain a low profile along the weapons top rail. When they’re flipped up they use the standard AR sight height designed for co-witness with most optic setups.
The rear sight features both large and small apertures. They can be switched quickly depending on the shooting distance. The windage and elevation adjustments can both be made without specialty tools.
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One feature I particularly liked on the SPBUS was the molded emergency sighting notches. They remain usable even with the sights folded. They’re not intended to replace the fully deployed sights, but they do provide a rough aiming reference if you don’t have time to deploy the sights completely. They’re kind of a back up sight for your back up sights.
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I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it done anywhere else. Now, you’d need a see through optics mount for these to work, but those are fairly common from several manufacturers. Or be running the Strike sights by themselves, without an optic at all to be able to see them. Still, it doesn’t cost anything extra to have them in place, so I think it’s a neat touch.
At the time of writing, MSRP for the complete front and rear sight set is $84.95.
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Installation
Installation couldn’t be much easier. Position the sights on your Picatinny rail, apply the included blue thread locker, tighten the mounting screws with the supplied Allen wrench, and you’re ready for the range.
Once mounted, the sights folded neatly beneath my optic without interfering with normal use. Their standard AR height makes them compatible with the common co-witness arrangements used with most red dot optics, depending on the height of the optic mount.
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Range Performance
At the range, the Strike sights did exactly what I was hoping they would do. Zeroing was straightforward, with positive windage and elevation adjustments that didn’t feel loose or vague. The dual aperture rear sight makes it easy to switch between the larger aperture for faster shooting at closer distances and the smaller aperture for more precise work when the target is farther away.
Once I had them zeroed, I folded them back down and went right back to using the optic. Honestly, that’s the highest compliment I can give a set of backup sights. They’re not meant to replace your optic. They’re simply there for the day your primary sighting system decides not to cooperate.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of backup sight options available today, ranging from inexpensive polymer models to premium aluminum sights that cost several times as much. Strike Industries has done a good job finding the middle ground. The SPBUS are lightweight, easy to install, simple to zero, and include several thoughtful features without pushing them into premium price territory.
Like most backup sights, they’ll probably spend the vast majority of their lives folded down while your optic handles the work. Hopefully that’s exactly what happens. But if your red dot ever decides to quit at the wrong time, you’ll have a dependable set of iron sights ready to take over.
For shooters looking for an affordable backup sight set that offers a solid balance of features, durability, and price, the Strike Industries Polymer Backup Sights deserve a look.
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