The fixed carry handle is back in vogue at the moment. While I’m not entirely sure why it’s enjoying the resurgence that it is, I do know that I love the old CAR-15/XM-177 aesthetic. At the same time, though, I really like the modern conveniences like red dots. So when I set up my C7 upper from TNTE Sales, I wanted to mount a T2-style red dot. It wasn’t hard to find picatinny-style carry handle mounts, but micro mounts were significantly fewer. Enter the AMRU Designs Carry Handle Micro Mount.
There are a few of things that I really like about this design:
First, it has three different mounting positions in the carry handle – rearward, middle, and forward. While the position probably doesn’t matter functionally, I know individuals have preferences regarding sight placement, so having options is always a good thing. It does this by way of two separate screw holes, one centered and one offset. The offset screw hole is the one that provides the rear and forward options. All you have to do it reverse the sight to get the screw hole where you want it.
Second, it has a sight channel so that you can still use your iron sights with the mount installed. I realize iron sights are quite passe in the world of super short carbines with a dozen accessories cluttering the rails and LPVO optics, but if you’re running an A1 or A2 handle, you obviously want the iron sights, so you might as well have access to them. Like earlier 1913 carry handle mounts, the Micro Mount accomplishes this through a channel drilled through the center of the mount. In my experience, while the channel looks small, it is more than adequate for its intended use.
Third, it has the recoil lug. Now, this one seems like it would be obvious. After all, doesn’t every T2 mount have the recoil lug? Well, in this particular case, no. There is a competing design out there (slightly cheaper) that does not have the recoil lug. A recoil lug isn’t just an aesthetic thing, either. The recoil lug helps take some of the energy and stress from the recoil off the screws in the sight. Without the recoil lug, all of the recoil is absorbed by the screws, which can weaken them faster and lead to reduced life. Absolutely no one wants their optic leaving the mount at a high rate of speed, even if it’s not a life-and-death scenario.
In addition to what I mentioned above, the mount is well-built and includes all necessary hardware to mount both the optic and the mount itself to your gun.
The only negative that I experienced with the mount was actually due to my negligence and not to the mount itself. When I placed the mount in the most rearward position, it was in contact with the wings of the carry handle without my noticing. Because of this, I had a really rough time trying to get it to zero. And by a really rough time, I mean I bottomed out my elevation and still couldn’t get it low enough. I emailed AMRU and spoke with Mark, who looked at the pictures I sent and picked up on the problem immediately. I shifted the mount forward and, as if by magic, my zeroing problems went away. He said it was the first time he had encountered that problem and that it was possible the channel in the carry handle was just a little bit too deep. So, learn from my mistake and don’t let the mount contact the wings.
Overall, I think the AMRU Micro Mount is an excellent option if you’re looking to put a smaller optic on your A1 or A2-style AR. It’s well-designed, well-built, and it fits snugly with no wobble. If you’re trying to build a KISS or lightweight carbine, it will keep your optic secure without adding the weight that a picatinny-style rail would.
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