I’m of the opinion that iron sights are great, when you can see them. Which is why I’ve decided to try out the TandemKross Eagle Eye fiber optic sights for the the Ruger PC Carbine. This inexpensive ($59.99) sight set replaces the factory sights with highly visible fiber optics. They collect light, and make for faster and easier acquisition. In addition to the reasonable pricing, they are also easy to install at home. Finally, they don’t change the functionality of the fully adjustable rear sight. So they are just a win all around. You can purchase them as a set, or individually. Here’s a rundown of both.
Step 1: Install the Fiber Optic Front Sight for the Ruger PC Carbine
Machined from aluminum with a low-reflective finish, the front sight is a drop-in replacement for the factory unit. It ships with a green light tube installed, and a spare red one. My preference is to keep the green for contrast against the red rear sights. It seems as though it’s easier to pick up in more diverse lighting conditions as well.
Installation requires a single T10 Torx wrench. Unscrew the two screws of the factory sight and remove the sight. Attach the new sight using either of the screws, and the rear hole in the barrel. I’d recommend a dab of blue Loctite, or similar non-permanent thread-locker. That’s it. Like the factory sight, this one is fixed in place, so there is nothing to adjust. All windage and elevation changes are made at the rear sight.
Step 2: Install the Eagle Eye Fiber Optic Rear Sight for the Ruger PC Carbine
As much as I like the factory ghost ring rear sight, the fiber optics are probably better for fast shooting. This small aluminum block contains two red fiber optic tubes. Because it sits on top of the bottom half of the rear sight, the elevation adjustment does not change. Windage is also easily corrected via a set screw.
Like the front sight, the rear sight is also a simple swap. Loosen the set screw and slide it out of the dovetail. Carefully push the replacement sight in, with the logo facing the right side. Make sure the sight is centered as much as possible. Then gently tighten the set screw with the included wrench. Note that this will almost certainly require a few test shots to dial in.
Step 3: Enjoy a new brighter, easier to acquire sight picture 🙂
I had my PC Carbine in the TandemKross Upriser Chassis before installing these sights. That setup included a Vortex Spitfire red dot. Since I was reviewing another PC Carbine accessory at the same time, I put it back in the original stock to test out the sights. As much as I liked the chassis and red dot, there is something to be said for the simplicity of a plain rifle stock and some good sights. No batteries, no adjustments, just aim and shoot. I’ve got fiber optics on a few other firearms, and really appreciate how easy they are to use. The factory sight might offer more precision, but I’ll take speed over precision, as this rifle is mostly used for plinking.
Step 4: Not what you would think
With all the cool accessories for the PC Carbine, this rifle has become something of a test platform. Unlike the 10/22, I can’t just build a new one each time I want to review a new part. So I’m continually adding and removing bits and pieces. At the same time, my son has a totally stock PC Carbine. Most of his shooting is at empty cans and clay pigeons set up out to no more than 50 yards or so. These sights would be just fine for that. After my time with them, I removed them, and sent them to my son. He’ll do the long-term testing and report back if there are any issues. And I will miss them just enough that I might order another set for myself.
Conclusion
If your shooting style leans more towards speed than precision, these are worthy of consideration. If you’ve got less than perfect eyesight, and want to hang on to irons for a little while longer, they’re an option too. And if you just like to tinker and customize, go crazy. They look and work great.
In a perfect world, I could run 1,000 rounds through my PC Carbine, and see if the sights held up to that much use. I expect that they will. It’s not just shooting, but all the rough handling in and out of the safe, being thrown in car trunks and bouncing around in a truck bed. But the ammo that cost $200 last year now runs about $600. Which is more than I paid for this rifle in the first place. So I can’t do a torture test. Not that it matters – TandemKross guarantees these American-made sights for life.
I’d like to thank TandemKross for providing yet another great product to review. If you’ve got any questions or comments, or you’ve tried these sights, what do you think of them? Feel free to share below.