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From what I gather, Astartes helmets contain a HUD which brings up the targeting of bolters etc. If so, then what exactly is the point of the protrusions on the bolters - they aren't nocked like conventional Iron sights (If that's what they are), and I can't see what the purpose of them are.

It's more for extra optics specific to the boltgun. Zoomed crosshairs, target tracking, different view modes, identifying weak points ect. It also helps if the Marine decides to go bareheaded.

My guess would be that they're used as a sort of point of reference for the HUD as to which direction the gun was aiming, I can't imagine this has been mentioned in detail in the fluff.

^ As this guy said, it would also help for marines going hatless

Ahh, well I assumed that the little cylinder above the main gun barrel was the targeting sensor. I mean it could just be as you say, to help if a marine goes bareheaded or to aid the HUD, but they seem superfluous considering the targeting device is above the barrel.

Then again, it could just simply be for grimdark effect - big chunky iron sights...

Anyway, cheers for the answers

It doesn't seem to make *much* sense at first for Marines, who I presume manufacture their own or at least have bulk orders from the nearest Forge World. But don't forget, not everyone wielding a bolter is a Marine...

Modern military rifles with specialist optics - red dots, etc. - still have back-up iron sights in case they're needed. What if the Marine's helmet gets damaged and the HUD goes down?

I recall a post referencing a part towards to back of the receiver being the targeting system. I believe it was http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/512273.page]this thread. My internet sucks otherwise I'd go through and reference the specific thread. As far as the "front sight" post looking thing on the front of the bolter, it could house an alignment sensor or something.

Edit: Hey! It is on the first page. It is a backup "kick" site, whatever that is. I've never heard the term. It is probably for rough alignment, then they follow their "tracers" on target in the even the sighting system goes down.

I'm under no illusions that it IS iron sights, but I was just slightly perplexed as to why it had no real sight detail such as a nocked rear sight and fine fore sight. But as everyone seems to have posted - this is probably just as a backup or auxiliary sights.

Thanks to all for clarifying, cheers

 Valion wrote:
Modern military rifles with specialist optics - red dots, etc. - still have back-up iron sights in case they're needed. What if the Marine's helmet gets damaged and the HUD goes down?

Exactly. No more analysis needed.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
I'm under no illusions that it IS iron sights, but I was just slightly perplexed as to why it had no real sight detail such as a nocked rear sight and fine fore sight. But as everyone seems to have posted - this is probably just as a backup or auxiliary sights.

Thanks to all for clarifying, cheers

A backup iron sight. Also its not as detailed likely because a marine's advanced eyesight makes up for it. A space marine may not need normal iron sights. His depth perception is good enough he can tell just by holding the gun and sort of looking down the sights where he's aiming.

Then the model simply may not be detailed enough to show the full detail.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
Ahh, well I assumed that the little cylinder above the main gun barrel was the targeting sensor. I mean it could just be as you say, to help if a marine goes bareheaded or to aid the HUD, but they seem superfluous considering the targeting device is above the barrel.

Then again, it could just simply be for grimdark effect - big chunky iron sights...

Anyway, cheers for the answers

You're right, that little cylinder is the targeting optic. The marine can actually see through it, via neural connections.

Real life iron sights are quite small things. Hard to pull off at 28mm scale, especially 20 years ago when the aesthetics for the bolter were being solidified.

yeah, hard to cut a 2mm wide gap on an iron sight at the 28mm scale...

they are irons, even without the detailed "cut" down the middle of the back ones

2mm, would be way too large for that cut I reckon, but I guess your right about how hard it would be to do.However, they do manage to get the level of detail in the cuts on a Thunderhammer grip, so it's not too far out of their reach to put in a simple line down the rear sight. Anyway, the points' moot as it ain't there! Thanks to all for clarifying

No reason not to have it, if the helmet is damaged, better that it's there than not

 Warpig1815 wrote:
2mm, would be way too large for that cut I reckon, but I guess your right about how hard it would be to do.However, they do manage to get the level of detail in the cuts on a Thunderhammer grip, so it's not too far out of their reach to put in a simple line down the rear sight. Anyway, the points' moot as it ain't there! Thanks to all for clarifying

It's not the size of the detail, it's the orientation of it. Putting a longitudinal split on the top of the bolter's sights would have required it to be cast in two pieces.

Yeah I guess it would be too difficult, nevermind - considering the level of detail on the model as a whole, I don't think I have much to complain about if it's missing one line

I felt like mentioning that bolters are not just for Space Marines, Sisters of Battle and Imperial Guard use them too.