Painting Sights

[Kagnew]

This has probably been addressed many times over, but I'll ask, anyway.

I have two stainless revolvers and have trouble picking up the sights on both. What would be a good color (colors) to paint them?

 

[Sylvain]

Maybe bright orange for the front sight, or white.

 

[eeadams]

I have a Springfield 1911 and was having the same trouble. picked up some BRIGHT orange model paint at the hobby store and have loved it. I painted the whole front post and left the back alone. It shines in any light and makes it easy to pick up.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

There was a thread about this a couple of months ago. Thanks for bringing it up again, because you reminded me to go buy some paint to try this myself.

 

[blamecharles]

Nail polish works very good as well, bright Orange has worked best for me, white seeks to get dirt easier and becomes harder to pick up. At least in my experience.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

I use yellow finger nail polish. It matches my purse and shoes best.....Seriously though, I find it to give the best contrast for most targets that I shoot. Cheap to buy, a bottle lasts forever, easy to reapply if need be or remove if needed.

 

[figley]

Stop in a Sally's beauty supply shop. They have all the really bright nail polishes. Orang, pink, green, whatever. If you have a set of multiple colors of hi-liter markers, hold each one up, and see which your eye picks up best. Do it in different lighting conditions, to get a better idea.

 

[netsecurity]

I use Glow-on on all my non-Tritium sights. It works okay in the dark, but it will whiten any fading sight too. It's like killing 1.5 birds with one stone, because its not as good as Tritium.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I use Glow-on on all my non-Tritium sights. It works okay in the dark, but it will whiten any fading sight too. It's like killing 1.5 birds with one stone, because its not as good as Tritium.

Glow-On? Tell us more

 

[mr.steve]

After reading the earlier post about painting sights I dug one of these out of the drawer.
I had yellow and it does make the front sight easier to see. Carries safely in the range bag as well.

Markal Valve Action Paint Marker

 

[lrahm]

Years ago, I had a departemental gunsmith place a plastic red ramp front sight on my modle 19. It was cheap and quick.

 

[eric001]

Bright orange paint on the front sight, and black on the back work really well in combination on stainless--the black actually speeds up target acquisition almost as much as the orange does for me.

 

[Rocket57]

I had a bottle of fluorescent orange model paint I had used to restore an old speedometer needle. A coat of white and the orange on top made a huge difference.

 

[chachi73]

use white out as a basecoat, then fingernail polish or something cheap.

I actually did white out, orange safety paint, then topped it off with a clear coat that had sparkles in it...compliments of my 5 year old girl. After she pistol whipped me with my own gun, I looked at my paintjob closely and decided that it was simply FABULOUS!

 

[Kagnew]

Bright orange paint on the front sight, and black on the back work really well in combination on stainless--the black actually speeds up target acquisition almost as much as the orange does for me.

I'm kind of thinking that I might try Testor's fluorescent green on the front ramp and flat black on the rear sight. I always shoot at those self-adhesive orange targets, and figure the green might make a better contrast.

Thanks to all for the advice, and I'll steer clear of 5-year-old girls who might try to pistol-whip me!

 

[Mike_Indy]

+1 to the Nail polish approach. I've talked to many that have used it. All agree it lasts longer than other paints. I use a bright orange or bright pink. Very bright.

 

[tdoom15]

I'm kind of thinking that I might try Testor's fluorescent green on the front ramp and flat black on the rear sight. I always shoot at those self-adhesive orange targets, and figure the green might make a better contrast.

Thanks to all for the advice, and I'll steer clear of 5-year-old girls who might try to pistol-whip me!

I use testor's orange enamel paint and a cut tooth pick, less than $2 at hobby lobby.

 

[n9znd]

I always use nail polish because it is pretty durable and easy to take off when needed. I always like a little wider rear sight and I like contrast to be able to pick up the sights better. You can always spend some money and get some pretty nice sights or experiment with the sights that you have. I have done many sights and liked how they turned out. The keltec in the last pictures I actually built a little sight out of plastic becuase it needed a higher sight anyway. Jim

 

[Skywired]

What's worked best for me over the years on my Kel-Tec .380 is plain old white out. IMO it lasts longer, and is a brighter application than any thing else I've tried!

 

[Plinkuh]

Ruger= Red

S&W= Orange

Anything else= White

Just my