Is it a sin to paint the front sight on a SA revolver?

[ontarget]

As we all know, the sights on a SAA clone leave much to be desired. I decided to try painting the back edge of my front sight on one of my HRRs and my Wrangler with neon orange nail polish. It worked great and made it easier to pick up the front sight through the rear sight groove.
It definitely looks out of place on these guns but it does help.
Am I committing an unforgettable sin in the SA community?

 

[Pat Riot]

Nope!
Your gun, your rules. Besides, what good is a gun if you can’t hit anything with it?
If you were using it in a competition, then rules would apply but there are no “rules” otherwise.

 

[Armored farmer]

Not a sin in my book.
I think every front handgun sight I own has been painted except the ones that have dots already.
My el patron, and my sheriff's '58 will probably get painted too.

 

[Targa]

Just get to church and repent....

 

[Starter52]

Every handgun I own has the front sight painted with bright orange nail polish....

EXCEPT my sole single action, a Colt SAA.

Just can't do it.....

 

[BullRunBear]

If painting the back of a SA front sight is a sin, I have to go to confession. I still have some Wite-Out I use with my typewriters. It does the job on the Heritage Rough Riders.

Jeff

 

[milemaker13]

If painting your sights is wrong- Then I don't wanna be right!

 

[ontarget]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys. I was a worried about getting thrown out of the club.
The Orange paint works great on my 22s but I haven't done either of my El Patrons yet.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Is it yours?

If so, paint it if you want.

Increasing the visibility if your sights helps you to achieve a good sight picture.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

No sin at all. AAMOF, I plan to paint the front sight of my Uberti Bisley a day glow green after I file it to set the elevation. Heck, my prized flintlock Pennsylvania rifle has a front sight painted orange. It was that way when I bought it.

It's not like it's permanent. A little acetone and it'll come off with no damage to the gun.

 

[straightshooterjake]

I am glad to see that this thread is pretty unanimous that it is OK to have sights that you can see. I would add a broader thought, which is that no change that is easily reversible is sinful. If you don't like the paint, then use a solvent to take it off. I have seen lots of changes which I thought were sinful, and they were all things that can never be put back the way they were.

 

[unclenunzie]

Not in my book, especially if it brings out my El Patron more often. I am a repeat offender if it is a sin, though.

Done it numerous times, and recently got the best results using the sight enhancement formula "glowstick" by a company called "Orly". Oddly, I could not find it in the sporting goods section of any store, and to my surprise it is misplaced in the beauty products section. Strange marketing strategy for a shooting-related product.

 

[Fiv3r]

I paint all of mine that dont come with a dot or colored blade. Besides, it's just nail polish. If I don't like it, it wipes off no problem.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

I agree with the other comments.

Regarding competition, SASS rules allow painted or colored sights with some restrictions. Here's the relevant Rule:

- - - - - Sights must look like sights available during the c owboy era . B ead, blade, simple post, or otherwise approved front sights (such as the XS Cowboy Express) made of materials such as steel, iron, ivory, faux ivory, brass, gold, pewter, copper, or silver are allowed . Colors other than those of the materials referenced above or any “fluorescent” materials may not be applied to either front or rear sights . Rear and front sights may be “blacked , ” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials . If blacking, paint, or plating is a pplied to a revolver front sight, it must cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material .

 

[doubleh]

If it is I've sinned multiple times.

 

[tbob38]

It's up to you.

 

[film495]

it comes off pretty easy, so - not a permanent change. I have a few with the nail polish on the front sights, and try to keep the solvents off it so it doesn't dissolve when cleaning.

 

[Cornhusker77]

I use acrylic paint. It sticks but you an get it off easily

 

[AK103K]

I paint all of mine that dont have night sights. I have a hard time anymore, seeing just plain black sights when the background is close to the color of the sight. Its even worse with silver sights.

Nail polish, in a bright fluorescent color, works the best and generally doesn't come off too easily, and isnt usually affected by solvents, other than nail polish remover. It does tend to chip here and there though if you tend to bang things around. Still, easily fixed.

It doesnt take much either, just a little dab where the front sight comes up in the notch when the sights are aligned. You dont have to do the whole sight.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

As we all know, the sights on a SAA clone leave much to be desired. I decided to try painting the back edge of my front sight on one of my HRRs and my Wrangler with neon orange nail polish. It worked great and made it easier to pick up the front sight through the rear sight groove.
It definitely looks out of place on these guns but it does help.
Am I committing an unforgettable sin in the SA community?

Sin?

YES!!

You must now relinquish your Paladin card and trade that abused gat in on a Hi Point that you can paint, dress-up and otherwise give make-overs to to your heart's content.



The shame you must feel?!?

The shame I feel for you!

In point of fact, my Grandpa and his peers did it all the damn time to SAs, shotguns, Winchesters and the like. When they weren't painting eyes or gills on their lures, feather tips on their decoys or the exposed threads on the boat trailer lugs, the front and rear sights were getting treatments.

Hell, it's worth it if only to piss off the pedantic, puritanical, Polly-perfect-production purveyors of pistol presentation.

Todd.

 

[CajunBass]

I'm gonna tell......I'm gonna tell......

Paint away. I've got a bottle of white and one of orange nail polish in my drawer right now.

 

[CraigC]

I don't like flashy sights but......

Your gun, your rules.

 

[mavracer]

Your gun your rules.
I wouldn't have issues with a clone anyway, on my stainless vaquero I flattened and serrated the front to get a better picture. Now if you're sticking orange nail polish on a 95% 1st gen Colt I'm gonna be a little sick to my stomach.

 

[doubleh]

It will come right off with a bit of acetone. That's the good thing about paint and fingernail polish. Don't like it, wipe it off with acetone.

 

[Dibbs]

Well, if it is, forgive me, Lord...