Painting a front sight with nailpolish

[benchbear]

For anyone curious, I painted the front ramp of my revolver with orange nailpolish. I would have preferred to bolt on a fiber optics front sight, but as far as I can tell, that's not possible with my gun (EAA Windicator .38 Special).

But my little DIY project worked out pretty well.

I posted a video on Youtube to demonstrate.

http://youtu.be/zrh-g2WR2Es

Benchbear

 

[beatledog7]

Lots of people do something like this. I use a little dot of wite-out.

 

[acmax95]

I use jig head paint you can get at most tackle stores. I paint the front orange and backs green.

I noticed a big difference in sight acquisition.

 

[mortablunt]

It looks a bit girly, but I painted the front sight post of my M1911 airsoft a blue with nail polish. Now I have no problems with making out the sights.
Nail polist: A $3 solution to a serious problem.

 

[hardluk1]

I use a craft paint my wife has. She has some pearl white I use to coat the front edge of the site the front site and then place red dot at the top on the white paint. Makes it pop. helps my old eyes.

 

[Stacer]

I used the brightest nail polish I could find on the front sight of my LCP, and white on the back.

 

[Stumper]

Testors paints. Nail Polish. Fancy "Sight Paints".... All work but My favorite is the white Paintpen found in the crafts section of walmart. Super easy application and it seems to stay on better than moist other paints.

 

[benchbear]

Heh heh. Seems like I'm late to the "DIY brighter sights" party. Funny thing is, when my wife saw the results, she asked, "who would want to do THAT to their gun!?". Glad I'm not alone - my eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

[jfrey]

I actually zeroed my Ruger New Vaquero with white car touchup paint. If I hold to the bottom of the paint on the front sight I hit POA on the target.

 

[Brian Williams]

I like to use orange construction marking paint.

 

[Old John]

I have flourescent orange paint on the front sites of my 2 Ruger LCR's and on my SP101.
It makes the front sight much easier to find & get on target.

 

[Myles]

I use very brightly colored crayon in recessed dot sights. Usually white for the rear dots, and bright red for the front sight.

 

[Pyro]

I've done it. White nail polish on the front sight, it's been on and carried for a few months and hasn't fallen off yet.

 

[rjrivero]

I can't watch your video here at work, but if you use white porcelin touch up paint on black sights as a base coat, it makes the orange stand out.

 

[benchbear]

Base coat for sights first? Hmm

thanks for the tip rjrivero. If my newbie nailpolish efforts don't last, then I may re-do with a base coat first. I've read quite a few recco's to have white underneath the bright color (in my case orange).

Two funny wife follow ups:
1. I'm happy to see that I'm not the only guy "spoiling" (as my wife put it) the look of my handgun with a spot of color. Worth it to me to improve my accuracy!
2. After my wife knocked my first-time painting efforts, she asked if she could borrow the polish for her toe nails. Now I'll think of that every time I get a nice site picture at the range.

 

[KAS1981]

Another vote for a paint pen. Works great.

 

[NCW Ray]

Nail polish was being used by the "old timers" when I started my LE career back in the Mid 70's. Pick your color.

 

[PO2Hammer]

I posted a video on Youtube to demonstrate.

You don't bite your fingernails, do you?

My Bisley flat top's front sight was a bit rough around the edges and all black. I used hot pink fingernail polish and let it go over the edges and over the top slightly. After it fully dried I stoned the sides and top of the sight blades smooth and reblued. The hot pink is in the serrations right to the top, but the blade is sharp and square. A big improvement.

Now I just need the Bowen rough country rear sight with white outline and my old eyes will be happy.

 

[Capt. Ct.]

I have used model paint on my Hi-Power target front sight but it starts to dry too quickly and I have a hard time with it. About three weeks ago I tried nail polish. The exact same one you used. The little brush was a big help and it didn't dry too quickly. It went on nice and easy. I would have liked to find a more fluorescent orange color but this works pretty well. A coat of clear over it makes it shine and show up even better.

 

[skoro]

I put a little bit of liquid paper on the front sight. Works pretty well.

 

[Buck Kramer]

I'd love to do this to my Bodyguard 380 but the front sight is ribbed horizontally. Anyone think this would make a difference?

 

[rjrivero]

Buck,

The ribs don't really matter. Use the porcelain touch up as a base coat and it'll be good to go.

 

[robinkevin]

Always used to paint my front sights with white out. However I wonder if orange would be better...

Does painting the rear sights really help much?

 

[Dogguy]

I've tried nail polish and the fairly expensive "Bright Sights" paint. The paint wore off with use or cleaned off with solvents. Then I tried the Testor's Enamel (not "acrylic" enamel) from a hobby shop. It dries within minutes to a hard finish and lasts pretty much forever. I didn't like the color I used on one gun and tried to scratch it off with a wire brush and never did get it totally off. No problem--I just painted over the remainder. If you do happen to chip it a little in the future, it's easy to touch up.

Testor's paint cost me $1.99 for a tiny bottle that will certainly dry out before it's ever used up.

 

[Stophel]

Using nail polish on front sights is an ancient tradition. I just painted one of mine last night. Bright red. Not as bright as I'd like, I'll have to go find something brighter, or some Testors model car paint.