Sights?

[PawDaddy]

Has anyone here ever painted the notch sight on a fixed sight revolver? I was thinking about using white-out or florescent paint to outline the outside edge of the rear notch and the tip of the front sight on my S&W 10.

 

[James Bondrock]

I have never done what you describe, PD, but many gun scribblers do recommend painting the front sight with something like orange nail polish. (I would feel a tad self conscious shopping the cosmetics department for the exact shade, myself. <g>) To paint the rear notch would require holding the gun rigidly in a padded vise or similar while carefully applying the paint with a very thin brush.

 

[PawDaddy]

I was thinking about using a model car brush and some florescent model paint or white-out.

 

[Old Fuff]

I've used model airplane paint because I think it sticks better and lasts longer then fingernail polish. Be sure to wipe off the metal surfaces with a good degreaser on a Q-Tip before you apply the paint.

In general I've found that it doesn't do a whole lot in good light, nor show up that well in bad. Red in particular goes dull in low light. However it doesn't cost much to experiment, and paint remover will take it off without attacking the blue. Again, use it on a Q-Tip.

 

[BluesBear]

I use liquid paper for the rear sight notch because it's easy to apply and lasts quite a while. Yet, if you colour a little outside the lines like me, once dry you can flake off any extra with a fingernail.

For the front sight I use Tesors Paint Markers in fluorescent red or orange. It's available in most hobby shops. It's enamel or acrylic paint that looks like a huge magic marker. They're about $3 each.

 

[Preacherman]

I've painted the front sight on a number of snubbies, and find it very helpful in low-light conditions. A tip: after thoroughly de-greasing the metal, apply an undercoat of WHITE model paint, and let it dry. Then apply the fluorescent red/orange/green on top of the white paint. It dries to a much brighter color than if it has the plain black metal underneath.

As for the rear sight, I agree with Bluesbear that White-Out is a good way to go: however, after a few tries, I just left the rear sight alone, and did the front sight. At snubby ranges, you're trying to acquire the front sight as rapidly as possible against the center-of-mass of a close-range attacker. You really don't need precision sight alignment - just a coarse sight picture.

 

[sm]

Like Old Fuff,
I've used Testor's ( tm) model car/airplane paint.
Front sight only.
I've used Preacherman's trick of a undercoat first.

Have a few people I have put white on FS only because of age and eyes for CCW.

 

[OH25shooter]

I've used 'white-out' (flakes away) and Testors white model paint. That stays on a little longer. However, a gunsmith told me the best stuff to use is, LURE & JIG FINISH paint. Bought a jar (1 fl. oz) of white, it comes in orange and green, as well. The model paint hasn't worn off yet, so I haven't tried the lure paint. Make sense, if this stuff has to go underwater. NO GUARANTEES!

 

[4thHorseman]

I use engine enamel I buy at the auto parts store. It's about $3.50 a can. It comes in many colors. I paint mine Chevy orange. It's bright and I can easily align on it. It will not come off with regular solvents and will take alot of heat from the barrel. I spray a little on a small model paint prush and paint it on. Very very durable too!

 

[Thirties]

I like to dot the front sight with bright orange, and leave the rear sight black so it contrasts with the paper targets. White sights are very hard to see against a white target, especially since the rear sight is out of focus when you are looking.