Sight Paint

[juniustaylor]

I just wanted to share my experience with using model car paint to fix up a front sight so you can discern it from your target. I'm sure others have used similar techniques to include using nail polish. I think this method is very good since it is very luminescent in daylight conditions and still pretty good in low light. The stuff I use is:

Testor's White #1145
Model Master Fluorescent Red #FS 28915

The white goes on the sight first as a base coat. Let that dry by air or a blow dryer. Follow it up with the red. It makes it really gleam. If you only apply the red, then it makes no real difference from having nothing on the sight. The white makes it stand out. It almost turns out a bright "hunter" orange when done. I think any fluorescent color would turn out real nice, I just use the red because it turns out that orange color.



I choose this method over buying the real sight paints since they're so expensive. This stuff will last a long time and only costs a few dollars at a hobby store. You have a plethora of the stuff so if you need to redo your paint job, you can at any time. I also use this on my Winchester '94 .30-30 with a Williams peep sight. You can see that front bead real well through the peep.

What do others use to doctor up a front sight?

[mellisallen]

i did almost the same exact thing on mine. different paint but same idea. it really helps me, as im far sighted and discerning anything that small and that close is difficult( glasses work but then i cant see what im shooting at). the paint REALLY helps.

[halljt3]

Thanks for the thread, I have been thinking of doing this since the sights are prob my biggest complaint if not my only complaint about this great little gun...

[jpenland]

I used nail polish as an experiment, and it turned out ok, and is easily removeable, but I think I will try this. Thanks!

[thestaleness]

looks great. definitely adding this to my to do list

[robalan]

I like the idea too. It may be neat to do the back sight as well. I heard that little back sight can be popped out and reinstalled. The color you did looks great. Some may even want to make front and back white for a sort of variation of a three dot sight. Or even make the front sight one color and the back sight a different color.

[juniustaylor]

I like the idea too. It may be neat to do the back sight as well. I heard that little back sight can be popped out and reinstalled. The color you did looks great. Some may even want to make front and back white for a sort of variation of a three dot sight. Or even make the front sight one color and the back sight a different color.

Mine sure doesn't seem to want to "pop" out. boomer suggested that I heat it with a propane torch for a couple seconds and try tapping it out. I think if it could be removed and engraved to make a little channel so you could paint it like this (see below) then I think it would be nice. Or use a Tri-Dot setup.


I'd kind of like to come up with another rear sight before I modified mine though...

[mellisallen]

you could make a replacement sight very easily. its a small dovetail that could easily be filed to fit. ive got some alluinum around and i might try it later, i like the square channel idea alot.

[juniustaylor]

Very true mellisallen, you could easily manuf. one out of some aluminum. Due to the channel that runs the length of the rear sight area, you don't have much area to work with for cutting out that square channel on the sight piece before you run into the sides of the channel on the slide. Sorry if that sounds confusing.

[robalan]

It is probably easier said than done, but if you can’t remove that rear sight for painting it seems like it could be done in place. Maybe use painter’s tape or even some other type of thin tape all around the sight and then paint the sight.

[blinddog]

I think that the paint procedure is an excellent idea. I will for sure do my P-64's that way. I'm far sighted also.

[Shuga]

Try glow in the dark fabric or craft paint. Works awesome on one of my other guns. Since I can't see close up without glasses the little bit of glow even in daylight helps distinguish it from the target. You have the option of being able to choose from a few different colors to suit your taste.

[juniustaylor]

Thanks for the suggestion Shuga.

[6x6pinz]

Since I have an abundance of engine paint around I use the chevy orange or the bright green to touch up my sights. I spray a little into a small lid and use a toothpick to apply. This allows me to fill any of the grooves found on various models as well as keep the paint limited to just the areas I am looking to color.

In any case the color contrast sure helps these old eyes acquire the sites

[woolworth405]

I'll have to do that.