As I approach 50, I am finding it harder to see the front sight on my fixed sight revolvers. Who makes a set of sights that give a better sight picture for aging eyes? Maybe a gold bead for the front sight? I was thinking of a making a heavy barrel model 10 the test case because I enjoy shooting it.
Improved sights for fixed sight model 10
- Thread starter RussellD
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TAROMAN
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I feel your pain. I got an SDM gold bead front for my Model 21. Helps a lot (for me). I do not have a Model 10, but if it has a pinned in half moon sight this would be an easy fix. Got mine from Brownell:
stantheman86
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Not many for the Model 10 that don't require gunsmithing, like milling in a dovetail or something. IMO that takes away from the look and whole idea of a Model 10, with it's simple and rugged sights. A better way to go, if you like Rugers, is to get a GP-100 and you can put in any front sight you want within seconds, like a HiViz, Tritium, etc.
A cheap and super easy fix that's been done for decades is neatly painting orange or red Testor's onto the serrated part of the front sight blade. Maybe even paint white paint on the rear notch for contrast....... I did it on a few of mine and it gives a better sight picture than a red plastic insert. If it wears off or fades, just brush on some more! If you don't like it, scrub it off with a toothbrush.
A cheap and super easy fix that's been done for decades is neatly painting orange or red Testor's onto the serrated part of the front sight blade. Maybe even paint white paint on the rear notch for contrast....... I did it on a few of mine and it gives a better sight picture than a red plastic insert. If it wears off or fades, just brush on some more! If you don't like it, scrub it off with a toothbrush.
I'd see a knowledgeable optometrist first. I'm 65, definitely presbyopic, but my preferences on handgun sights haven't changed much. Also, look to see whether your shooting conditions have remained the same. What is best for shooting black bullseyes on white targets usually isn't quite the same as what's best in the woods, or at night. If your eyesight is OK and focussed correctly, then I would say that a Trijicon or Meprolight luminous front sight is hardly ever a mistake. It can also be paired with two luminous dots on the rear sight in most cases.
P.S. I also fully agree with Stan the Man, both paragraphs. I use red nail polish on most of my carry guns, the ones that don't have Meprolights.
P.S. I also fully agree with Stan the Man, both paragraphs. I use red nail polish on most of my carry guns, the ones that don't have Meprolights.
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At 72 years old I have painted all my front sights with testor's orange. It works for me. I have lost most of the use of my right eye for shooting purposes which was my dominate eye but I still shoot with my left.
sunday bill
Member
RussellD, I'm 63 and my vision went south 20 years ago. Painting or finger nail polishing non-adjustable handgun sights works for me, too.
Model520 nailed it ref. the optometrist, too. The eye doc that makes (orders??) my shatter resistant reading/shooting/wearing-all-the-time tri-focal specs let's me discreetly bring a handgun into the office and has the bottom section of my lenses ground to maximize my vision at revolver-sight distances.
Model520 nailed it ref. the optometrist, too. The eye doc that makes (orders??) my shatter resistant reading/shooting/wearing-all-the-time tri-focal specs let's me discreetly bring a handgun into the office and has the bottom section of my lenses ground to maximize my vision at revolver-sight distances.
I've played around with making hemispherical bead front sights for several fixed front sight K-frames. I make them by turning down brass or polymer rods into a 0.120" hemisphere with a 0.075" post on the bottom. I drill a hole for the post in the serrated front ramp with a carbide bit and fix the bead in place with DUCO cement. Front sight drilling can be done with a milling machine or a fixtured revolver and an accurate drill press.
The resulting front sight is easy to see in daylight or in twilight. Because it's mounted on a sloped surface, the bead appears oval when sighted, but this doesn't affect its use.
I did this just to see if I could do it. IMO, fluorescent paint on the front sight works just as well and is much easier to do.
Buck
The resulting front sight is easy to see in daylight or in twilight. Because it's mounted on a sloped surface, the bead appears oval when sighted, but this doesn't affect its use.
I did this just to see if I could do it. IMO, fluorescent paint on the front sight works just as well and is much easier to do.
Buck
Continental Op
Member
Here's a great article on painting sights: Improving Your Snubs Sights
One thing that helps is to put a coat of white down before the red so it will be brighter.
One thing that helps is to put a coat of white down before the red so it will be brighter.
jrm53
Member
If your model 10 is a 4" barrel I would advertise in the wanted section for a Bomar cover up rib and mount it myself or have a smith mount it, it will take two holes drilled and tapped, they are not made anymore but there have to be a lot out there. Jeff
bpeddicord
Member
I'm 62 and I also paint my front sight on my model 64 and model 10 with fluorescent orange paint. I wear glasses, so I also had a pair of shooting glasses made by my Optometrist. The right lens is the bifocal prescription which allows me to see my front sight clearly and the left lens is for distance. I shoot IDPA with both eyes open, so I have no problem seeing my front sight and seeing the targets also. I had the glasses put in an old frame that I had on hand so the cost wasn't really very much.
I bought a used M-64 that had a faded orange painted front sight and I could never remove that paint. I tried laquer thinner, nail polish remover, WD-40, Alcohol, and a knife blade and still couldn't get the paint off. I would recommend nail polish if you ever want to remove it later. I recently bought an LCP .380 and it has terrible sights, so I looked in my 15 year daughters bathroom for some finger nail polish and she had some fluorescent hot pink and I thought I would give it a try(it's a sissy gun anyway). That color shows up to my 51 year old eyes MUCH better than red or orange and gives the LCP a badly needed useable sight picture.
David Sinko
Member
I have very good eyesight but in bright sunlight I often have trouble seeing the forged front sights of my snub nose revolvers. I painted the front sight with "glitter green" nail polish from the dollar store and that pretty much solved this problem.
I also have trouble getting a good sight picture with my AK-47 in low light, mostly because the rear sight is so far forward. I solved that problem by applying three dots of white dollar store nail polish: two on the rear sight and one on the front. White shows up best on blued or black sights.
In my experience red is the worst color for a front sight, unless it is a fiber optic rod. And even then it's still not as visible as green.
Mark Hartshorn of Pinnacle Custom says he can mill any factory front sight to accept a fiber optic rod. That is another alternative to replacing the entire integral front sight of a S&W revolver.
Dave Sinko
I also have trouble getting a good sight picture with my AK-47 in low light, mostly because the rear sight is so far forward. I solved that problem by applying three dots of white dollar store nail polish: two on the rear sight and one on the front. White shows up best on blued or black sights.
In my experience red is the worst color for a front sight, unless it is a fiber optic rod. And even then it's still not as visible as green.
Mark Hartshorn of Pinnacle Custom says he can mill any factory front sight to accept a fiber optic rod. That is another alternative to replacing the entire integral front sight of a S&W revolver.
Dave Sinko
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