Model 27 Front Sight - Can't See It

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Rolf

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I'm enjoying the heck out of my new Model 27 .357 Classic N-Frame with the 6-1/2" barrel in bright blue, but I cannot see the front sight while lining up. It completely disappears on me.
Has anyone had this experience? If so, would painting the front sight white help? Or perhaps a white strip of pin striping tape?
 
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I started having problems lining mine up along about the time I turned 40. I found black bulls and a 6 o'clock hold with a tan background are easier. High contrast really helps.

What works best is a red dot sight. I've mounted dots on as many of my firearms as possible.
 
Try Modeler's paint.. Testors.. Apply a coat of white and then a coat of florescent red. It may help and is a cheap first attempt.

I put red paint on a model 58 in 1966 and it's still there.
 
MichiganScott said:
I started having problems lining mine up along about the time I turned 40. I found black bulls and a 6 o'clock hold with a tan background are easier. High contrast really helps.

What works best is a red dot sight. I've mounted dots on as many of my firearms as possible.
Click to expand...

Yea, I just hit 60 and I can't see sh*# anymore.
Thanks for the tip.
I may have to look into prescription safety glasses too.
Ugh….getting older sucks.
 
Had the very same problem with pretty much all ramp-type sights regardless of color. Light reflection washes out the outline of the blade; my ultimate fix was to have local gunsmith fit a comparable height patridge/square style blade which seems to resolve the issue in all lighting situations.
 
I had the same issue as bobbyd. No way I could make out a sharp outline with a ramp sight. Changing the front to a patridge made all the difference in the world. I like FO sights on my semi's but not my revolvers.
 
Stainless front sights are even harder to see in bright light. I paint mine with an orange-ish nail polish I picked out at WalMart several years ago. It looked like the brightest stuff available.

I learned from others on this forum that nail polish color stands out much more brightly on a front sight if you lay down a coat of white polish first. It's an easy job that takes only a few minutes (plus drying time between coats, of course.)
 
Is this a vision problem? Do you wear reading glasses? I can't see very well up close so I wear reading glasses. The key is to have the distance you need for the distance to the front sight. For me I can see the front sight clearly with .75 non prescription glasses. I bought Elvex Safety glasses in .50 and .75. Ebay has them for $10.95. You might need more or less correction to see the front sight clearly. Coloring the front sight can help indoors but black may help outdoors. I remember soot cans to blacken the front sight when I shot outdoors in the Army. The target itself is a big blur for me but at least the front sight is clear. I am going to try a Merit Optical attachment (peep sight) on my Elvex glasses to see if that clears up the target. So...I'm using .75 for the front sight and hopefully the Merit will clear up the target (bullseye) a little bit.
 
Good info. I would do it too but for me it's not the color. The front sight is just very blurry. Not sure if the OP's issue was color or fuzziness. I did use some whiteout on the front sight and it helped indoor range shooting a little bit. I guess the bottom line is that you can't shoot well if you can't see the front sight.
 
I wear trifocals. The intermediate range works fairly well for handgun shooting. The trifocal section is fairly small, so I buy a pair of drugstore readers that focus as far as I can reach out in a shooting stance. It may not be the answer for hunting, but it works for targets. The dab of red up front seems to help, more so outside.

Jack
 
I put a Hi-Viz Fiber Optic front sight on my 625JM. Such a wonderful 30 second change over. Also have a 1911 w/ F.O. front sight. Does wonders for my 62 year old eyes. The rest have to settle with nail polish. Bob
 
+1 for Testor's red paint........I have two bottles floating around somewhere, you get them for like $1.50 at any big hardware store. One bottle would probably last a lifetime. If it wears off just reapply.

It's the "poor man's red insert" front sight:) I have a good many old police and security 10's, 64's, and Ruger Service Sixes with traces of old paint on the front and rear sights.
 
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Just remembered. I did put a Red Dot scope on a 6" 686 I no longer own. Groups were almost like having younger eyes again. Expensive and I really didn't like the look but it really worked. One last thing. I couldn't wear my glasses with it. The dot looked like a rainbow. Still it was pretty effective without my glasses.
 
petermari said:
Is this a vision problem? Do you wear reading glasses? I can't see very well up close so I wear reading glasses. The key is to have the distance you need for the distance to the front sight. For me I can see the front sight clearly with .75 non prescription glasses. I bought Elvex Safety glasses in .50 and .75. Ebay has them for $10.95. You might need more or less correction to see the front sight clearly. Coloring the front sight can help indoors but black may help outdoors. I remember soot cans to blacken the front sight when I shot outdoors in the Army. The target itself is a big blur for me but at least the front sight is clear. I am going to try a Merit Optical attachment (peep sight) on my Elvex glasses to see if that clears up the target. So...I'm using .75 for the front sight and hopefully the Merit will clear up the target (bullseye) a little bit.
Click to expand...

It's a vision problem. I also use readers as well (150 - 175).
I use a progressive lens for my everyday glasses.
I don't use "shooters glasses" but rather my Vuarnet sunglasses. The outdoor range doesn't have a problem with me using them and I like the lenses much better than shooters glasses.
I'm far-sighted so the target is in focus but the sight is a big blur.
 
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Iggy said:
Try Modeler's paint.. Testors.. Apply a coat of white and then a coat of florescent red. It may help and is a cheap first attempt.

I put red paint on a model 58 in 1966 and it's still there.
Click to expand...

Have done this with a number of carry guns..... including a 4" 28....... do not skip the base coat of white paint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also have 2 sets of "Eagle Eye" Shooting glasses...... which are ground with small inserts (near the bridge of the nose) to allow you to focus on the front sight............I need reading glasses ....... my eye post cataract surgery are 20/25 (shooting eye) and 20/15
 
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Rolf. Sounds like the same vision issue I have. Take a look at the Elvex safety glasses on ebay. I think the .5 might be the ticket. I wear 2.0 for reading and the .75 puts the front sight in focus for me. They look like shooting glasses not readers.
 
Ophthalmologist/Optometrist

Iggy said:
Progressive Tri-focals help too.:(
Click to expand...

I can not second this more soundly. It sounds ridiculous and embarrassing but I was too hard-headed to get anything but distance correction no "bi-focals" for me like my grandfather.

Shooting was a nightmare. Go in for a visit and it turns out my Ophthalmologit's physician husband is also a shooter and having the same probelms as me--needing correction for distance and somewhat "fine" up close with a sliding scale in ability to see as distance increases, without corrective lenses.

She prescribed a special set of hunting/shooting glasses--per the traditional shooting style with yellow tint-- that are some sort of lined trifocal (where I can switch view as needed). The close in correction is lower in the lens too so I can shoot a shotgun/point-shoot with ease, but then focus in on sights as needed by looking through the lower lens.

Then no-lines for normal wearing.

Literally changed my life for the better. I can't recommend seeing an eye care professional about this more strongly and explain your problem. Wish I had done so 10 years ago--time I have been refusing bi-focals.
 
Nice posts. For those of us that are farsighted (we can't see clearly up close) the color of the front sight can be an issue but having a red, yellow, green or white front sight that is still blurry or fuzzy doesn't solve the whole problem. It's more distinct with the color but still very blurry. We need correction that makes the front sight clear. An optometrist can prescribe glasses that make the front sight clear at the exact distance from your eye to the front sight. Reading glasses work at the distance your are comfortable reading. Computer glasses do the same thing but at a distance that makes your computer screen clear. Shooting glasses with magnification are for the exact distance from your eye to the front sight.
 
Well it sounds like I'll need to do both painting the front sight AND getting another pair of glasses.
Like I stated earlier, I wear progressive lenses which cover ALL the distances far and near. I think I'll have another pair made in some nice Ray Ban sunglasses since I currently use my sunglasses anyway.
Thanks for all the great posts!!!
 
Here is the way the front sight (a dab of white out) looks to me and to most other shooters who are far sighted. It's better than black but still blurry without the correct magnification. The rear sight can be a little out of focus but the front sight should be crystal clear.
 

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If you get glasses made that permit you to see both your sights and target clearly you won't need paint and paint won't help you see anything clearly. You'll be able to see the sight but no more clearly than without the paint.

Why do people resist fixing a problem correctly? Remember the old adage about not being able to hit what you can't see?

Ed
 
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