Paint front sight?

[Wheel-er]

Hi!

I fired my new to me m64-5 the last few days. Shooting southerly, late in day, just before sunset. Setting sun had no cloud blockage, and was shining in right eye. Low clouds, gray.

Several times I had difficulty discerning the stainless front blade. I wouldn't have had the problem w/ the 3 dot, or other systems, on a new auto.

So I'm wondering, do any of you pro's ever put a dab of red or white paint on the front blade ramp to make it easier to pick up? Maybe some black on the flat top?

The front blade ramp is serrated. It didn't help much.

 

[PattonTime]

Paint front sight ?

While I am no expert !
I have started playing with "Testors dayglo Orange" model paint.
It does wonders for a old set of eyes at a indoor range.
I have not tried to remove yet, but I figure that is why they make paint
thinner !
I do not believe I would ever take it off any way.
If you are worried about removal, you can try "Whiteout" correction fluid.
If they still sell it ?
Now that typewriters and even Fax machines are becoming a thing of the past.

 

[Wheel-er]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/118713-new-paint-job-front-sight.html

I found the above post in the lounge. Has pics. 3 coat system. White, Color, Clear.

 

[long colt frazier]

I have been doing the liquid paper/white out on my shooters with blued sights. It is amazing how much better I can see. It will come right off with a bit of soap and water.

 

[phils]

I use red or orange fingernail polish on white front sights.

 

[reerc]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/118713-new-paint-job-front-sight.html

I found the above post in the lounge. Has pics. 3 coat system. White, Color, Clear.

Actually, in those pix, there are only the first two coats, the white and the orange - but now (as of about 20 minutes ago) it has a clear coat - Thanks, Mrs. reerc.

 

[j38]

I would recommend you try painting it with some model paint - white, red, yellow ... whatever color your eyes see best. You can remove the paint with no harm to a blue or stainless finish with a little acetone if you don't like it. No harm ... no foul.

Good Luck,

Jerry

 

[srgvaz]

I use the auto touch up paint- the one they sell at old WAL MART and the auto parts stores. Been using it for years and haven't found anything better yet. A few years ago they started with the metal application tip that works great for a few months after that the brush is the best way only it takes more patience to make it look pro.

 

[epj]

Several of my guns have the Testors flourescent orange paint on them. Been there for several years. No white coats or clear coats, just orange. Regular cleaning doesn't bother it, but if I wanted to remove it, I'm sure it will come right off with lacquer thinner or acetone. Does a good job.

 

[GF]

"So I'm wondering, do any of you pro's ever put a dab of red or white paint on the front blade ramp to make it easier to pick up? Maybe some black on the flat top? "

Wheel-er everybody that responded to your thread is more than 40 years old and wears glasses, I betcha'. A man's gotta' do what a man's gotta' do.
Here's a Mod 18 with the front AND rear sights painted.

I been dabbin' paint on sights for years and it does help.

GF

 

[flagman1776]

I also have the orange model paint on my front sight... first read about this in "Cooper on Handguns" by the late Col Cooper back in the 70s.
Russ

 

[batmann]

I painted the front sights of my,dare I say it, ,44M Ruger Alaskan with Green Chartreuse. It is the same paint they use to paint lead jigs with and I found it in the fishing deptment at Gander Mountain. So fall it has proven very durable.

 

[ISOM]

Painting a front sight

I have just finished eye surgery.
The doctor says I am blind in 10 of the 12 colors tested.
My most attracted color is YELLOW.
Find out what color your eye are attracted to and do that color. I use Finger Nail Polish.

 

[m657]

I fell under the spell of ordering the special sight paint set offered by a company in Oregon.

Following directions I applied my choice of colors to the front sight and a touch of white to the rear.

I cleaned everything with the special cleaning fluid in the set.

It helped a lot to see much better.

After carrying a few days and 1 range session, the stuff came off much like a scab, as a whole little patch.

I again followed directions closely about cleaning, etc.

Again it came off.

Now I'm a bit PUT OFF by the product.

I will try again and then contact the company.

 

[growr]

Been using Testor's lime green almost hi viz on my front sight for about 7 years and it helps ME immensely! Might work for you as well. Almost as good a fiber optics...
Randy

 

[Gebe]

I fell under the spell of ordering the special sight paint set offered by a company in Oregon.

Following directions I applied my choice of colors to the front sight and a touch of white to the rear.

I cleaned everything with the special cleaning fluid in the set.

It helped a lot to see much better.

After carrying a few days and 1 range session, the stuff came off much like a scab, as a whole little patch.

I again followed directions closely about cleaning, etc.

Again it came off.

Now I'm a bit PUT OFF by the product.

I will try again and then contact the company.

Hopefully I'm not hijacking Wheel-er's thread but I thought this would be a good place to warn people if they're thinking of buying this product to paint their sights.

We might as well call a spade a spade m657. I also ordered the paint from BRIGHT SIGHTS in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Like you, I cleaned the sights as instructed and followed all instructions. I even let the paint dry for well over 72 hours. Also, like your experience, first the rear and then the front paint came loose and just peeled completely off in one big piece or "scab".

I e-mailed them a couple of times complaining about it and never got a response. I guess I should have called them but I always get a quick e-mail reply from good internet companies. I just chalked it up as a learning experience dealing with a subpar company selling a subpar product.

 

[Casehardn]

Blue or Green?

I ran across this thread because I recently picked up a 67 no-dash with the stainless sights. Great gun; nice trigger.

Problem is the front stainless sight is tough to pick up.

I read a few people in this thread saying green works good, but I also read on another website some guy saying that light blue works good for him.

From my scuba experience I know that of all the colors in the spectrum, blue is the last to disappear in low light. Green is second to last. Red disappears first.

It is also why when you go hunting in the morning and the sun is coming up, the last color you can see appear in the fall woods is red.

I will try both green and light blue this week and report what works better.

 

[Gun Smoke]

I have been using model paint for years and it really helps my old eyes...I like red but any color that works will do....I have also used appliance epoxy enamel which drys super hard...I have had a drop on my Ruger LCP for over a year and it's still there after lots of pocket carry...

 

[Wayne M]

Revlon "Snowy Orange," took a long time to find the right shade and I've been using the same bottle for 30 years(when they advertised long lasting they weren't kidding!). Looks a lot like the S&W red ramp color.

 

[bwickens]

I'm another Testor's fan. My preference is for their flourescent yellow, and it stands out against nearly everything. Just make sure, with the flourescents, that you put down a flat white base coat. For application, I usually whittle a flat on the end of a toothpick. The paint gets into the bottoms and sides of the serrations but the points or tops still show the sights original color.