Painting a Front Sight, Advice Needed

DavidB

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OK, I got some Testors Flat White and Fluorescent Orange and a nifty fine pointed
brush. All recommended by the gun nut behind
the counter of a Hobby Bench.
I've noticed that the red inserts of revolver sights aren't all the way to the top.
How to measure? How to decide the line?
It's for a 3" 65-5. Thanks.
 
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OK, I got some Testors Flat White and Fluorescent Orange and a nifty fine pointed
brush. All recommended by the gun nut behind
the counter of a Hobby Bench.
I've noticed that the red inserts of revolver sights aren't all the way to the top.
How to measure? How to decide the line?
It's for a 3" 65-5. Thanks.
 
DB,

Howdy from another resident of the valley.


I paint my sights all the way to the top, but not on the top flat of the sight.

I have painted many front sights, but not the specific model you mention. You can double check what area is visible by sighting the revolver and either eyeballing it, or just doing a 'dry' run with the Testors, not worrying about sloppy work. i.e. just paint what you think needs it and then align the sights...note the area you want to paint, wipe off the Testors with a wet paper towel and repaint using a steady hand.

I still think you'll do well painting all the way up, because a proper sight alignment has the top flats of both front and rear sights aligned.


Tips:
Testors Orange Modeling Paint
Small Testors Brush
VISE the PISTOL to hold it steady! Less to worry about
Masking tape on sides and top of sight to frame your target area
Pull off tape before paint dries, so it doesn't pull off any chunks
Let Dry for a good couple of hours
Seal it in with a couple of coats of clear nail polish

*I find several light coats of paint with 20 min dry time inbetween yields a better result than globbing too much on in one fell swoop


Testors paint can be cleaned up with water, which is nice during application
Clear nail polish protects the Testors coat and is pretty resistant to a lot of gun solvents, but I'm still mindful of it while cleaning.
Can be removed with ACETONE if needed


Apologies for the 'brand x' shots. Recently painted my SW 360sc which came out similarly, but I haven't taken any good shots yet.


f43b4ecd.jpg
 
Also, I like to be seated when painting a sight.

Steady your hand on the vise or on some books stacked on your workbench or table.

Use the tape as a safety net and try to stay in the lines as much as you can without it, because some paint may leech under.

I've found revolver sights generally easier than say, my Buckmark or my LCP...the revo sights have stairsteps that help contain the paint and give good landmarking.
 
Another choice is the "Fire Sights" line of sight paint. FS is more of a gel and creates a thick line or dot which absorbs light. You can also mix the colors to create your own, if none of the standard FS colors work for you.

It's not as good as a real fiber optic sight, but it's a very cost-effective substitute.
 
Stick a wood toothpick in the paint and rub it on the sight. Cheap and no brush to clean up. If it ever needs to be redone the cost is a drop of paint and a toothpick. Larry
 

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