Painting your front sight-a simple step that can really help

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B.N.Real

New member
I've been doing this on all my handguns for a long time.

All you do is get a can of quality gloss white spray paint.

Shake it up really good and spray a small amount in the plastic can top.

I don't use a brush.

What I use is a paper reciept that I fold into a small flat edge on one end.

After the paint sits about five minutes,I dip that paper edge into the paint and

trim off most of it on the side of the plastic top.

Then holding my handgun either slightly or straight down,I gently rub that paper edge with the paint on it on the top edge of the front sight.

You really only need to touch that paper edge to the front sight surface because the paint will actually move itself onto that metal edge.

The most important part of this is to get the top sight edge of the front sight cleanly and neatly painted.

If you get a little on the sides of the sight,it's not a disaster.

You can easily remove it.

I just got finished doing all my handguns again.

My 617 came with a dark metal front sight and now I can easily see that sight as I can easily see the front sights on my two P95's now also.

Man,I simply don't like the three dots sights-not enough brightness or detail at the top of the front sight.

Most of the time,I get a small blob of paint that stays right on the top edge of the sight and by dropping the gun down the paint gets brightest right where I need it.

At the top of the front sight.

I am looking forward to getting down to the range again now that I am not shooting by guess!
 
is it less manly if you just get a bottle of nail polish? will nail polish ruin your guns finish? i guess it wouldnt since you put it on human nails.

you can get all sorts of interesting colors, or nail polish that has glitter in it! :p
 
Rust-o-leum Painter's Touch Gloss White paint works best for me-some people like flourescant orange.

The important point is to have a paint that is not translucent.

The white paint I use is usually good to go after one coat.

Really helps you see that super important front sight in all but the darkest of situations and it's relatively cheap and easy to do.

I paint the entire top of the front sight bar and make very sure that the top edge is very neatly painted.

That top edge is your aiming line.

Now,if you had a gun that shot differently,you could actually tailor that front sight paint job to alter where you held the front sight-but hey,to much work for me.

And I am very lucky-all my handguns shoot point of aim.
 
I use orange nail polish. It's easy to put on and is really easy to see. You can remove it with acetone. Nail polish and acetone have never hurt the finish on my guns.
 
White out is in my gun bag, easy on and easy off and it lasts through a long day of firing without a problem. Doesn't go away till I clean the gun or holster it.
 
I just did this this afternoon. I just used some Testor's model paint I had around, with a toothpick. Pretty crude, though, and looks it.
B.N.Real, your method probably works and looks a lot better. I'll try that next time. That flourescent paint sounds like the way to go, too.

blackwidowsights.jpg
 
Rustoleum fluorescent spraypaint and a toothpick on my dot sights. Works better than the Testors paint I tried before, lasts longer.
 
White out is in my gun bag, easy on and easy off and it lasts through a long day of firing without a problem.
Click to expand...

That's what I used to do in Iraq. My Aimpoint used to crap out with frightening regularity, so I relied on my iron sights most of the time. Until they gave me an ACOG. That thing was tough as nails. And no batteries!
 
I've painted a couple of my front sightes as well but use sight paint. Likely no real difference, but I apply a white base coat and once that's dry, apply an orange top coat. I'll usually use a tooth pick to apply the paint. The other thing I do is tape around the sight using painters tape. That helps keep the paint exactly where you want it and hasn't harmed the finish on my firearms.
 
I use nail polish. First I paint the sight black,(if it's not already) then the upper part white. The white shows up against a dark background, and the black against a light background.
 
Fabric paint

Hi, My wife turned Me onto fabric paint for the sights of My guns. I use a white as a primer, then after it dries I apply either bright orange or pink . Stuff is very tough and lasts threw cleaning, but can be removed using goo-b-gone on a rag ...WVleo
 
I use Model Master fluorescent red (has an orange cast I like) over a white base coat. It IS translucent but the white base coat reflects transmitted light back out like a cat's eyes and makes it bright.

My holsters have sight tracks and I get no wear in regular use. I have rubbed the paint down in storage or in soft cases, but it is easy to redo.
 
Acrylic, like what the ladies use for fake fingernails, is available anywhere you can buy beauty supplies and is much more durable and resistant to wear and solvents than paint. You can easily color it with paint pigment too. We get the most requests for green, orange, and purple/blue colors at the shop where I work.
 
I have always used model paints and a brush. Easy to do, lasts quite a while, and can be easily removed if I want to change colors.

I have thought about the nail polish in the past, have heard it is more durable than the model paints...............maybe I could borrow some from my niece, she has some flourecent pink with multi-color glitter :D
 
I use Appliance touch-up paint that I buy at Walmart. It dries quick and hard the small bottle comes with it's own brush but I usually just use a toothpick. Regardless of what color I finish out with, I still put down a base coat of this white as it make the color paint, brighter.



Be Safe !!!
 
I did this to one of my guns, I used white out and Its holding up pretty good.
I carefully taped up the gun leaving only the spot I wanted white exposed then I used the foam applicator the white out came with.
 
Yes, it can help. I had to do this...>

..when I started shooting Field Pistol matches at my range. My Beretta 87T has a black front sight and its disappears on the black targets we use. I painted the rear surface of the front sight with white Liquid Paper, straight out of the bottle. It worked and has lasted well, but the nail polish idea sounds pretty handy too.

Thanks.
 
Generally I do a dab of white paint, let it dry, and then (for the front) put fluorescent orange over it.

In some cases like my Thunder 380 concealed carry model the paint kept rubbing off the rear "suggestion" (can't rightly call those nubs "sights") so I "spiked" a couple of dimples and painted them.

2007_SD400_0948a.jpg
 
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