Sprucing Up Front Sights: Paint or Plastic Inserts?

J

JNewell

New member
I'm want to improve the visibility of some front sights. It's the over-40 thing. I'm thinking white, instead of the existing black serrated ramps.

I'm interested in opinions on:

  • paint (either the purpose-sold stuff like Brightsights (plain, not glow-in-the-dark) or other painst (hobby, car touch-up, whatever), or
  • plastic inserts (either home-cooked or from the plastic sheets sold by Brownells)

I'm leaning toward paint because (1) it's cheaper, (2) I like the idea of maintaining the serrations on the sight, which will be harder with the plastic, (3) it's completely and pretty easily reversible if I don't like the results.

Your thoughts? Any experience with the regular Brightsights paints or the Brownells plastic sheets???
 
What Color are your eye most sensative too?

Your problem is not what to use...paint, plastic etc. but, What Color are your eye most sensative too.
My most sensative color are YELLOW and a PALE GREEN. I use Fingernail Polish for the yellow and, [$4] Luminus paint.
 
Paint has some advantages. It doesn't permanently alter the front sight, and you can try out different colors. A suggestion: if you're going to use any color except white, put down a layer of white paint first. Then the surface color layer will be much brighter. I use fluorescent pink fabric paint over white Testor's model paint. YMMV, of course.

Chuck

Chuck
 
blind testing (oh, I kill myself)

The BrightSights paint is great, but I quit buying it because the bottle sucks.

Testing Testor's right now, the fluro kind, best results so far with the pink/red version.

That said, IF YOU CAN, 'acquire' Millett orange-ramp front sight blade; all my Ruger wheels wear one, superb.
Gonna test oneathem Williams 'FireSights' soon, too.
 
I've been using Maybelline "Wet Shine" #20 (Shimmering Snow) nail polish on my dot sights. It stays very shiny and reflective and doesn't seem to wear off. The bottle will probably last the rest of my life.
Now if I could just find matching shoes and a purse.........

John
Cape Canaveral
 
on an old dan wesson i have been using a red-orange insert, for over 20 years. it seems that i see the front site faster. just thinking it is all i use for sighting. it might have gotten a shade darker over the years. i have a beretta w/ a three dot system that i also wish to paint for quicker target pick up. with the replys you have gotten i`m sure to pick one of the colors and try.
 
Plastic inserts can come loose and wander off (got an ugly hole in my Model 19's front sight that I need to figure out what to do for). Paint is cheap and works well.
 
I use a bottle of liquid "white out" to paint my front site. It works well for me and is easily replaced if it wears off.

PS: I recently joined the over sixty crowd when your sight really goes, sort of like every thing else
 
Orange

I have decided that the orange insert in my 66 works real fast with the black rear sight with white outline. That white outline is kinda hard to do, but I have painted a few of my other sights. I make sure they are degreased with alcohol, then I put on a coat of white. Then I use the same brand of orange to put a final coat. I use Krylon touch-ups and it seems to be durable enough. I do degrease around the sight also, and mask the top and bottom with scotch tape so if my little artists brush goes over, the finished job looks neat. I also did my stainless snubbies with orange blades and matte black in the cutouts for the rear notch. And did my Colt auto with just the front sight orange. Otherwise I would have to go to commercial replacements which are taller profile. I would like Millets if they were not so much taller than factory fixed. So far all the paint has stood up, especially stainless guns that do not require a coat of oil or something that might dissolve paint.
 
Back in the ancient days ('84) we all used liquid White Out on our front sight blades. Why white? Shooting under dim light conditions.
 
Gee, thanks guys!
My wife just caught me eyeballing her fingernail polish, and thought I was acting weird!!

Who said I was acting?? ;)
 
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