Front sight paint??

[Glockman9mm]

I've seen a few of you have your front sights painted orange. Any special type or brand of paint that works best and holds up?

[GJM]

Sharpie paint sticks. Two coats of white, then a coat or two of orange.

I had a brief dalliance with "traffic cone orange" finger nail polish, but am back with Sharpie.

[LOKNLOD]

I used a couple coats of Testor brand "flourescent red" - which was actually more orange - on some Heinies, and it held up well.

[littlejerry]

I used a couple coats of Testor brand "flourescent red" - which was actually more orange - on some Heinies, and it held up well.

I'm experimenting with a Testors fluorescent kit at the moment. Came with red, orange, yellow, green, blue. Recommendations online were to put down a white base coat, which I've done. Currently on my 3rd coat of yellow which looks fantastic. Will followup with a sealer tomorrow and test fire this weekend.

In the past I've used sharpie paint pens but I wanted something that was truly fluorescent. I saw krylon makes paint pens but I didn't find any local.

[Malamute]

I've been pretty happy with fingernail polish for sight paint. It seems to be pretty hard when cured.

Like was said, a white base coat helps the color stand out more.

I'm rockin Maybelline Color Show. Porcelin Party (white, No 380) and Sweet Clementine (bright orange, No 210). :D

Degrease well first.

[Clobbersaurus]

I've had really good luck with this stuff. Spray on a piece of cardboard and dab with a fine paintbrush. Durable and wipes clean.
http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/1000406004_4.jpg

[JJN]

+1 on fingernail polish. You can get some really gaudy colors, and a a lot of them have metallic sheen or glitter.

[nycnoob]

Personal Defense Network (PDN)
Improving Your Snub’s Sights
By Claude Werner
(http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/improving-your-snubs-sights/)

[Clobbersaurus]

Here's a pic. Left: AmeriGlo Hacks. Right: my crappy paint job. Just be careful not to paint over the lamps.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03712_zpsf23543d5.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03712_zpsf23543d5.jpg.html)

[nycnoob]

+1 on fingernail polish. You can get some really gaudy colors, and a a lot of them have metallic sheen or glitter.

Are you having luck with the metallic ones or the glitter?

I am currently using a "hot pink" called "downtown diva", recently a GF asked to borrow some for her toes!

[abu fitna]

Does anyone else have an issue with the square versus round front sight dot when hand painted? Perhaps I am doing it wrong, but it does bother me.

On the other hand, my wife also was immensely bothered that her Trijicon HD front sight was not a perfectly concentric round dot, but rather somewhat oval / egg shaped due to slant of the sight ramp and lamp insert. This apparently stood out to a much greater degree for her than I in my far less OCD ways would ever have noticed....

[Malamute]

Maybe she has better eyesight at that spot also.

Should look round from straight behind it though,....shouldnt it?

[JonInWA]

I use a base coat of white Liquid Paper, and then Testor's flourescent-I've got their kit as well, and have experimented with the flourescent green, yellow, red, orange and pink. My current preference is to use green (or a green-yellow mix) for the front sight, and orange for the rears, which provides a very quick pick-up, and minimizes "dot confusion," also aids in front sight concentration.

Best, Jon

[JBP55]

I have used Testor's Orange and Red after a coat of White on several front sights but have none in use at this time. I use the Testor's paint to mark my magazines and change magazines and colors yearly.

[NETim]

Go with Revlon's "Front Sight Flame."

(No, I made that up.)

I have been having good luck with some orange self adhesive tape I got off Amazon. (Install method found on TLG's blog.) Also, I've found vinyl "jig paint" (for fishing lures) works well. Same drill. Degrease. White base coat. Two top coats.

[Chuck Haggard]

I have been using these for years, a very good product;
https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/Cleaning-and-Maintenance/Super-Bright%E2%84%A2-Touch-Up-Sight-Pens.aspx

[Alpha Sierra]

I have been using these for years, a very good product;
https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/Cleaning-and-Maintenance/Super-Bright%E2%84%A2-Touch-Up-Sight-Pens.aspx

I found the same exact thing in flourescent colors at a craft store (Hobby Lobby I think).

[Chuck Haggard]

I found the same exact thing in flourescent colors at a craft store (Hobby Lobby I think).

I've tried some of the craft store stuff, got better results from the BC product. Not sure it it's what's in the paint or what, but it's brighter and sticks better.

[vcdgrips]

I like "Hot Tamale", an orange, slightly metallic FN polish avail. at Wal-Mart at under 2.00 for painted front sights. Having said that, I have shifted over to Ameriglo orange fronts on just about everything now.

[GJM]

I like "Hot Tamale", an orange, slightly metallic FN polish avail. at Wal-Mart at under 2.00 for painted front sights. Having said that, I have shifted over to Ameriglo orange fronts on just about everything now.

My friend, VCD's "Hot Tamale" is what got me to Walmart, where I ultimately found "Traffic Cone" orange. You gotstobe a confident dude to walk up to the Walmart person and ask for "Hot Tamale" nail polish, and when she asks if it is for your wife, say "no."

[Malamute]

My friend, VCD's "Hot Tamale" is what got me to Walmart, where I ultimately found "Traffic Cone" orange. You gotstobe a confident dude to walk up to the Walmart person and ask for "Hot Tamale" nail polish, and when she asks if it is for your wife, say "no."

:D I got some slight hesitation from the two wal mart girls that were helping me find a color I liked. When I expained it was for pistol sights, they seemed to get into the search.

[Byron]

+1 on fingernail polish. You can get some really gaudy colors, and a a lot of them have metallic sheen or glitter.

Are you having luck with the metallic ones or the glitter?
I'm also curious what people have found with the metallic/glitter polishes. I've only ever used neon colors, but have definitely pondered whether the extra shine from the metallic/glitter polishes would be helpful or harmful.

[ARonBoard]

I've seen people in the thread experiencing issues with the paint holding up. Would a white base coat alleviate this? Amazon has a neon orange and white testers available individually.

[Malamute]

The white base coat just helps the finish color to be brighter.

The holding up issue was the reason I went with nail polish rather than paint. I think nail polish is harder/tougher than paint in general.

[David B.]

Testors florescent orange over white base. Holds up real well.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a183/Apostolos/AGW13_zps2dacb5a4.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/Apostolos/media/AGW13_zps2dacb5a4.jpg.html)

God Bless,
David

[JMS]

Coat of flat white Testor's, followed by two light coats of a fluorescent orange airbrush paint (Createx) that I stumbled across in a Michael's craft store. It's proven more durable than any other I've tried, so far.

[rsa-otc]

I think the metallic nail polish is the way to go myself. Over a white base coat it really pops even in overcast light. By using this with a totally blacked out rear sight I can clean our advanced Q course using my everyday glasses even though I can't get a focus on the front sight with out dedicated shooting glasses. It's hell to get old.

[abu fitna]

Maybe she has better eyesight at that spot also.

Should look round from straight behind it though,....shouldnt it?

Her eyesight is no doubt better, as tested. And I always thought it looked round looking through the sights, until she pointed out the ever so slight imperfection... now I can't unsee it (although I still dont notice it on the instances installed on various Glocks)

[Chuck Haggard]

A friend of mine has gotten into Duracoating guns for people. Recently he found, after doing a snub for a bud, that clear coat over the orange front sight paint makes it hold up much more gooder.

I might have to experiment with that idea.

[Casual Friday]

"Torrid Orange" by Americana. I lightly scuffed the front sight with sandpaper and applied a coat of white self etching primer which helps the primer adhere to the metal better than regular primer. Then I put 3 coats of orange, one coat per night with 24 hours to dry between applications, and after it was good and dry, I took a razor blade and cut out around the tritium vial. A year later and no touch ups have been needed. This picture is right after trimming around the tritium last January or so.
http://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p705/apehanger97/SigPro1_zps00c57a80.jpg (http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/apehanger97/media/SigPro1_zps00c57a80.jpg.html)

[nycnoob]

My friend, VCD's "Hot Tamale" is what got me to Walmart,

You will have to be more specific, I found these on a quick google search

Red Hot Tamale
Hot Hot Tamale
Frosted Ice Hot Tamale


2930
Hot Tamale Nail Polish #57

[nycnoob]

I also use nail polish on my shotgun front sight blade. This worked out GREAT.
I put a bit of painters tap over the night sight vial then painted to top of the blade (white then hot pink).
When I removed the painters tape I had a small pink stripe on the top edge of the blade, it is very fast
to center this pink line in the middle of the ghost ring. I like it a whole bunch.

[HCM]

Go with Revlon's "Front Sight Flame."

(No, I made that up.)

I have been having good luck with some orange self adhesive tape I got off Amazon. (Install method found on TLG's blog.) Also, I've found vinyl "jig paint" (for fishing lures) works well. Same drill. Degrease. White base coat. Two top coats.

Do you have a link or brand name for the orange tape ? My local auto parts stores only have red.

[vcdgrips]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sally-Hansen-Hard-as-Nails-Xtreme-Wear-Nail-Color-Hot-Tamale-0.4-fl-oz/35282101

Up to 2.48.

[NETim]

Do you have a link or brand name for the orange tape ? My local auto parts stores only have red.

This is the stuff I've been using. I didn't have to buy a 50 yard roll off of Amazon when I bought it though. I bought a 1/16th punch from Amazon to punch a hole in the tape to allow for the tritium to still be usable. It's just a craft store item.

http://www.tapejungle.com/reflective-tape-engineering-grade-50-yd/

[raks]

I have had success with the tape method detailed on the blog (JohnO DIY High Visibility Front Sight) . I use some great fluorescent orange tape I was given by a stage hand (I think you can get it at music/guitar shops). Cut tape to size with exacto, seal it with clear nail polish.

I don't use tritium (IPSC competition) and I chose to leave the black blade at the top and sides - I feel that it allows for more precision in sight alignment. I really like this treatment and prefer it over fiber sights that can be fragile and depend a lot on lighting conditions.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h237/usptac/th_IMG_20150104_2045482_zpsvkfnzvwc.jpg (http://s65.photobucket.com/user/usptac/media/IMG_20150104_2045482_zpsvkfnzvwc.jpg.html)

[Clobbersaurus]

^^^ I really like this. Are you finding it durable?

[JTQ]

If you are updating a white dot front sight with new paint, do you guys just redo the dot, or do you paint over the whole front blade?

[Mirnyx]

Fishing lure paint. Bright colors and durable.

[Casual Friday]

JTQ, I paint the entire face of the blade on standard sights. Night sights I paint the whole blade, let it cure for a couple days, then razor knife around the tritium vial.

[raks]

^^^ I really like this. Are you finding it durable?
Yes, I think I've re done it 4-5 times over 3yr (30k rounds). Usually at the annual detail strip & inspection.

[Malamute]

I needed some sight paint and wasnt where my former favorite bottle was. I looked for the brightest orange they had at walmart, and it was the Traffic Cone orange by Salon Perfect. George mentioned it before. It turned out to be very noticeably brighter in low light than the other stuff I used, which I thought was pretty good. I'm re-doing all the sights that had the other stuff.

Ive painted the front blade on a Winchester carbine that I use daily as a walk around gun for the yard. At dusk to near dark I can still see the front sight well enough to shoot. Far past the point that ive been able to see a FO sight. The older orange nail polish I used was noticeably better than FO, but the Traffic Cone color is even better.

[critter]

What's the recommended white that's not just an undercoat (actual white sights)?
Is there something better for undercoat vs topcoat?
Just grab the Sharpie and be done?

[Up1911Fan]

Sharpie paint sticks. Two coats of white, then a coat or two of orange.

I had a brief dalliance with "traffic cone orange" finger nail polish, but am back with Sharpie.

This.

[Lucus McCain]

I recently used a Brite-Mark (Dykem) Orange paint marker to paint the front sight of my EC9s. Came out very well - the front sight now jumps out. You can get them on Amazon for about 5 bucks shipped.

[NPV]

I've been using two coats of Testors Enamel Fluorescent Orange paint over two coats of white from a paint pen. It is super bright in sunlight and holds up much better than all of the paint pens I've tried. I'm sure they make white paint too which would be my recommendation.

https://www.amazon.com/Testors-Enamel-Paint-25oz-Orange-Fluorescent/dp/B007KMUM9U

In fact I just found some: https://www.amazon.com/Testors-Enamel-Paint-White-4-Ounce/dp/B005D72HUG/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1527819752&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=testors+enamel+white

[GrayCheetah]

I’ve had good luck with Site Kote. It’s design for this type of application and I have it on my fixed sight 92s and a few other stock sights
https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/sight-scope-installation-tools/sight-insert-kits/site-kote-prod24548.aspx

https://www.kgcoatings.com/products/site-kote
26718

[OnionsAndDragons]

I recently used a Brite-Mark (Dykem) Orange paint marker to paint the front sight of my EC9s. Came out very well - the front sight now jumps out. You can get them on Amazon for about 5 bucks shipped.

I didn't know Dykem came in different colors... Mind blown.

I steal the wife's nail polish. Flamingo Pink and Traffic Cone orange are faves. Also a really fluorescent green/yellow from Testors has lived on the tip of my Defoor sights for over a year of regular draw practice.


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