Painting Front Pistol Sight

[Danko]

Greetings to you all! I'm looking for help in finding a technique that will allow me to apply a small, or tiny spot of colored paint in the center of the white circle of my front(M&P 2.0 9mm in this case) sights. I'm curious to see what what would happen to my shooting, if anything, if I had a smaller focal point. I tried a toothpick, a very small brush, and a couple other techniques, but the dots expanded, becoming too big, or turned into total messes. Oh, I also tried a felt tip marker, but it didn't work well either. I attempted to use a sewing needle, but it wouldn't hold enough pigment. I would only hold a tiny mix of pigment and solvent it and ran all over hell once applied.

I'm sure a few of you experienced gun guys have conducted similar experiments and came across a suitable method or two. does someone or more make a sight such as the one I'm trying to create, White front sight with a tiny dot of color at its center? I'm thinking bright green or bright orange!

I'd appreciate any and all input!

Thank you in advance. Oh, I'm a poor older guy who can't afford much, as you may have guessed.

Danko--

[Sig_Fiend]

You might try an extra fine tip paint pen (https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-35535-Paint-Marker-Point/dp/B00396ZQ2O). This may or may not work well. I've only ever used these directly on steel, as opposed to an existing painted dot. They're easy to use as no significant pressure is necessary to get it to apply. I could definitely see how attempting to use something like a toothpick could be problematic since you have to get the paint off of it, which I'm sure would lead to dragging or an odd shape for the dot.

[feudist]

Fingernail polish brush is pretty fine.

[Pnut]

I don’t know how fine a dot you are trying to get, but if you rough up the area that you are trying to paint, it will help to keep the paint/ink from running. You could use steel wool, a scotch-bite pad, or extra fine sand paper. There’s also a product used to prep surfaces for car touch up paint. I think some DupliColor touch up paints include it with their touch up paint. Basically, it’s like a tiny brush made of fiberglass bristles that will rough up the surface to be painted.

You can see the fiberglass prep brush at the tip of the bottle in this pic.
100268

[JCN]

Danko I may be misinterpreting what your intended use is…

In case I have not, I will just mention that the white dot or colored dot on the front sight is not actually for aiming. The top of the flat edge of the front iron is the part that lines up with the flat black part of the rear irons. The dot is just there to draw your eye to the front sight to help track it at speed during recoil and transitions.

For slow fire and precision work, the white dot generally wouldn’t be what you were looking at. Putting a smaller dot in the center of the white dot would draw your eye away from the area that’s supposed to be looked at for precision, which is the top flat edge of the sight.

[revchuck38]

Danko I may be misinterpreting what your intended use is…

In case I have not, I will just mention that the white dot or colored dot on the front sight is not actually for aiming. The top of the flat edge of the front iron is the part that lines up with the flat black part of the rear irons. The dot is just there to draw your eye to the front sight to help track it at speed during recoil and transitions.

For slow fire and precision work, the white dot generally wouldn’t be what you were looking at. Putting a smaller dot in the center of the white dot would draw your eye away from the area that’s supposed to be looked at for precision, which is the top flat edge of the sight.

<thread drift>
As a former bullseye shooter, I aim this way as well. That said, some three-dot sights are designed so that the shooter lines up the three dots and ignores the top of the front sight. My PX4s shot low with the factory sights and a traditional sight picture but worked lining up the dots...so I changed them.
</thread drift>

Danko - Traditional bullseye sights - made for precision - are completely black, front and rear. Back in the day, shooters kept a carbide lamp in their shooting box to blacken their front sight. This works really well on a bullseye target using a 6 o'clock hold, but considerably less well on a defensive gun. As JCN noted, we need to know the context you're talking about.

[JCN]

revchuck38 that’s great context!

For action pistol and irons, using a fiber optic front in live fire at speed I’m kind of “aiming” with the front fiber but it’s a surrogate for lining the post tops and when I practice in dry without recoil then I’m focusing on post tops to nail down my mechanics.

[claymore504]

In the past I used to paint the front sight on my M&P pistols. I liked the metal sights, but did not like how all three dots were the same color. I used to clean the white area really well, then use testers model paint (some kind of bright orange color) and some model painting brushed that were made for very fine detail. That held up really well for years.

[CraigS]

Best wishes to you. I have painted a lot of dots w/ a toothpick and it works really well in the recess most dots are formed in. But wow, getting a smaller dot inside a standard dot is going to take some real patience and precision. I hope you succeed and then come back and tell us how you did it.

[HY07]

Model paint and nail polish paint is great to experiment with but its not very durable, as in not at all.

[Danko]

JCN, you understood correctly, and make a valid point. Indeed I focus on the top edge of the front sight when establishing a sight picture. I think I got the tiny dot idea from watching a Chris Sajnog video on YouTube a few months ago. In his video he painted a thin vertical white line on his front sight to reduce the focus size/area. I recall I tried to make such a line on my sight, but if I recall, my front sight didn't have enough material above the dot to make a decent mark, so I came up with idea of making a tiny dot inside the whit dot to see if would help focus like he demonstrated in his video. His video has a few sighting simulations that essentially prove his point. I just found the video and re-watched it. I'd like you to view it and tell me your impressions. I'd like to hear your feedback. I'm a rookie shooter with only two years experience.

I wasn't able to post the link: The video title is: Front Sight Focus-- How to shoot like a Navy Seal, Duration 12.05, Chris Sajnog. YouTube.

[JCN]

Danko with aging eyes focus on the front sight is often a losing battle.

Which is why I suggested red dots for you months ago.

That way you can focus on your mechanics. Not trying to work around a vision limitation.

[Danko]

I recall your suggestion and thank you for your input. I may try a red dot when my vision diminishes, but at the moment my eyesight is quite good. I think a good practical solution is contained in the Sajnog video I referred to somewhere on this post. I simply may not be focusing as hard on the front sight as I should be, need to be. Take a look at the Sajnog video I referenced. I think he makes some excellent points.

[PNWTO]

I still paint revolver sights but, with an autoloader, perhaps just change the sights? The Proctor sights are pretty slick on a Glock and really helped with some vision matters I was working through a few years back. They were noticeably more accurate during the B-8 @ 25yd stuff although all my other Glocks have Defoors.

I stay away from the "How To Shoot Like a Honey Badger" stuff because most of it is just a clout-twist for a new horse-beating stick.

[vcdgrips]

1. Buy some really bright finger nail polish from Wal-Mart or the like

2. De grease the front sight with your solvent of choice and let dry

3. Slowly apply a thin coat. Thinner is better. let it dry (8 hrs). If the coat is even you are done, if not:

4. Repeat #3 for a second coat


Some "prime" the front sight with a white polish first and then go over with the bright color. I have found that unnecessary so long as I degreased the front sight well. YMMV.

[CraigS]

Have you tried painting the entire dot orange, red, green? Have you tried a fiber optic sight? Does Ameriglo make a sight for your gun?
https://langdontactical.com/ameriglo-pro-glow-sight/

[JonInWA]

I degrease the area to be painted with rubbing alcohol or similar. I then apply a white base coat, using a paint pen usually. After the base coat thoroughly dries, if needed I apply a second coat. Then I apply a coat of fluorescent/neon orange paint, again one or two coats as necessary (usually one suffices). After it thoroughly drys, I apply a coat of Testor's Dullcote to eliminate light scatter and reflection.

If the front sight is a concave dot, just the dot is normally painted; if it's a flat or serrated blade, I paint the entire sight face.

I also prefer to differentiate between front and rear sights; I'll either leave (or make) the entire rear sight face plain black, or I'll paint the rear sight dots in a different color; if the front sight is orange, the rears will be white, or vice-versa.

I've found that this application process and sequence provides pretty durable results.

Best, Jon

[Archer1440]

You absolutely need a white base coat with any fluorescent color.

[JCN]

I recall your suggestion and thank you for your input. I may try a red dot when my vision diminishes, but at the moment my eyesight is quite good. I think a good practical solution is contained in the Sajnog video I referred to somewhere on this post. I simply may not be focusing as hard on the front sight as I should be, need to be. Take a look at the Sajnog video I referenced. I think he makes some excellent points.

But that's part of my point. I can do this all day long with terrible sights.


https://youtu.be/YbmDaipBoJc

I don't need a gimmick for front sight vision, nor paint, nor little dots.

These are some of the worst sights you’ll ever find.

100309

100310

In one of the smallest guns in existence.

100311

Again, if slow firing for precision… front sight paint isn’t the issue.

[Danko]

I see you shoot quite well! I'm feeling a disconnect here. What is your suggestion for better slow fire accuracy? I thought you were the guy who suggested trying a red dot?

I would appreciate you telling me the techniques you employ when shooting, specifically as it relates to the front sight, front sight focus.

Thank you!

[JCN]

I see you shoot quite well! I'm feeling a disconnect here. What is your suggestion for better slow fire accuracy? I thought you were the guy who suggested trying a red dot?

I would appreciate you telling me the techniques you employ when shooting, specifically as it relates to the front sight, front sight focus.

Thank you!

First of all, I watched the video you were talking about and you're missing a number of fundamental key things from the video:
1. He put the white mark at the TOP of the front sight, not in the middle of a dot. It's not to focus better on one thing, it's to focus better at the top of the sight.
2. His assumption was black sights on black target. Well, duh. Of course contrast to focus will help. But you don't have to shoot at a black target. Shoot at a white one instead and then you'll get great contrast of your front sight without an aiming spot on the sight.
3. He also assumes that the trigger activation is faithful. That's likely the issue that's limiting you, not the vision.

So I would say that his video does not apply to you.

The reason I told you to train with a dot is so you can practice and learn how to improve your trigger control and that will help your accuracy.

With a dot gun at 50 yards, same size target.

From a holstered draw, 10 shots at 50 yards in under 6 seconds.


https://youtu.be/zWWNhUf9ILc

Training with a dot gun will help you learn what YOU need to do for accuracy.