Paint for front sight

[FeuerFrei]

I keep a bottle of Wite Out in my shootin bag.

It stays put and yet it will come off as needed. Only comes in Wite tho, so...

[Someday]

Nail polish or nail lacquer.

I'll go to Walmart, CVS, or Walgreens to find "whatever" color to use. A bright fluorescent green or reddish-orange work well for my front handgun sights.

No special UV light is needed (apparently "gel" type polish does need a UV light so don't get that type of polish) for regular polish or lacquer.

The bottles will come with a built-in brush so there's NO need to go shopping for brushes and paint thinner, too.

This exactly. I did it with my SW 617 and 442. Just found the brightest neon color I could find. Several thin layers - let it dry throughly before adding additional layers. So far (it's been a few years with the 617) I haven't had to repaint.

[LBDamned]

I keep a bottle of Wite Out in my shootin bag.

It stays put and yet it will come off as needed. Only comes in Wite tho, so...

That's racist!

[ARFrog]

The problem with using nail polish is having to soak the end of the barrel first in the hot sudsy cleaning solution. While it degreases, You have to be careful about causing rust.

Then you have to use the hot rocks followed by lots of lotion.

It's a lot of work just to paint a sight

[ARFrog]

Wow I did not even know oil based Sharpies were a thing - I will have to give them a try!

https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Oil-B...dp/B08BQV8Y5F/

Oil based Sharpies are good for sights, marking kit - ammo cans, Uplula loader, plastic on magazine holders and holsters, etc.

[Peahi2]

Even when I used fresh flourescent model paint, the results were always meh. I would just put layer upon layer....it was better than nothing..but in fairly dark indoor range, it was so so.

[newbie1234]

Nail polish white color at drug store, two bucks.

[GM4spd]

I use Testers model paint. If you apply it slo and fairly heavy it will look( at a distance) like an original S&W red front sight insert. It also does not shrink and fall out like some of the inserts do. Also,when the cuts are made in the FS ( like at the factory) they can be crooked and not well done.

[SharedShots]

Gorilla duct tape. I'm not kidding.

They make it in black, a sort of grey, white and a blaze orange. Cut the small rectangles and wipe the front sight with alcohol to make sure there is no oil or stuff on it. Stick on the tape. Shoot away. It will last a range session. Rinse/repeat.

The stuff works. See if it helps first, you can always paint the FS later on.

What has also worked but takes a bit of finagling. Visit a plastics store or crafts store. They sell fluorescent plastic, 1/16th thick. Cut a piece just enough to cover the front sight ramp. Make it slightly less wide. Stick it on with crazy glue or similar. Out in sunlight or indoor range lights the stuff looks like it has a light in it. You can get scraps at the plastics store (like tap plastic) for nothing. A file, some crazy glue and you have enough to make dozens and they last a long time.

Many years ago we used to file front sights to make a sort of depression and then put the plastic in there with glue. They worked for many years. Make it matte with fine grit sandpaper or mirror polish with toothpaste. The matte finish seemed to work best and made the sight much brighter than the smoothly polished one.

Anyway, razor knife and tape. Cheap and lets you try it out for almost nothing and no cleanup.

[SharedShots]

Gorilla duct tape. I'm not kidding.

They make it in black, a sort of grey, white and a blaze orange. Cut the small rectangles and wipe the front sight with alcohol to make sure there is no oil or stuff on it. Stick on the tape. Shoot away. It will last a range session. Rinse/repeat.

The stuff works. See if it helps first, you can always paint the FS later on.

What has also worked but takes a bit of finagling. Visit a plastics store or crafts store. They sell fluorescent plastic, 1/16th thick. Cut a piece just enough to cover the front sight ramp. Make it slightly less wide. Stick it on with crazy glue or similar. Out in sunlight or indoor range lights the stuff looks like it has a light in it. You can get scraps at the plastics store (like tap plastic) for nothing. A file, some crazy glue and you have enough to make dozens and they last a long time.

Many years ago we used to file front sights to make a sort of depression and then put the plastic in there with glue. They worked for many years. Make it matte with fine grit sandpaper or mirror polish with toothpaste. The matte finish seemed to work best and made the sight much brighter than the smoothly polished one.

Anyway, razor knife and tape. Cheap and lets you try it out for almost nothing and no cleanup.

[foothillman]

From older post.

If you want the same type as your other handguns than I say go for it.
What I did was use WATER based paint, can peel right off.
Can try different colors to see what works for you.
Use the white as a base color and than the, orange, green or ?
Tooth pick as a paint brush.

[smle-man]

I bought a small bottle of orange enamel model airplane paint at a Michael's for my front sights.