Glow in the dark sight paint....

[Geofois]

Hi guys,

I didn't even know this was a thing we can buy but I've been watching how to videos and reading articles. I see it for $15-20. I also see some for cheaper. Any here use some cheap stuff that works good? I was just going to try to clean my dingy white dots on my pistol so maybe I should ask what y'all use to clean that with first. Maybe a q-tip and some alcohol or solvent?

[billofrights]

Here's the thing about night sights. If it's completely dark, how do you know what you're aiming at?

I've used factory night sights, and I've used the glow-in-the-dark paint. The paint sucks. You can charge it up really good with a UV light and it'll last for a couple of minutes. If you have time to do that during a break in you probably have time to flip on a light or something.

I even have the hybrid sights that have fiber optic for intensifying available light AND tritium inserts; in full dark they're not much better than just white dots.

http://glow.glowinc.com/ultra-green-v10-water-based-glow-in-the-dark-paint/

I haven't tried this formulation, but they claim 24-hr illumination. I highly doubt it but it's cheap enough to give it a try.

[Geofois]

Probably no point in trying cheap glow in the dark paint. I cleaned the white dots so a little better. My dad gave me his Steyr GB and the front dot seems really dingy so maybe I'll just get a swab and go over it well with some cleaner.

My Ruger Mark III has a square notch in the rear sight that would be nice to put some bright white paint inside. I don't know why they put that groove and didn't put paint. Front and back sight are just black so they don't stand out at all.

When I goto the indoor range it's just low light so I don't need glow paint but some bright white would be nice.

[mrboma]

I even have the hybrid sights that have fiber optic for intensifying available light AND tritium inserts; in full dark they're not much better than just white dots.

BOR,

I respectfully disagree on this. My wife's beside pistol has the TRUGLO TFX sights and they are impressively bright in complete darkness. She loves them. Combined with the Streamlight laser/light combo on the rail she is well equipped for low light shooting.

Probably no point in trying cheap glow in the dark paint. I cleaned the white dots so a little better. My dad gave me his Steyr GB and the front dot seems really dingy so maybe I'll just get a swab and go over it well with some cleaner.

My Ruger Mark III has a square notch in the rear sight that would be nice to put some bright white paint inside. I don't know why they put that groove and didn't put paint. Front and back sight are just black so they don't stand out at all.

When I goto the indoor range it's just low light so I don't need glow paint but some bright white would be nice.

Geo,

Head over to CVS/Riteaid and hit up the Nail Polish display.
Ignore the funny looks at checkout

The metallic red has held up well on a couple of front sites I've painted. Multiple applications also helped make almost a "bead" front site. I use a toothpick to apply one drop at a time.

Decent $5 fix for some contrast between sights.
Regards,
Mike

[FMJBT]

I've used some glow in the dark sight paint in the past on a 1911. I found that thicker applications resulted in a brighter glow. At a certain point though, the added thickness gave enough mass to the paint that it surpassed it's adhesion ability under recoil. After a few hundred rounds the dots of glow paint popped off. I prepped before painting with q-tips and alcohol, but I think some more aggressive surface prep might be a good idea. Maybe hit it with a small abrasive stone in a dremel to rough up the area. A bit of clear nail polish over the painted area afterward might help too.

[Geofois]

Geo,

Head over to CVS/Riteaid and hit up the Nail Polish display.
Ignore the funny looks at checkout

Looks like I'll be hitting up CVS. There is a walgreens across the street so maybe I'll check them out. Or maybe I'll go to Macy's for the nice stuff and see if the make up lady can recommend a pretty color for gun sights

[as_rocketman]

If you think you're going to shoot at night, get training and practice. It's a whole different experience.

I have tritium on my go-to sidearm and an ACOG on my #1 carbine. It's a lot better than nothing but it is only a small part of addressing a totally different shooting environment. Glow-in-the-dark paint may help you, but you won't know if it makes any difference without trying it. Under controlled conditions and safely, please!

[mtenenhaus]

I trialed using a variety of colors, paints, nail polish, day-glo. While initially they all seemed to hold promise, at the end of the day none really made all that much of an improvement. None really held up to lots of shooting.

I'm back to all black sights or black rear sights and fiberoptic or Trijicon type front sight. The Trijicon has a white halo around the vial which my better half prefers. Figure 8 pattern sights like the Heinie variety work ok for me as well.