Painting a front sight - The Firearms Forum

sabashimon · 03-10-2008, 04:40 PM

I've decided to "paint" the front sight of my 3" GP100.
Any suggestions, (and/or warnings)?

delta13soultaker · 03-10-2008, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabashimon

I've decided to "paint" the front sight of my 3" GP100.
Any suggestions, (and/or warnings)?

Depends what you're painting it with and what your expectations are. Painting most likely will not offer as great an advantage as you'd hope.

Consider getting a fiber optic front sight if you want it to stand out.

pickenup · 03-10-2008, 09:39 PM

If you are just going to paint it.
LOTS of paint choices at Hobby Lobby.
Model car/plane/etc. works fine.
Cheaper than "sight" paint.

So, you might have to paint it again........

sabashimon · 03-11-2008, 02:18 PM

Anybody have experience with vinyl jig paint (from a fishing and bait shop)?
I heard somebody mention it as a long wearing option.
And thanks for the responses.

inplanotx · 03-11-2008, 02:49 PM

I use model paint on my front sights. I find that paining it with a base coat of bright white, let dry and then add the dayglo color of your choice. Makes the dayglo that much brighter.

IPT

inplanotx · 03-11-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabashimon

Anybody have experience with vinyl jig paint (from a fishing and bait shop)?
I heard somebody mention it as a long wearing option.
And thanks for the responses.

Don't think you can go wrong with it as it most probably has an epoxy in it to make it last longer. See my reply above, Shimon.

IPT

delta13soultaker · 03-11-2008, 02:52 PM

http://www.brightsights.com/products.shtml

The link above has some handy paint for what you may be doing. I've seen these kits and haven't heard anything negative about them. Could you assemble the same thing at a hobby shop for less $? Possibly so...the luminescent paint may be hard to find though.

Sights and parts I've painted were done with Sharpie oil based paint pens...the ones you shake up and the tip is pushed in to keep resh paint in the tip. They hold up to weather on an M16 for a couple months.

Another to consider may be the automobile touch-up paint...I'd assume it's as durable as most other paint.

The jig/bait paint I dunno...never used it on a firearm, but it would likely do.

sabashimon · 03-11-2008, 05:10 PM

Thank you gentlemen for your input. I just went out and picked up a Sharpie poster paint pen.....water based in fluorescent orange.
I applied it, and I think this will work (looks good), though don't know for how long.
I guess I can always re-apply it.
As for Meprolights, I originally bought a set for the GP100, not realizing that it doesn't work for the 3" model, as the sights are different from the 4".
No rear sight, just a groove (which I obviously knew), but I was hoping I could use the front sight. Oh well, live and learn.
I'm thinking (hoping) this solution'll work.
Thanks again.

Bindernut · 03-12-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabashimon

Anybody have experience with vinyl jig paint (from a fishing and bait shop)?
I heard somebody mention it as a long wearing option.
And thanks for the responses.

Jig paint works great for sights. Either the vinyl or the epoxy stuff...I've used both in the past. The epoxy stuff worked the best for me. Dayglo pink is a great color for a small game gun front sight post/bead...gives me nice contrast to the terrain in summer and winter. But whatever color works best for you.

delta13soultaker · 03-12-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabashimon

Thank you gentlemen for your input. I just went out and picked up a Sharpie poster paint pen.....water based in fluorescent orange.
I applied it, and I think this will work (looks good), though don't know for how long.
I guess I can always re-apply it.
As for Meprolights, I originally bought a set for the GP100, not realizing that it doesn't work for the 3" model, as the sights are different from the 4".
No rear sight, just a groove (which I obviously knew), but I was hoping I could use the front sight. Oh well, live and learn.
I'm thinking (hoping) this solution'll work.
Thanks again.

Sounds cool. Hope it works out good.

midnight_cougar · 03-14-2008, 10:29 PM

I got a glow-in-the dark car pinstriping kit from walmart a few years back just to paint a few gun sites and 3 fishingpoles. Hit a light on them and they glow like crazy i put it on my 7.7jap which i only brought yote huntin once, and my freinds old marlin mag a few years back. Never had a single problem with it except if you hold the light on the back site very long it is to bright and you cannot see the front site. The fishing poles are my carp poles and are stiff but still flexible, but can still bring in a 30pound carp without ever cracking or chipping. I can hold a light on them for 5 minutes and they last for about 8 hours.

I think it says to apply 2 coats of white, then 2 coats of glowpaint, then 2 coats of clearcoat. They all came with a brush built into the small bottle, i'm not sure if they even carry them anymore. They also sell glow in the dark paint in most places ya buy paint from.

03-10-2008, 04:40 PM	#1
sabashimon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PNW/Israel Posts: 672	Painting a front sight I've decided to "paint" the front sight of my 3" GP100. Any suggestions, (and/or warnings)? __________________ "We sleep safely in ours beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Thomas Paine -->

03-10-2008, 09:39 PM	#3
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,841	Re: Painting a front sight If you are just going to paint it. LOTS of paint choices at Hobby Lobby. Model car/plane/etc. works fine. Cheaper than "sight" paint. So, you might have to paint it again........ __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

03-11-2008, 02:18 PM	#4
sabashimon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PNW/Israel Posts: 672	Re: Painting a front sight Anybody have experience with vinyl jig paint (from a fishing and bait shop)? I heard somebody mention it as a long wearing option. And thanks for the responses. __________________ "We sleep safely in ours beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Thomas Paine

03-11-2008, 02:49 PM	#5
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Re: Painting a front sight I use model paint on my front sights. I find that paining it with a base coat of bright white, let dry and then add the dayglo color of your choice. Makes the dayglo that much brighter. IPT __________________

03-11-2008, 02:52 PM	#7
delta13soultaker Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Depends on Uncle Sam's whim every 3 yrs. Posts: 2,948	Re: Painting a front sight http://www.brightsights.com/products.shtml The link above has some handy paint for what you may be doing. I've seen these kits and haven't heard anything negative about them. Could you assemble the same thing at a hobby shop for less $? Possibly so...the luminescent paint may be hard to find though. Sights and parts I've painted were done with Sharpie oil based paint pens...the ones you shake up and the tip is pushed in to keep resh paint in the tip. They hold up to weather on an M16 for a couple months. Another to consider may be the automobile touch-up paint...I'd assume it's as durable as most other paint. The jig/bait paint I dunno...never used it on a firearm, but it would likely do. __________________ Never say die! "A nation who forgets its defenders is soon forgotten itself." "A good shot must necessarily be a good man since the essence of good marksmanship is self-control and self-control is the essential quality of a good man." – Theodore Roosevelt

03-11-2008, 05:10 PM	#8
sabashimon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: PNW/Israel Posts: 672	Re: Painting a front sight Thank you gentlemen for your input. I just went out and picked up a Sharpie poster paint pen.....water based in fluorescent orange. I applied it, and I think this will work (looks good), though don't know for how long. I guess I can always re-apply it. As for Meprolights, I originally bought a set for the GP100, not realizing that it doesn't work for the 3" model, as the sights are different from the 4". No rear sight, just a groove (which I obviously knew), but I was hoping I could use the front sight. Oh well, live and learn. I'm thinking (hoping) this solution'll work. Thanks again. __________________ "We sleep safely in ours beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Thomas Paine Last edited by sabashimon; 03-11-2008 at 05:13 PM..

03-14-2008, 10:29 PM	#11
midnight_cougar V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upstate, NY Posts: 114	Re: Painting a front sight I got a glow-in-the dark car pinstriping kit from walmart a few years back just to paint a few gun sites and 3 fishingpoles. Hit a light on them and they glow like crazy i put it on my 7.7jap which i only brought yote huntin once, and my freinds old marlin mag a few years back. Never had a single problem with it except if you hold the light on the back site very long it is to bright and you cannot see the front site. The fishing poles are my carp poles and are stiff but still flexible, but can still bring in a 30pound carp without ever cracking or chipping. I can hold a light on them for 5 minutes and they last for about 8 hours. I think it says to apply 2 coats of white, then 2 coats of glowpaint, then 2 coats of clearcoat. They all came with a brush built into the small bottle, i'm not sure if they even carry them anymore. They also sell glow in the dark paint in most places ya buy paint from.