Front sight painting

[smalls]

I remembered a member asking about painting his front sight a few weeks ago, and I suggested bright nail polish.

My 1911 is parkarized, which includes the front sight, which made it hard to pick up. I've already done this with another gun, and kept meaning to do my 1911 sight. I went over it with nail hardener, which my wife had. It holds up really well. I carried my other gun for a year with the sight painted like this, and it still looks fresh.

Anyway, I finally got around to it last week, and wanted to post pictures for anyone interested.

 

[smalls]

Also, sorry for the crappy iPhone pictures.

 

[EdJennings]

Testors fluorescent orange paint is great stuff. Several of my guns have worn it over the years. It seems to hold up quite well.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I also use cheapo neon nail polish.

 

[smalls]

Testors fluorescent orange paint is great stuff

Not Testors. Not sure how much Testors costs, but it can't possibly be more than my $0.99 bottle of nail polish. I'm sure it works just as well, too. If not, I have a whole bottle I can re apply. I'm cheap, that's why I went with the nail polish

 

[beatledog7]

Nail polish is also easy to remove should you ever want it off.

I use a wite-out pen, but I can see advantages to nail polish, most notably the nearly infinite color choices.

 

[PlayTheAces]

I decided to test out some white nail polish on a Huntsman. So far it's holding up perfectly after five trips to the range. I'm just about ready to try it on my carry piece.

 

[smalls]

Exactly why I chose nail polish over white out, beatledog. Certain people pick up certain colors best. I pick up red and orange better than white, or green.

Also, the nail hardener also adds a gloss to it, so it's nice and shiny even with just a small amount of light. Plus it keeps the nail polish from chipping off.

 

[GCBurner]

I used auto enamel touch-up paint on my P3AT. It makes the front sight a lot easier to see, and it seems to stand up to wear and cleaning solvents very well.

 

[Ehtereon11B]

Since I don't touch up my front site posts often I spend a little more on high end model paint in neon red or orange.

 

[smalls]

I could have bought a neon color, but this is plenty bright for me.

 

[Brian Williams]

I really like Day-glo orange construction marking paint. it lasts forever

 

[Lawdawg45]

My ex-daughter in law was a Cosmetologist, and she recommended a brand of nail polish called "OP". It's the Cadillac of nail polish and will last 10x longer than paint of cheap polish.

LD

 

[gym]

See who makes it if possible, as I cand get it because my wife and I still have our licenses, so we get wholsale price. If it's any good i can pick it up for you all.
Usually these new names are owned by Loreal or clairol, and sold under some fancy boutique name.

 

[Blackstone]

Surely any old nail polish of the right colour will work just fine?

 

[highorder]

It sure does.

Lots of things do. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[coolluke01]

Sigh... Since joining this forum I have learned more about nail polish than I ever wanted to know.

I also care about what I'm wearing. I can often be seen looking at my butt in the mirror when trying on clothes. You can't let that grip show.

Thanks guys!

 

[Ehtereon11B]

Heading to the range with hot pink sights might cause a bit of a chuckle though.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I paint my sights with a phosperesent sight paint. Not only is the paint bright yellow, but it actually glows really good.

 

[RinkRat]

I use bright yellow finger nail polish from the $1. store!

And now with all the Halloween stuff for sale they have all kinds of colors available.

But what ever you use it helps to use white as a base color to get a true bright color outcome.

Also, it depends on how your eyes see different colors as to what works best for you, so look at them all side by side. Bright green, red, yellow, etc.........

 

[Doc3402]

Back in the olden days I used car touch-up paint. It's meant to be used on metal and back then it came in a large variety of really putrid colors. I picked Hemi Orange for my sights and was very satisfied with the result.

With that said I can see the attraction of nail polish. It should be much easier to remove if you ever decide to sell the gun.

 

[murf]

it helps to paint the rear sight with a white outline like the BRIAN WILLIAMS illustration.

murf

 

[Syztems Rety]

...back then it came in a large variety of really putrid colors. I picked Hemi Orange for my sights....

Hey, I resent that, my current car color is Hemi Orange.

 

[Shadow 7D]

I found some gold leaf left over from easter, works great on the front sight.

 

[Doc3402]

I apologize. To me that was the only color of that year that was actually easy to look at. When I said putrid I was picturing that bile green they used on the 'Cuda and Road Runner. The blue wasn't much either, on a car or on a gun sight.