Painting Sights

[Caterpillar Hunter]

I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but this is what I tried last deer season (and my wife is still laughing at me). I had a 1" x 1" square x 4' long stick lying around so I glued 4 brass sights to each side at one end. One sight blade was just left with a highly polished natural brass finish , 1 painted with a Testors model paint that resembled fluorescent pink, another Testors bright orange, and one with White-out. I took the stick out to my tree stand one afternoon, and as the evening progressed I "shouldered" the stick many times in different light conditions. Even on some deer. I concluded that each sight looked better than the others during certain light conditions throughout the afternoon/evening. There was no clear winner for me. That being said, I'd probably carry White-out if I had to choose one. Easy to apply and scratch off. I wish there were an easy way to lighten the inside of the rear sight, but I'm done testing.

 

[smo]

I went to a German silver front sight ,,,, It works well for me.

If it needs darkened, I just use a Sharpie.

 

[jager43478]

I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but this is what I tried last deer season (and my wife is still laughing at me). I had a 1" x 1" square x 4' long stick lying around so I glued 4 brass sights to each side at one end. One sight blade was just left with a highly polished natural brass finish , 1 painted with a Testors model paint that resembled fluorescent pink, another Testors bright orange, and one with White-out. I took the stick out to my tree stand one afternoon, and as the evening progressed I "shouldered" the stick many times in different light conditions. Even on some deer. I concluded that each sight looked better than the others during certain light conditions throughout the afternoon/evening. There was no clear winner for me. That being said, I'd probably carry White-out if I had to choose one. Easy to apply and scratch off. I wish there were an easy way to lighten the inside of the rear sight, but I'm done testing.

Now u know why a lot of old guns had german silver and brass blade sights. Hunting under low light conditions.

 

[Flinty Scot]

I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but this is what I tried last deer season (and my wife is still laughing at me). I had a 1" x 1" square x 4' long stick lying around so I glued 4 brass sights to each side at one end. One sight blade was just left with a highly polished natural brass finish , 1 painted with a Testors model paint that resembled fluorescent pink, another Testors bright orange, and one with White-out. I took the stick out to my tree stand one afternoon, and as the evening progressed I "shouldered" the stick many times in different light conditions. Even on some deer. I concluded that each sight looked better than the others during certain light conditions throughout the afternoon/evening. There was no clear winner for me. That being said, I'd probably carry White-out if I had to choose one. Easy to apply and scratch off. I wish there were an easy way to lighten the inside of the rear sight, but I'm done testing.

I recently saw a picture of a rifle here which had what looked very much like a brass insert (or gold wash) on just the groove of the rear sight. As soon as I can get some appropriate model paint, I intend to try outlining mine.

The front sight had a similar highlight, but memory of that isn't as clear.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I too used a black sharpie or magic marker on bright sights if needed. A piece of white chalk works in black sights and is easy to touch up or wipe off if the target or background calls for it.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I use Flo sight paint and didn't like it, it became an indistinct blob to my old eyes out on the end of the barrel. It did glow in the dark.