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Model 85 stainless...painted my front sight ramp

8K views 30 replies 16 participants last post by  jdhaines32 
#1 ·
Decided to paint the front sight ramp on my 85 as the stainless sight can be a bit difficult for my old eyes to pick up quickly. Used to carry a Smith model 66 for my service revolver (back in the mid-late 70's) and it had a red/orange insert on the front ramp and I always liked that.

Wife wanted to go to a craft store last night (Michael's) and I decided to look around since I went with her. Found some Testor's day-glo orange paint and some tiny brushes ($3 for both as they gave me some sort of discount for whatever reason).

Cleaned the front sight with some acetone nail polish remover that my wife had on-hand and the painted it. Here is the result...so far I really like it but no idea how long it will last. On the up-side, even that small bottle of model paint will allow me to re-paint the front sight as needed for about 100+ times! ;)
 

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#3 ·
When I got mine, the POI was a might off POA and being stainless, the front sight was awful to see at the range, so I had a black sight installed via dove tail. This one mod, about 85 bucks IIRC, made all the difference to my eyes. A red sight can accomplish the same, just that I wanted my sight adjustable as well as I had an elevation wire installed as with Elmer Keith, for longer range shooting. At the time, i was in to plinkin' at 100 yard gong targets with snubbies. :D Odd, I know, but fun and amazing at what you can do with a snubby if you try.

I think the red sight would help you more in low light situations and it's cheaper than tritium. :D
 
#5 ·
I like it! I've been tempted to pick up some of that "Glow-On" phosphorescent paint to do this with for my 85.


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#8 ·
I am thinking that the cashier wanted to get me out of the store while I could still remember where the exit door was!

I did put a 2nd coat of the orange paint on the sight after letting that coat that was in the photo dry for a few hours. It looks a little brighter but not really that much different than with just that first coat.
 
#9 ·
If you carry the gun much, you'll be painting it occasionally as the paint wears off. Not a real big deal.
 
#10 ·
The paint I use is the 2 oz "Folk Art" brand orange phosphorescent paint from WalMart's arts & crafts section. It takes two or three heavy coats using a toothpick to dab it on. The color looks a little dull in bright sun, but is much brighter in low light conditions; ergo the name phosphorescent.
 
#11 · (Edited)

 
#12 · (Edited)
I have painted the sights on several of my handguns over the years. Lately I have been thinking about painting them black, especially the stainless guns. For some reason certain colors, to me, glow in the sunlight which blurs the sights.
However on my long range competition guns I would smoke the sights. I could see the smoked sights better than the colored sights in the sunlight.
 
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#16 ·
This is precisely why I spent 85 bucks to put a black sight on my 85, well, and also do I could adjust for windage. I could have painted it, but I wanted it permanent. :D

I will, however, have to admit that in low light, a situation that you're mostly going to have to deal with if you have to pull your weapon for serious social work, the brighter sights would work better.....or you could go the Crimson Trace grip route I guess, but I don't like anything electronic. Of course, if it failed, you are no worse off than if you didn't have it at all. Or, you can have a tritium insert installed. Most self defense scenarios, dark or daylight, will most likely be at point shooting range, handshake to 7 yards. So, I don't really worry about self defense in dim light that much. I like to be able to hit what I'm shooting at on my range during the day. I can best do that without something bright and shiny hindering me.
 
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#13 ·
I like the green, too. The store where I bought the day-glo orange did not have it in stock, though. They did have a day-glo hot pink and I actually thought about buying that instead of the orange but then the thought of 'PINK" on my revolver and my mind starting fixating on Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner.....NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Actually, I suspect that the hot pink color would be highly visible but I opted for the more familiar orange.
 
#18 ·
Painting the rear sight a contrasting color really makes picking up the front sight faster and easier. It was a no brainer AFAIAC.

 
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#20 ·
I will have to shoot mine with just the front sight painted first to see how I like it and then consider painting the rear one. It is an interesting idea. If I decide to paint it, I might go with a white or a flat black first and then perhaps go to some brighter color. It is fun to play around with this sort of thing since it is so easy to do (and un-do)
 
#22 ·
Welcome to the club (for old guys). I will hit the 65 this year and, even though I am still 27 in my own mind, my body keeps telling me that if I try to do certain things that I used to do without even thinking about it, it is going to hurt me!
 
#28 ·
Blue = Standard Pressure; Red = +P.
 
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