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Hand-painted fluorescent sights

Discussion in 'P-3AT' started by mpowell, Apr 4, 2007.

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  1. Apr 4, 2007 #1
    mpowell

    mpowell New Member

    16
    Feb 13, 2005
    i made a post yesterday concerning my new P3AT and included a pic of the fluorescent sights i painted on myself.  a number have commented on the sights so i thought i'd make a post on the sights alone.

    first off, i know others have made posts concerning paiting sights with fluorescent paint. to give credit where credit is due, i read up on a number of posts here and at other websites before partaking of this venture to get ideas.

    i've attached a pic of the sights and the materials necessary.  really easy to do if you take your time and are willing to give it two, three, or ten tries till you get it just right!

    all you need are testors fluorescent green and orange acrylic paints and a fine-tipped hobby brush.  i bought all this at wal-mart in the models aisle.  i used some borrowed nail polish remover from my neighbor to clean the brush and remove any paint from the sights if i wasn't satisfied with the look.

    to make life easier, UNLOAD the gun and break it down to take the slide off.  much easier to handle and paint when you're dealing with the slide alone.

    for the front sight i used the orange.  after trial and error i found that getting a good dab on the very tip worked best and simply pressing down in the indention on the front sight to fill it in with paint.  getting this right didn't take too long.

    for the rear sights i tried painting in the entire sight window first but found it too distracting for my tastes.  i like things to look clean and refined.  so, i settled for two dots placed just right on either side of the rear sight notch.  again, get a decent dab of paint on just the tip of the brush and "dot" each spot.  don't brush anything.  this might take a few tries to get it just right if you're picky.

    most definitely makes acquisition and aim MUCH easier!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
  3. Apr 4, 2007 #2
    adamsesq

    adamsesq New Member

    11,201
    Dec 25, 2006
    Since you made it its own thread I'll ask - not meaning to be a PITA and critique everything but I am a PITA.

    Why didn't you swap the colors? The green stands out SO much more and the front sight is the one that you are most worried about. I know that all the pictures/brochures/directions etc. have the red in the front but that never has made sense to me!?!

    And fwiw - I truly am asking because I want to know as I have two bottles of sight paint sitting in the gun box waiting to go on. I have used the glow-in-the-dark paint at it is really nice when exposed to light but not practical because my concealed weapons are never exposed to light. And your dots are much nicer than mine too!!!

    -Scott
     
    adamsesq, Apr 4, 2007
    adamsesq, Apr 4, 2007

  5. Apr 4, 2007 #3
    always1stnline

    always1stnline New Member

    252
    Feb 4, 2007
    Very nice, neat, and impressive. I would do this, but I used my wifes white fingernail polish.
     
    always1stnline, Apr 4, 2007
    always1stnline, Apr 4, 2007
  6. Apr 4, 2007 #4
    always1stnline

    always1stnline New Member

    252
    Feb 4, 2007
    I have a Hi-Pointe that has 2 red dots in the rear and a yellow in the front.
     
    always1stnline, Apr 4, 2007
    always1stnline, Apr 4, 2007
  7. Apr 4, 2007 #5
    mpowell

    mpowell New Member

    16
    Feb 13, 2005
    scott--good question. guess you could say 6 one way or half dozen the other! personal preference maybe? whatever works for the individual would be my suggestion.

    for me, i like the orange in front. it did cross my mind before painting that swapping the colors might be better but i'm plenty satisfied with the way it turned out.
     
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
  8. Apr 4, 2007 #6
    mpowell

    mpowell New Member

    16
    Feb 13, 2005
    one more pic . . .

    just took this one outside in good daylight. i think both the green and orange show up very well. certainly make a clear contrast!

    [​IMG]
     
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
  9. Apr 4, 2007 #7
    Wayne

    Wayne New Member

    105
    Jan 18, 2007
    I have heard and agree that in bright sunlight the green on the front site blends in too well with grass and that is the reason for making the front red/orange. In a dim light situation the red and orange still stand out against the green, so its the best of both worlds.
    I have my P11 and P32 set up with orange in the front and green in the rear and like it but to each his own.

    Brent.....who perhaps should buy a 3AT and paint the sites blue and white incase the bad guy comes out of the sky...
     
    Wayne, Apr 4, 2007
    Wayne, Apr 4, 2007
  10. Apr 4, 2007 #8
    onefunzr2

    onefunzr2 New Member

    146
    Aug 8, 2006
    I painted my 2gen P3-AT the way mpowell did because the Bright Sights Gunsights Coating company said so:

    "We suggest using green on the rear sights and orange on the front, for maximum effect."

    Who am I to argue with those who know better?
     
    onefunzr2, Apr 4, 2007
    onefunzr2, Apr 4, 2007
  11. Apr 4, 2007 #9
    mpowell

    mpowell New Member

    16
    Feb 13, 2005
    as a school teacher, i wish my students would ask themselves that question sometimes!!!
     
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
    mpowell, Apr 4, 2007
  12. Apr 4, 2007 #10
    TxCajun

    TxCajun Administrator Staff Member Supporter

    30,949
    Sep 7, 2004
    Texas
    From one to another... +1. ;D
     
    TxCajun, Apr 4, 2007
    TxCajun, Apr 4, 2007
  13. Apr 4, 2007 #11
    Hutch01

    Hutch01 New Member

    1,698
    Sep 17, 2005
    According to a report I read about Williams Firesights supposedly the green color is more visible in low light due to some aspect of the color spectrum.

    I then bought a green front sight for a rifle. I have compared it in varying light conditions with a red one I already had. There is very little difference, but I actually prefer the red one. With my eyes it is more visible just a few minutes longer at dusk than the green one.

    My P3AT has white both in front and rear. Maybe it's time for a change as it's been a while....
     
    Hutch01, Apr 4, 2007
    Hutch01, Apr 4, 2007
  14. Apr 4, 2007 #12
    CHW111

    CHW111 New Member

    664
    Feb 1, 2005
    Boca Raton, Florida
    My oldest son went to Georgia Southern for a while.8)
     
    CHW111, Apr 4, 2007
    CHW111, Apr 4, 2007
  15. Apr 8, 2007 #13
    shayes223

    shayes223 New Member

    49
    Apr 7, 2007
    shayes223, Apr 8, 2007
    shayes223, Apr 8, 2007
  16. Apr 8, 2007 #14
    Boggs51

    Boggs51 New Member

    437
    Jan 6, 2007
    mpowell:

    Thanks for your post(s)...will be doing mine tomorrow!
     
    Boggs51, Apr 8, 2007
    Boggs51, Apr 8, 2007
  17. Apr 9, 2007 #15
    Boggs51

    Boggs51 New Member

    437
    Jan 6, 2007
    mpowell

    Did you need to paint a "white base" before you applied the colors.

    Thanks, Boggs
     
    Boggs51, Apr 9, 2007
    Boggs51, Apr 9, 2007
  18. Apr 9, 2007 #16
    flonder22

    flonder22 New Member

    376
    Feb 11, 2007
    Hey shayes223, where did yiu get that optic shotgun bead, how much did it cost, and how did you install it?
     
    flonder22, Apr 9, 2007
    flonder22, Apr 9, 2007
  19. Apr 9, 2007 #17
    jkoenig1980

    jkoenig1980 New Member

    132
    Mar 6, 2007
    What kind of paint is that.
     
    jkoenig1980, Apr 9, 2007
    jkoenig1980, Apr 9, 2007
  20. Apr 10, 2007 #18
    Boggs51

    Boggs51 New Member

    437
    Jan 6, 2007
    Followed mpowells' post on painting sights. Let dry overnight. My wife, who is a professional model, suggested a top coat of clear nail polish. She said that Sally Hansen's "Hard As Nails With Nylon" is the best...available at Walmart.
     
    Boggs51, Apr 10, 2007
    Boggs51, Apr 10, 2007
  21. Apr 10, 2007 #19
    justfish380

    justfish380 New Member

    268
    Mar 17, 2006
    :eek: :p
     
    justfish380, Apr 10, 2007
    justfish380, Apr 10, 2007
  22. Apr 10, 2007 #20
    justfish380

    justfish380 New Member

    268
    Mar 17, 2006
    On a more serious note, I painted my front sight "glow" green ($1/bottle @Walmart). It doesnt glow, but was the brightest I could find.
    I covered w/ liquid bandage and it has held up perfect for over a year of daily carry and regular cleanings.
    That liquid bandage is tough stuff, and handy for the medicine cabinet as well.
     
    justfish380, Apr 10, 2007
    justfish380, Apr 10, 2007
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