hOW DO YOU MAKE A FRONT SIGHT VISIBLE IN LOW LIGHT?

[woodnut]

Well, I have an old Winchester 86 that I have put on a thick front post sight. Shoots incredibly well...in daylight! But when it gets either daybreak or twilight it may not be visible when the buck of a lifetime walks out. I need to know what you think is the best, easiest, way to make it "light up" legally. I know Tritium is possible, but hard to get , I think. I'm considering nail polish, but it may only be active a short time. Don't want to spend a ton o money and or have to buy a gallon of some paint. Any suggestions would be appreciated. please?

 

[Greyfox]

i would try this. I have used sight paint products on my traditional muzzleloaders years ago. Cheap and it works.

Sight Paint- MidwayUSA

 

[woodnut]

Thank you Greyfox! But when I went to midway, there were two choices. One was a bottle with paint and one was a set of brush on units. They both "look" like what I need; but which one did you use and would you continue to recommend it over the other?
The brush set says to paint with white first and then the green for brighter color. I don't know if the paint on would be as bright. Again, I would appreciate your further comments.

 

[Greyfox]

I had used the Birchwood Casey as it was several years ago. I would go with that since I know it worked out well. A couple of costs of the white base helps. It's important to make sure that the surface of area you want to paint has no oil or dirt on it. Use a degreaser to clean it. Good luck.

 

[woodnut]

Again, sir, many thanks! I was leaning towards the birchwood pens myself.
Sooo, these "paints don't need sunlight or a flashlight to activate, right? I don't think so, but ought to ask.

 

[Greyfox]

No... they are just paint. Interestingly, I have always felt that the old brass beads, which I had on my old Winchester 94 and Marlin 22 lever rifles picked up the best in low light if I kept the beads bright with a brass cleaner. It's probably why many of the old open sighted rifles had them. I think they were called Marble gold bead sights.

 

[jmd025]

No... they are just paint. Interestingly, I have always felt that the old brass beads, which I had on my old Winchester 94 and Marlin 22 lever rifles picked up the best in low light if I kept the beads bright with a brass cleaner. It's probably why many of the old open sighted rifles had them. I think they were called Marble gold bead sights.

Yep, and you can polish the brass up

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Every morning, on opening day, I used to put a fresh coat of white out on the front sight of the ol'lever gun. Fluorescent marking paint also works. I used to hold the barrel in front of the stove to help the paint dry, while I drank my coffee, before heading out. It really makes a difference. Your old lady might even some finger paint that would work. Chances are, if you look around the house, you won't have to buy anything.

 

[RMulhern]

A copper penny!

 

[Anschutz]

My mom is one of those that doesn't throw away makeup or nail polish until she runs out so all of those bright 90s colors are available. When I go home, I usually take a gun to go hunting anyway so I'll dig into her collection and find a nice bright color to put on there. One of my pistol sights was hot pink at one point at the tip. I only put enough on their to be able to have something to focus on. I'm sure this time of year you could find green and orange at the local Walgreens or CVS as Halloween is coming up. Happy Hunting, Zach

 

[woodnut]

Thanks to all for the great advise! I did go to the local hobby shop (after I tried finger nail polish) and picked up some testor's paints. Got a flat white enamel, a bright but sorta dark green, a bright orange, and a glow green pen. I used a steel ring with it's thickness about the size as my front post. After painting a length of it with white and let it dry; I popped a spot of each over the white. I also had some white between colors. Oddly enough, so far the white shows better than the colors! The next visible one is the glow pen green which is a pale green. I think I will somehow attach this ring to the front of the globe and then see from a shooting position, in low light, which does better.

 

[Anschutz]

Thanks to all for the great advise! I did go to the local hobby shop (after I tried finger nail polish) and picked up some testor's paints. Got a flat white enamel, a bright but sorta dark green, a bright orange, and a glow green pen. I used a steel ring with it's thickness about the size as my front post. After painting a length of it with white and let it dry; I popped a spot of each over the white. I also had some white between colors. Oddly enough, so far the white shows better than the colors! The next visible one is the glow pen green which is a pale green. I think I will somehow attach this ring to the front of the globe and then see from a shooting position, in low light, which does better.

Sounds like a plan. You may only need the white and on game, white stands out really well.

 

[woodnut]

Anschutz, yes it is a plan. I have also been looking at the hands on my watch.Hummm, no I won't tear it up, but maybe a very cheap one that has that glowing, pointy minute hand could be a plan too. I think I'll run down to the jewelry store and ask the watch repair guy if he happens to have such a part. Or go to Penny's ,etc., to see what watches I could afford to tear up. Plan A is still workable so I'm mulling other ideas just to see "what if".
One plan ain't gonna work and that is sliding the hood off. It's a solid piece! I may think about cutting a wide slot in the top, though, to let more ambient light in. But that's "plan C".

 

[Anschutz]

Woodnut, that's pretty inventive there. A surplus army compass might give you a thicker line than a watch if a watch hand turns out too small.