Some would call it cheating:-/

[Bob Gerard]

At our club shoot a couple of weeks ago I tried something that I hadn’t really considered before. I saw a couple of guys applying a bit of bright orange fingernail polish on their front sights. (I had used sight-black before, but just at this range because of the layout I always get too much sight glare and shoot horribly). Well, I decided to give it a try and lo! I could actually see the sight clear as a bell.
We were shooting 100 yards and I scored first place in Flintlock that day(second place overall). I am not sure if this practice is kosher everywhere but it works and I’m going to get my own fingernail polish 🤗

[StevenV]

That is not cheating! Congratulations on your shooting. I use Testors ( model air plane paint / small bottles) on my front sight when I am hunting. I also use Lyman eye patch on my safety glasses at our monthly shoots. It is basically black electrical tape with a tiny hole in it that you look thru. I clears up the sight picture. NO magnification , no optics. Shoot on Bob                     Steve

[smylee grouch]

Sounds lovely.  Actually , I use bright white. Shows up for me at last light   

[Marvin S]

I do it at club matches, some places complain especially the primitive range at friendship. Supposed to be a natural color.

[Jdw276]

Dollar general finger nail polish.  Pick your favorite colors and let your granddaughter use em after she asks Paw Paw, why do you have bottles of finger nail polish?

[Bigmon]

Our local club, Old Westmoreland Rifles, does not allow any paint.  I have always thought that since they did have paint in the old days, that any color available then should be allowed now?
But thats just my opinion.

[MuskratMike]

Fluorescent Orange on most all of mine, except the Hawken which has a white bead. I doesn't give me any advantage other than with my aging eyes I can still see the sights. As the age of the people keeps getting older in our sport I applaud those who keep coming out and shooting. As far as I am concerned if needed they can use paint, shaders, peep sights and shooting sticks if that's what they need to keep on coming out. You younger shooters who read this just remember you won't be 40, 50 or even 60 forever.

[wmrike]

I file a shallow groove into the rear face of the front sight and fill it with white Testors.  Yeah, there's the Friendship thing, but I'm old, my range of focus is pretty non-existent, and I have a mild cataract in my shooting eye.  My score will not be very threatening.  I don't care what anyone says about the sight, I enjoy shooting, and they can complain or disqualify me if they want, but I'm going to make it a fun day.

[Hawg]

I use fluorescent green fingernail polish for front sights and orange for the rear. I also clear coat them.

[JBJ]

Amen, MuskratMike! You wakeup one morning and realize that the years have slipped away. But I hope that you will keep trying!

J.B.

[Dave R]

I use and like WHITEOUT normally used for type or written mistakes on paper.

[Darkhorse]

It got to where I was losing the front sight against the forest background more often that I liked. So I bought some flourescent fingernail polish and painted the front sight with it. It wasn't real bright, but just enough I could now make it out against a deers side in the shadows, and that was all I needed.
That's been over 10 years ago and now my .40 has an orange sight also. I am still tickled pink about it.

[Mike payne]

I use yellow finger nail polish on my front sights have been doing it for years. I only shoot in woods walks have no one complain.

[Daryl]

Brass bead front sight.  Flat blackened if too shiny.- quick and east.

[Don Steele]

I used a friend’s nail polish to enhance visibility of my front sight. Took this picture from my stand “ just because “ I wanted to remember the moment. The front sight really jumps out in shaded woods.

[Jeff Murray]

My front sights are all iron.  They have a very small hole drilled from top to bottom at the rear vertical edge of the sight.  A small sliver of antler is inserted in the hole and then the back edge of the sight is filed until you have three vertical lines showing - Black-white-black.  This works in sunlight and shade and on novelty and round bull targets.

[Steeltrap]

I used a friend’s nail polish to enhance visibility of my front sight. Took this picture from my stand “ just because “ I wanted to remember the moment. The front sight really jumps out in shaded woods.

Is this a "guy friend" or a "girl friend"?  Asking for a friend. 

[Don Steele]

VERY much a GIRLfriend…
I’d post a pic but it would likely get me banned..
That color shows right up though, even in the morning shade in the SE Georgia Deer Woods, don’t you think..??

[hanshi]

I no longer hunt but still use a white paint of some kind or even typewriter "white out" applied to the rear of all front sights.  It shows up against most any background except bright or light color.  Many swear that florescent paint is great.  I may try and find a florescent paint to test.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Most of us have enough problems with shooting, without adding the problem of poor vision.  I believe that it's supposed to be4 a shooting contest, not a vision test.  So I have no issues at all with enhancing the visibility of the sight, as long as you keep it an open "iron" sight.

[Bob Gerard]

Well I’m glad it’s not a major issue with most folks. I’m sold on it and took another First Place last weekend in a Woods Walk. It’s nice to be able to reach your potential 🙂

[smylee grouch]

Adding the paint to my sights probably helped me by about 100% over no paint but opening up the " V " notch also helped a heap. 

[Hungry Horse]

 Well some would be wrong.

Hungry Horse

[Waksupi]

I use paint occasionally. I find different light conditions can make the sight hard to see even with the paint. School bus yellow is supposed to be the most visible color, hence it's use on buses and road side signs.
The thing I have found for best front sight visibility is to take a file and make a very small 45 degree angle on the tip of the sight. I like it to appear to be a square when looking at it through the rear sight. The bright tip seems to give me the best sight visibility in the most varying light conditions.

[Daryl]

Me too, but I don't use paint. I might try it sometime, though.
The 45 degree works well on my .69 and has since 1986 when the rifle was built.
Taylor has a fairly wide V rear sight on his .62 Hawken with a squared front sight, 45 degree angle and in the sight under poor conditions, it
appears to be a bead in the valley, just as it should, but looks like perfectly square post in bright light. It is VERY easy to aim using a square
sight above the bottom of the V, just about identical in appearance to my bead. Seems to work well.