Blackening stainless sights

[Coffeecup]

My current general-purpose handgun is a Model 65 S&W--stainless .357. Generally speaking, it is a decent little piece, and for what I do with it I prefer the fixed sights.

But is there any way to blacken them? In the daylight, about half the time I have to struggle to see them (yeah, I know, my advancing age isn't helping). I'd prefer something less-drastic than milling out the front sight and installing a new one, followed by somehow inlaying or overlaying the rear sight.

Thanks!
Jim

[jmsj]

Coffeecup,
I have the similar problem w/ a polished stainless steel Ruger single-six my wife gave me.
I have been using a black Sharpie pen to blacken the sights, colored in the back sight notch and the front sight. It's not perfect but it seems to help and is easy to remove. jmsj

[Wayne R. Scott]

Coffecup,

Try this:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=504999

I used to use a candle to smoke my Muzzleloader iron sights years ago. It is similar to smoking a bullet mold. This is just a temporary fix. It rubs off easily and has to be re-applied.

Wayne

[Coffeecup]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. The problem with both of those approaches is that the "black" goes away when you holster the gun. After today I'm seriously considering a can of flat black Krylon.

[GeneT]

Get the high-temp black spray paint, mask the barrel and go to town. The high-temp stuff is extra-flat, so does a great job and it wears like iron.

GsT

[Hondo Lane]

Find some black nail polish. It is a laquer and is durable. A black paint pen works too, available at most auto parts stores in a variety of colors if black isn't your thing.

[Doc Highwall]

I bought a small bottle of the Testors paint used for models to paint my sight on my S&W.

[cajun shooter]

Hondo Lane hit the one that I use for my SASS guns. Auto Zone sells matching car touch up pens. One of the pens they sell is a flat black oil base paint. If you want to remove it just use some brake cleaner on a rag. What makes it better than the sprays is that it is a small brush and you can put it on the places you want without a hassle.

[Coffeecup]

Well, at some point tomorrow I've got to go to town, I'll pick up one of the paint pens and give it a try--thanks. It was pretty frustrating the other day having the sights disappearing in the sunlight.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Better go have your vision checked. I had that problem several years ago. The glare of sun light off my SS Vaqueros and ROA's made the sights disappear during competition- I ended up having a cataract removed a few months later. One year later, the other eye had the same issue!

If it is cataracts, you will need bifocals. So get progressive lenses- they make the world of difference when shooting.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
+1 on the Testors flat black model paint.. I brought a regular small bottol down here to Peru 20 years ago a (+ a small gloss white) and still using them. Have to add a few drops of thiner every couple of years. But the finish lasts a good while. I use a very small pointed piece of stiff paper for a brush so there is no clean up. When one revolver needs a touchup I check all the lead throwers in the house.
Mike in Peru