[Brian Carlson]

I have a Ruger Bisley 45 Colt. The front sight is somewhat shiny. It seems that when I am shooting in the shade I shoot better groups. This morning I was shooting and getting much bigger groups than the last time I was out. This morning I was noticing that the front sight was shiny whereas the last time I was out it was evening and I was in the shade. After shooting several groups and wondering what the heck was going on, I decided to use a black marking pen on the front sight. It seemed to help (groups shrank) but it does still have some shine to it. Does any of this make sense? Have you all found that a shiny front sight makes it harder to shoot small groups? If this is the problem, what should I use to reduce the glare off the front sight? Thanks, Brian C.

 

[Jack Monteith]

Hi, Brian:
  Your shiny front sight is your problem and your point of impact will move as your angle with the sun changes. Marker inks are a bit shiny. Try smoking it with a wooden match. The soot doesn't reflect.  Use cold blue for a permanent fix.  I haven't tried every blue on the market, but Brownell's Oxpho-Blue is the most wear resistant, but Outer's Gun Blue is darker. Rough up the face of the sight with very fine sandpaper first. A mirror finish reflects light no matter how dark the blue is.

  If your front sight is stainless, I don't have an answer, but one of the other guys might have.

Bye
Jack

 

[MT Callahan]

Brian,

In addition to the refinsh or marker approach, the serrations in the front sight ramp can be deepened to help fight glare. My Bisley came with very shallow grooves in the front sight and I had to go over them with a very fine triangular file to kill the shine.

 

[KevinNY]

Ahh a subject I am a bit experienced in as a high power shooter.  The sun will do all sorts of tricks to you as it comes in and out and changes angles.  The best solution is either a can of "sight black" which comes in a small aerosol can is basically a flat black powder that can be wiped off with a rag or a carbide lamp,there are special ones made for shooters, or you can use an old miners lamp, which burns a flat black soot onto the blade.  Word of caution, if you use the carbide lamp,remove it with a guncloth after you are done shooting as it attracts moisture and you may remove it a month later to find rust developing .     KevinNY

 

[James Gates]

Brian...Like Jack, MT, and Kevin say, this is a universal problem! There are two types of sights on pistols and rifles...target sights and hunting sights. The target sight is best, as they say, smoked flat black. The hunting sight, used most early and late, must gather all the light available where as the shooter can see to place a shot. The worst possible is the type Marlin puts on their rifles...a flat shiny brass bead. What happens is the shot goes the oppisite direction from which the sunlight is coming. The new fire sights are great, late and early, but tear up my eyes in bright light. You did not state whether you were a hunter or target shooter. If a target shooter, the best is a smoked flat post. For the hunter, and maybe a compromise sight, is a flat ivory bead that catches light, but is nor shiny. Foe the hunter, the other option is one of the new fire sights and punch paper early or late. I assure you, we are all trying to find the compromise front sight that fits our particular needs. Best Regards, James