Making my irons more visible in the bush

I've decided bugger it I'll cart my Sako around "au naturel" for the roar and just use the irons, I'm confident with them out to 200yds and plan to hunt quite a bit of bush country in Fiordland anyhow.
I'd like to do something with the front blade though to make it more visible as in dark bush or against a dark background it's very easy to lose focus on what the sights are doing. Is there any kind of readily available glow in the dark paint or something that could be used to put a tiny dot on the back of the front blade so I can still pick it up easy in the aforementioned situations?
Rifle is a Sako A2 carbine so I doubt I'd be able to find an aftermarket front blade for it, and time is of the essence with the stags getting geared up!

This on the front blade?

https://www.glowinthedark.co.nz/stor...ark_Paint.html

glow in the dark powder off trademe for stuff all...and nail polish.....I mix the powder into polish and then paint on...works a treat on all sorts of stuff but very good on foresight or shotgun bead. when hunting in half light...put a light source up against it for 20-30 seconds...it will really stick out then.

Just spotted these kits on trademe also, wonder if any good? UK seller though so God knows how long it would take to get here. That stuff you posted @Joe_90 looks good

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketpl...ing/3507565365

it is used for fly tying, local fishing & hunting shop should have it.

@Ryan_Songhurst years gone buy shooting quails and pheasants in the think dark stuff in Canterbury I put a blob of bright red nail polish on my front bead of the shotgun and it really helped my eye get focus quick I’m sure glow and the dark is available it’s hard wearing but also easy to remove later

I've got one of those fibre optic sights on the front of a shotgun - bright orange dot wherever you look, works great. Think I got it from Reloaders, comes in different lengths to fit various sight ramps. Can be cut to fit. And it fits on with its on self adhesive strip along the bottom. Was worried that it wouldn't last, but man does that stuff stick!

We used to use the Twink correction fluid that came in a little bottle with a brush in the cap

For me, I used a few thin coats of white nail polish, then followed up with 2 coats of bright orange.

Works a treat!

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Originally Posted by Waldo Peens

For me, I used a few thin coats of white nail polish, then followed up with 2 coats of bright orange.

Works a treat!

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Okaaayyy, but what do you use on your sights?

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Originally Posted by Cigar

Okaaayyy, but what do you use on your sights?

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Hardy har. Guess I set myself up for that one :P

Get a lighter and hold it close to the sight post.

Darkens the post and makes it stand out much more. Old deer cullers hack I was told.

You could also glue a tiny bit of something like this to the top or in front of the post https://www.deltamike.co.nz/product/...er-optic-rods/

Proof that it's not just on me nails :)

Attachment 192173

Does the white pre-coat make the orange stand out better?

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Originally Posted by Cigar

Does the white pre-coat make the orange stand out better?

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Yes. So long as top colour is not totally opaque. You will end up with a "luminous" effect if done right.

I've got some of that glow powder here. Pm a postal address and you can have some to try, if you want

This thread reminds me of my first shots at a deer.
We had set up camp at the top of a slip in the Ruahines. Just on dark I took a look over the top and there were several deer feeding at most 50m below me.
I lined up the open sighted 30-30 and fired three times before I hit one - in the gloom I had been lining up the base of the foresight, not the top, so the first two shots went over the deer. I'm glad they hung around long enough for me to actually drop one!

Ryan, I Was thinking of doing the same with my 9.3.
Are you using a peep sight or an open rear sight?
Assuming an open rear sight:
You might think about changing the front sight from being a blade to a bead. The blades are difficult to judge the top of in low light in the bush, so you are not quite sure of your elevation.
If you tap a bead front sight in, then you file it backwards by 45 deg, and it will catch light from above, and it will shine. Essentially will be a silver bead. This is very good.
Then you paint a verticle line up to the notch in your rear sight, so you can see where the bottom of your notch/V is.

Make your bead the same height as your blade at the moment, and sight it in so that the group falls at the centre of the bead, then you just use it like a red dot sight.

(Failing that, and this is very much plan b - simply paint the back of the blade with white paint, and then paint two horizontal lines / two dots at the top of the rear sight.

In the old days when eveyone had open sights, people just didnt hunt much in the dark bush, there were animals everywhere in the open...

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Originally Posted by Cigar

This thread reminds me of my first shots at a deer.
We had set up camp at the top of a slip in the Ruahines. Just on dark I took a look over the top and there were several deer feeding at most 50m below me.
I lined up the open sighted 30-30 and fired three times before I hit one - in the gloom I had been lining up the base of the foresight, not the top, so the first two shots went over the deer. I'm glad they hung around long enough for me to actually drop one!

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I did something like that once when I started out. I got all excited at getting a deer in my sights and with my old .303 I was shooting at it, but I was using one of the front sight ears as if it was the front sight and was shooting eighty five feet to the right

if yo ulook at photos of his rifle its opens and the rear is quite well forward...now I would be looking to fit something to rear scope base,either aperture or open.... the longer sight radius seems to suit even my older eyes well.

I recall fireing 8 rounds at boar of 180lbs at 50 yards,the first 7 went all around him before I actually aimed...VERY FAST bolt work didnt mae up for piss poor aiming,or lack of it ...did same for my first deer also with 30/30..first two rapid shots werent even aimed,third was as dropped it on spot...I was very accurate with that rifle and used to shoot rabbits with it..buck fever took over. I must have been 15-16 at the time so a looong time ago now.

Use dot of nail polish on power Attachment 192225ring of scope for us with elderly eyes.

has that rifle EVER been out of safe??? mate that is is awesome condition. you have looked after it well.

Not much.
Used to just have a .22, 12ga and a 30-06 and they are got used a lot.
Still got those and some others but have a .243 I have been armed tramping with.

As I mentioned in another old thread: I squished a bit of silver paper over my Finnwolf fore site to make it more visible in late evening in bush, mostly when sitting as the risk of it getting swept off when pushing through scrub was pretty high!
(Back in the day when I could afford the rifle but not a scope)
The silver paper (foil?) trick worked well but was only used for close range shots - 15 to 25 yards.

Maybe you could try and set up your sights like the ones that come on air rifles. My Crosman has a red dot in high viz either side of the v on the rear sight and a green high viz on the front blade when you look at them they line up red,green,red so you know your on the right spot. Not sure if it could be adapted to your rifle but worth a look.

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Originally Posted by erniec

Use dot of nail polish on power Attachment 192225ring of scope for us with elderly eyes.

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I am going to copy that too..

Yes the light goes thru the orange and reflects back again from the white. If orange is painted on top of black or dark metal, the light is absorbed and the orange goes dull, no matter how thick you layer it

@Ryan_Songhurst

Attachment 192242
Attachment 192241

Works great out to about 100m with the Sako peep sight.

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Originally Posted by Mooseman

Maybe you could try and set up your sights like the ones that come on air rifles. My Crosman has a red dot in high viz either side of the v on the rear sight and a green high viz on the front blade when you look at them they line up red,green,red so you know your on the right spot. Not sure if it could be adapted to your rifle but worth a look.

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Hivis do quite a few different sights for pistols shotguns etc.
Was considering trying to get some sorted for the 303

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Originally Posted by Waldo Peens

Proof that it's not just on me nails :)

Attachment 192173

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is that more pregnancy tests I spy in background???? you know you should be using protection??? geez the younger generation these days,never seen so many pregnancy test kits about the place.... must have been all the time at home during lockdown....

I would go with something that is 'fluorescent' rather than just a 'blaze' colour. The Phosphorus in the fluorescent material converts non visible light waves / rays to visible so that the material actually emits more visible light than surrounding objects. I use Fluoro orange tape on rifle mags etc