Tapco SKS 5-Piece Front Sight Kit vs. Painting the front sight

Victor250

Victor250

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My first post after purchasing my first SKS!

So I took it out to the range and had a blast. I wasn't really concerned with groupings for the first shoot but one thing that bothered me was making out the front sight against a darker background. I plan on going out in a couple of weeks and really concentrating on sighting the gun in but I foresee sighting against darker backgrounds as an ongoing problem even though I have20/20 vision.

So my question(s)... does anyone have experience with the Tapco AK/SKS 5-Piece Front Sight Kit? Can you recommend changing out the stock sight to a coloured plastic front sight?

Or... has anyone painted their front sights with bright paint? Can you recommend a type? I was thinking about bright orange nail polish.

I'm just not sure which way to go. Thoughts?

Also, with the Tapco kit.. can anyone recommend somewhere to buy online cheap in Canada? I looked on Amazon.ca and found it for $11.54 which is reasonable but the shipping is $24.58?!?!? I have a hard time paying that for a small bag with 5 small plastic pieces in it.

Thanks in advance for any insight!
 
I tried those replacement sights on my SKS and found that they made absolutely no difference. Get a Williams "Firesite" front sight instead, they're much more effective.
 
The Tech Sights TS200 replacement front post makes targets a lot easier to see, episally when combined with the rear tech sight. I can't see #### with the stock leaf sights, but an apature sight makes shooting the SKS a breeze.
 
"I tried those replacement sights on my SKS and found that they made absolutely no difference. Get a Williams "Firesite" front sight instead, they're much more effective."

This looks cool. I'll check it out. Thanks!
 
I've tried a couple different colours of the Tapco sights and they didn't seem to make much of a difference. I picked up the 5 pack at Canadian Tire for about $12 so not a big deal. I found painting the original post with a bright nail polish works good.
 
I've tried the Tapco ones and there ok. I found painting it dies the same. The Williams fire sights are junk don't waste your money.
 
Use a base coat of white on the post first before applying your desired colour. The finished result will be 10x better.
 
I'd try nail polish first, it's cheap at the dollar store. Been meaning to grab some as I have the same problem with my TT-33, the front sight need to be brighter especially when it's getting dark at the range.
 
Butcherbill said:
I'd try nail polish first, it's cheap at the dollar store. Been meaning to grab some as I have the same problem with my TT-33, the front sight need to be brighter especially when it's getting dark at the range.
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I think I might. The other thing a co-worker told me this morning is to try and find fluorescent heat/shrink tubing. He said he had used this on a rifle of his with great success.
 
Victor250 said:
Thanks for all the great replies. After a little more research it seems that the tapco front sights are prone to melting too.
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Yea I read about the melting too... but that's when Yankees do multi magazine dumps on 30 round mags, usually on AK's. Because these fit on both SKS and AK-47 and AKM clones. So I wouldnt worry on 5rd SKS in Canada.

That said, maybe paint would be easier. Or glow paint. Peep sights are definately better.

The Williams sights for SKS seem to be junk... seems as if there are more people who gave up on them than people who like them. Visually they seem to provide a great sight picture... but people complain they are weak, and very prone to loosening or falling off unless locktite. Also, they provide less ability to reset zero, as the windage on front sight goes away.

Mojo is very robust, great product... but its really quite expensive (about half what you probably paid for your SKS...), and does nothing about the front post.
 
RickR1100 said:
Yea I read about the melting too... but that's when Yankees do multi magazine dumps on 30 round mags, usually on AK's. Because these fit on both SKS and AK-47 and AKM clones. So I wouldnt worry on 5rd SKS in Canada.
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All I can speak for is my own sks rifles, I can get them pretty hot. Hot enough that the new coat of cured shellac started to bubble lightly at the front end of the stock and we were just doing a steady rate of fire, no real mag dumps. So a plastic sight might just melt lol.
 
I tried the plastic multi-colour sights and the Williams and found no real improvement. The posts are too thick much like the original post you don't get a very clear sight picture with respect to the rear sight notch. This may take some skill but this is what I did. I purchased an extra standard front sight post. Carefully chucked it in my drill dress by the threads and made sure it spun on center. Using a mill bastard file you run the file back and forth along the edge of the post while is spins at a slow speed keeping even pressure and the file perpendicular. I took the post from around 1.8 mm to 1.4 mm. Paint it flat black and reinstalled. Now I have a thinner post that allows a small amount of light to appear on either side when properly positioned with the rear sight. You can add a fluorescent nail polish to the tip if you want.

I bought the extra sight post just in case I screwed up I wanted to still have a front sight.
 
I love the William's rear peep sight but hated the front post Firesight. If you want Victor, PM your address and I will mail it. Costs me a stamp. See what you think. I won't use it.
Pay it Forward kinda thing.
 
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