Ruger GP100 Front Sight Change

[Sgt.Fathead]

I just got my package from Ruger and gleefully changed the stock rubber grips with the wood inserts over to the rubber monogrip. Fits my hand all the better without that swell at the butt from the classic style and it points well, too.

Also received the replacement front sight with the red marking on the blade. According to the Ruger website, they recommend professional installation for the sight. According to the owner's manual that came with the revolver, it is simply a matter of depressing the spring loaded plunger located over the muzzle crown with a punch and lifting the sight up and out from the rear.

Well, I can't budge the darn thing and am loathe to use any type of tool to pry it up, lest I scratch the stainless finish and/or gouge the **** out of my hand(s) and/or mess up the sight/frame of my new piece!

Little HELP!

[zoomie]

You can't depress the front spring or can't lift the sight when you do? You have to lift from the rear of the sight once you get the spring depressed.

[JohnKSa]

Turn the gun upside down and depress the plunger firmly with a small punch. You should be able to feel the spring compressing. When the spring is fully compressed, the sight will fall out.

The exception would be if you have a fixed sight model. Then the front sight is pinned in place.

[Sgt.Fathead]

It is the adjustable sight model. I will have to try the upside down method!

[Sgt.Fathead]

Despite having the adjustable sight model, and having studied the exploded diagram in the instruction book, and having used the appropriate sized punch, I can not get the front sight free. I am emailing Ruger about the problem.

Still jazzed about the better hand feel with the Hogue grips, though!

[Shakey357]

I first installed the regular Hogue grips and the Ruger orange sight on my GP100 (adjustable). Last week, I put on Hogue "Tammer" grips and the Millet orange front sight. No issue for either sight. I say follow the advice of the others. Use a punch and lift from the back. If you have to (I didn't), tap the punch with a light hammer. When I pulled the stock sight out; it was really "gummy" in there from shooting and cleaning solvents. Go ahead and tap it - it's a GP100. It will not break!

[JRW]

"Go ahead and tap it - it's a GP100. It will not break!"

I was about to say the same thing. Don't worry about scratching it. You are starting to sound like a S&W owner :D

[Sgt.Fathead]

....a Smith owner, at least until someone buys my Model 66 and i get another Ruger. Okay, okay, I'll tap it. I know it's the BMF of revolvers, I just want to keep it new for as long as possible!

[Doberguy]

I thought I had a similar problem changing the front sight on my GP-100 as well but after further reading.... maybe not.

I was able to compress the spring with the punch but was trying to lift the sight out from the wrong end.
Once I got my head on straight it lifted right out.

Please revisit Zoomie's question.

Tapping the pin will only compress the spring and have it bounce right back.
Once you are able to compress the spring you have to keep pressure on the spring; a two hand operation.

If the spring is compressed and the sight still will not budge then like others have said may be a grud issue?

I know the feeling of wanting to keep the pistol new for as long as possible.

[Sgt.Fathead]

After rummaging around in my mind, I came up with the idea of using a pair of smooth jawed parallel pliers wrapped in gauze to protect the stock sight as I left it up and out. Gonna' give it a whirl later today. Thanks for the input!

[Sgt.Fathead]

Thanks to all for your input. What I was lacking was a second set of strong hands. I was loathe to put my new firearm anywhere near a vise as my thoughts instantly sprang to misaligned cylinders and barrel, followed by catastrophic failure, transfer bar safety or no.

My stepfather held the revolver from the butt end, braced against his chest, seated, while I gripped the underlug, inserted the punch and held the pin depressed. He then removed the sight by gently jimmying under the rear of the blade with a very fine flat blade screwdriver and lifting it out with firce. There was, as someone had posted, some residual goo from firing under there locking it down. I gave the area a quick wipe down and we repeated the procedure to insert the new red ramp front sight.

Can't wait for Saturday A.M., range time! Kudos to all.

[earshot]

sarge i removed mine and i cussed a few times , but the secret is to totally compress that spring and then pull the blade out. by the way have you put the new one in ,more fun,fun,fun.

[2rugers]

Yeah, let us know how she shoots SGT.

[Bullet94]

Sgt.Fathead

You might check out these –

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=320817

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=318076

I have both for my GP100, but I think I like the green the best.

[Sgt.Fathead]

Went to the sand pits early this a.m. and ran 120 rounds of Black Hills .357 Cowboy ammo through the GP100 with the new grips and new front sight. I really like that old fashioned Black Hills box ammo; light recoil and great accuracy. That new red ramp front sight is a phenomenal improvement over the stock black blade and with the Hogue tamers on the grip, I was really having a great morning of shooting.

At my club range, glass is a no-no target. Down the local sand pit, everyone shoots bottles and someone had thoughtfully left about fifty Corona bottles lined up on the rail road ties. I called around to see if anyone was off whizzing in the scrub, waited a few minutes and let about half of them have it. I have never been so pleased with a new firearm as I am with that GP100. Well, maybe that time in the Marines when I was issued a brand new, unfired and ready to go M60E3.

Thanks to all for the input and Bullet, I bookmarked those fiber optics should I want to give them a whirl. Thanks for the info!

[Doberguy]

Glad you finally got that sight out without marring your pistol.

[2rugers]

I am glad to see the GP has won over another like it did me, M60 aside that is.

[Sgt.Fathead]

Dober, nothing pleased me more than getting that red ramp in without dinging the top of the barrel. That front sight makes all the difference for me, my eyes are each affected by different astigmatisms.

2rugers, short of my wife keeping her new Model 60 3" .357, which she really likes and who am I to argue, I have my other two Smith revolvers up for sale with a friend. I have an Sp101 3-1/16" .357 fixed sights on order right now. I'm sold on the toughest double action production revolvers made!

Still, the M60 is pretty sweet.....

[john in jax]

If you get to the point where it is hard to find the red ramp you might consider a Williams Firesight fiber optic one.

The Wilson dot was bright, but too small for me so I drilled out the hole a little and inserted a EGW "big dot" light tube and the front sight is VERY visible now. The small dot would make a better target sight, but since I CCW this GP100 during hunting season I wanted a bigger, more visible, faster-to-acquire, front sight just in-case I have to pull it in a self defense situation.

[Sgt.Fathead]

Still experimenting with the fiber optics on her Ruger 10/22.....are they hardy enough to withstand some banging about? Wouldn't want to be without any real front sight should the acrylic 'pipe' get smashed/damaged!

[JWT]

The 'pipes' hold up well and are easy to change if one should break. I see lots of them on competition shotguns and quite a few are starting to show up on handguns.

[Sgt.Fathead]

I'm pretty well sold on that red ramp for now...eyes get worse each year so I may well change down the line. Thanks for the tip.

[tex45acp]

Sarge,

I am kind of a traditionalist when it comes to my revolvers, as I really like the red ramp style front sight....that is until I installed my first Fiber Optic sight. As a matter of fact I wanted the best of both worlds, so I installed a tritium fiber optic sight on my XD45. Wow.....I did not realize just how much I have been missing all these years. I am now looking for one for my 3" GP-100. I may have to buy and modify one to fit it. I like the fact that during the daylight hours, the fiber optic glows like it is on fire and at night the tritium insert lights up the same fiber optic rod, but at a level that is good for darkness. It is not too bright, that it is a blurr, or too dim that you have to strain to see it.

tex

[woodspirits]

I installed the Williams Firesight fiber optic front and rear sights on my 30 year old Ruger Single-Six several months ago and have been very happy with them. I am shooting much better groups with WMR ammo than I ever shot with the stock sights (gee, my eyes are also thirty years older).

I am looking for a fiber optic front sight for my Ruger SP101 .357. I have not been able to find one specifically for the SP 101. Any suggestions would be appreciated............Many thanks.

[Sgt.Fathead]

When I sell some of the scrap I've got piling up in the yard, unload my Smith revolvers that my buddy is selling AND my wife has forgotten my recent ammo buying spree ("Price is going way up, dear...gotta' buy cheap and stack deep!") I will be able to try a fiber optic sight out. Until then, the Walther P22 will be my last purchase for the foreseeable future!

[dbracin]

Please send me an email. I am interested in your Smiths.
thanks
db

dbracin at hotmail dot com

[2rugers]

Hey SGT. Ruger also sells solid color front sights for the GP. I believe the colors are blue, white and orange.

You may find that trying to acquire a dark target in low light using the red insert is very tough indeed. I did.

It cost me a wounded javalina last year.

They also sell a brass bead for the GP which is what I use when hunting with it now.

Also, our SP wears a XS sights tritium front with a white outline circle that works REALLY good. They have one for the GP also I believe.

Have fun with that blaster whatever you do. Brian