Replace front sight on a GP - 100 , 38 Special

[Ben]

A friend of mine , who is on a pretty tight budget, showed me a Ruger GP 100, 38 Special revolver he bought from a fellow. I think the original owner who sold the revolver to my friend didn't have a clue about what he was doing because he was trying to zero his revolver and filed the front sight down too low.

I told my friend to give me the revolver and let me keep it for 10 days and I'd put a new front sight on for him.

I took a piece of flat bar that was a few thousandths wider than the front sight. I cut out the shape I wanted and used flat and round files to get the finished product.

Most of the work is done now. I still have a bit of clean up and polishing to do on the " new front sight ". I'll take the revolver to the range in the next couple of days and zero the revolver. I'll take a sharp , flat file and continue shooting and filling the front sight until the revolver is zeroed. He wants a 15 yard zero as this is going to be a self defense pistol.

I shot the revolver with the mangled front sight. Windage was correct , but at 15 yards , the revolver was shooting 6 inches high.

I've left plenty of front sight to correct that problem. I'll be surprized if the revolver with the " new front sight " doesn't shoot low as soon as I get to the range. Of course, as I file on the front sight, the revolver will shoot higher and higher until it is zeroed.

In this 1st photo I'm removing the damaged front sight.

I took a piece of bar stock and made a new front sight for the revolver.
The sight is in place and I've drilled the hole all the way through the front sight
and I'm ready to drive the pin back into place.

A little clean up and a trip to the range to zero the revolver and I'm finished.

Ben

 

[S Mac]

Nice job Ben. You modified a finish nail for the Punch?

 

[Ben]

modified a finish nail for the Punch?

Exactly ! !

Ben

 

[Intheshop]

Nice work.

 

[Ben]

Thanks you,

I'll take 100 rounds and a flat file to the range and get this puppy dialed in.

Ben

 

[KeithB]

Nice looking work. Do you plan to blacken/dye/coat the new sight?

 

[Ian]

Sure beats having to cut a 3/8" dovetail by hand.

 

[Ben]

Do you plan to blacken/dye/coat the new sight?

I've been thinking about color.
I have not finalized my thoughts on that.

Ben

 

[Pistolero]

Boy, that was a REALLY low front sight. Somebody didn't understand that when it was
shooting too high you need a TALLER front sight, my bet. "I keep filing the sight shorter
but it keeps shooting higher and higher."

Shark fin style. Should give a good sight picture. Seems like my GP100 has a quick change
sight like the Redhawk....or is that my imagination? Have not had it long or shot it much, so
might be very wrong on this.

Bill

 

[JWFilips]

Nice Clean job Ben!

 

[Brad]

Well done Ben.
Mine looks like it is a quick replace. Push a plunger and out she pops. I think mine is identical to the SRH.

 

[Brad]

Ok, I think got it. That looks like a fixed sight model, mine has an adjustable rear. That is likely the reason for front sight differences.

 

[Ben]

Yes Brad, just a notch in the back strap for the rear sight.
Luckily, right and left it seems to be " dead on."
It shot 6" high however.
I think this taller front sight is going to be a game changer for the 6" high issue.

Ben

 

[35 shooter]

Great job Ben. Looks as good as any factory installed sight to me. Plus l like the profile of it.

 

[Ben]

Thanks Buddy !

Ben

 

[Pistolero]

Well, you learn something every day if you pay attention. I did not
know that there were fixed sight versions of the GP100. Makes perfect
sense, the predecessor Security Six series had fixed sight versions, so why
not the replacement?
Got it.

Well, nobody ever broke a rear sight like that!

Bill

 

[Ian]

The adjustable rear sight is every bit as coarse as the notched frame, it's just, well, adjustable, if you need that.

 

[Ben]

UP - DATE

I took the revolver and 100 rds of 38 Spec. to the range today.
As was expected at 15 yards, the revolver was shooting about 2" low. ( A bit too much front sight.....but that was my plan )

Some work on the top of the front sight with a flat file and I was able to tear the center out of the bull at 15 yards.

I think the owner will be happy.

Ben

 

[9.3X62AL]

That is a very clean installation, Ben.

I have zero issues with fixed sights on a service 38/357 Magnum with barrel lengths up to 4". Ian makes a good point about coarse sights, adjustable or fixed. I make a lot of use of my S&W Model 686 x 4" as a back-country goblin dissuader, and I would have been just as happy with one of the 581 or 681 variants that came out in 1980 along with their adustable-sighted brethren. Both of those bring respectable values these days as scarce and hard-to-find variants.

 

[Pistolero]

Al, The 581/681 was an unfamiliar number in the S&W clan until I looked it up after your mention.

I suppose that they are no longer made? Fixed sights don't get deranged.

Bill