Wiley Clapp 3" GP100

i have a standard 3" gp100, and have handled but not shot both wiley clapps. can't imagine that they shoot all that different though, aside from the sights. i personally like the blued version better even though i usually prefer stainless. the finish is nicely done, and the gold bead front sight makes more sense to me than the night sight up front. my only complaint about them is the grip. i have the compact version of the the same lett grip on my 3", and much prefer it to the full size. makes for more compact package.

Does anyone have any personal experience/info on the Wiley Clapp 3" GP100 either Matte SS or the Matte Blue, thanks.

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I usually avoid matte blues, as the bead blast finish is a little "rougher" and tends to hold a little more moisture, rather than it just wiping off. Not a huge deal for stainless, but in blued guns I would just rather avoid potential rust issues. That being said, I love the Wiley Clapp GP100 and if all I could get was a blued model, I'd wipe it down with some Militec, it would probably never have a problem, and I'd love the heck out of that gun. So my preference is only a slight preference.

I have one of the stainless ones. I was originally looking for a pre-lock 686, but since the prices are in the stratosphere the Wiley started blipping my radar.

I love the sights. The front isn't a night sight, but a fiber optic. Plain black rear sights with a high visibility front work the best for me these days. The prospect of swappable sights excites everyone, but the front sight dovetail remains a mystery. Novak didn't make the front.

The frame and cylinder are melted; no sharp edges to be found. The trigger feels nicer to me than the normal GP100 triggers. I think that's due to the trigger internals being bead blasted which removes a lot of the roughness from the parts.

The grips are too big for a 3" carry gun. They should have used the compact sized grips. I don't like finger grooves and I found that the aftermarket for Ruger grips is sorely lacking. I bought a pair of the Thai teak grips, chopped off 1/2" and did some reshaping and refinishing. They look and feel great to me. Heavy woods loads and wooden grips don't play nicely, so I've picked up a compact rubber grip, which will be my next project. It would be nice if someone offered compact sized grips for the GP100s.

The bead blasted finish looks great, but it's a pain to clean. Folks tell me to use a Lead Away cloth. I'm worried about polishing the finish, so I've been using a pencil eraser. Bead blasted finishes will eventually wear to a polish on the high points; just the facts of life.

With most loads, the gun prints high for me. The manual says the gun is sighted for a 6:00 hold. It's the only gun I own that prints this way; I always have to adjust. My S&Ws revolvers and all my autos shoot to point of aim.

It's probably one of the coolest modern revolvers available, but I have a real soft spot for 3" 6-shot .357 MAGs.

I've had mine a little over a year, Great looking and shooting gun. Solid as a rock, accurate and I love the look and feel of it.

boricua9mm, nice work on that grip! also, my mistake, i could have sworn the stainless model i looked at had a night sight up front. i like the idea of the hi viz front better.

Great! Thanks allot!
Now I've got yet another thing to start saving for.

How does it shoot?

Oohhh that's nice!

I think you either like the matte finish or you don't. I'm not a fan of it but bought a W.C. GP100 none the less. Once I got the thing home I said "what have I done?" The long and the short of it is I never even fired it and decided to sell it off while it was still NIB. Guess I'm just a "conventional" stainless guy.

I've already got a 4" S&W 686 that I love, but these WC GP100's are really tempting me to add another .357 to my gun safe.

I haven't actually held one of the blues ones in my hand but that's the direction I would lean. If one popped up directly in front of me for a good price, I would probably have to buy it. I don't actually have any practical use for it... but still!

Gregg

I have 3" SS. I had to do 2 things to it: While the original grip was very good looking, it was too big for a 3" gun (as already mentioned), so I replaced it with the original rubber/wood grips Ruger used to use on their 3"ers. Then I had Novak style front/rear 3 dot night sights installed. Makes a big difference for me.

I'm thinking strongly about sending it to Gemini to have it polished with their action job. But, then it would basically by my dream gun and I wouldn't have anything else to look forward to.......except getting one in blue.

a family portrait is required...

I have 3" SS. I had to do 2 things to it: While the original grip was very good looking, it was too big for a 3" gun (as already mentioned), so I replaced it with the original rubber/wood grips Ruger used to use on their 3"ers. Then I had Novak style front/rear 3 dot night sights installed. Makes a big difference for me.

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Would you mind sharing which sights you used and whether or not they had to be custom fitted to the dovetails? Thanks!

Regarding the Novak night sights, I had Robar in Phoenix do the sights. I told them what I wanted and they took care of it.

The GP100 Compact grips arrived and I got a set of Chig's Grip inserts made from Green Elder Burl. In my opinion this is the ideal grip for the mission of the Wiley Clapp. Short enough to easily conceal, but soft enough to soak up the hot & heavy loads that the GP100 is built to handle. It's too bad that I had to cast aside the factory grips. They are nice, but they are out of place on a 3" gun in my opinion. Unfortunately, finding a set of GP 100 Compact grips is easier said than done, and you have to come with an open wallet.

Geez, Now I have gone and done it , it wasn't bad enough I decided to buy the WC GP100 3" SS but then like Lay's potato chips one isn't enough I had to go and buy the WC GP100 3" in the Blue Matte, oh well fun shooting for me

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It's a disease I tell you!

Nice grips on the 3" GP. Mine came with the compact rubber grips. I like the gun. I do find it a little big to conceal. Maybe one of you gents might have a suggestion other than in inside the waistband holster...

I like the sights on the WC version. For me that was always a lacking point on the 3" GP.