"classic" looking GP100?

[justin22885]

just wondering if anyones taken a GP100 and gave it a classic look.. what i mean by that is blued finish, smaller wooden grips, fixed flat top rear sight, big semicircular front sight, round barrel, exposed ejector rod.. you know, like an old colt new service or smith and wesson M&P from half a century ago... im kind of curious what the end result would look like, if such a new revolver could be given a more classic look?

 

[alexander45]

Their are a number of blued ones out there (not mine) but I doubt any one has gone quite to the extent of putting a round barrel like a old colt on one

Not my gun found pic in image search

 

[bannockburn]

alexander

Never a huge fan of the GP100 but I find that blued version very attractive, looking much like an older Service Six.

 

[justin22885]

the service six was a very attractive pistol.. looks like a smaller version of the redhawk, unfortunate the newer GP100s dont even have a full grip frame.. its just some partial tang that requires a full grip

but i was wondering if it would be possible to go with the plain round barrel with an exposed ejector rod sort of look like an old colt new service revolver or early smith M&P, no top rib above the barrel, nothing around the ejector rod to give it a much more classic early 20th century type of look

anyway, realizing the GP100 doesnt even have a full grip frame, i wouldnt be able to get or make the kind of grips necessary to complete the look anyway.. may be a project for restoring an old service six or something, but i realize now the GP100 isnt a good candidate for that

 

[Sunray]

"...GP 100s dont even have a full grip frame..." GP's have never had a grip frame like a Smith. Didn't come with 'fixed' sights either. At least not originally.
Had mine since they first came to Canada 35ish years ago. Doesn't need smaller grips. The factory grip is made for people with normal hands.
Hogue makes wood grips for 'em. So does Badger.

 

[Drail]

The original idea behind the uni-lug grip frame was so that any manufacturer could easily make grips to fit the frame and to get a whole bunch of rubber around the lug to soften recoil (which it does very well). Unfortunately the grip makers didn't exactly embrace the idea and flood the market with grips for it. Personally I like the design and it's much easier for consumers to install new grips than Hogue's bizarre Monogrip design (which I also like very much and use on almost all of my revolvers). I have seen a lot of guys give up when trying to install Monogrips on a lot of revolvers. Most consumers "want" adjustable sights for whatever reason. But the bottom line is that the GP probably isn't a good choice for anyone who wants to try to "make it look" like some other design. Just buy what you like the "look" of. You'll save yourself a ton of money that way.

 

[MIL-DOT]

just wondering if anyones taken a GP100 and gave it a classic look.. what i mean by that is blued finish, smaller wooden grips, fixed flat top rear sight, big semicircular front sight, round barrel, exposed ejector rod.. you know, like an old colt new service or smith and wesson M&P from half a century ago... im kind of curious what the end result would look like, if such a new revolver could be given a more classic look?

What for ? Just buy a 'classic' revolver, they're all over the place, and they'd be the real thing, rather than being something that merely 'looked' like something it wasn't. Sounds like another geek-project that's nothing more than lot of trouble and expense with no discernable benefit.

 

[geo57]

"...GP 100s dont even have a full grip frame..." GP's have never had a grip frame like a Smith. Didn't come with 'fixed' sights either. At least not originally.
Had mine since they first came to Canada 35ish years ago. Doesn't need smaller grips. The factory grip is made for people with normal hands.
Hogue makes wood grips for 'em. So does Badger.

GP100's do come with factory fixed sights and have for many years.

An acquaintance has a 4" stainless fixed model that was made in 1988.

 

[justin22885]

still though, useless without the proper grip frame as it would be impossible to complete a classic look.. i wasnt around when the old security six series was available so i wasnt too familiar with them, but looking at them more its almost exactly what im looking for and i can get one used under $400.. so thats what im going to do

im starting to like the service six the more i look at it, whyd they stop making them?

 

[geo57]

still though, useless without the proper grip frame as it would be impossible to complete a classic look.. i wasnt around when the old security six series was available so i wasnt too familiar with them, but looking at them more its almost exactly what im looking for and i can get one used under $400.. so thats what im going to do

im starting to like the service six the more i look at it, whyd they stop making them?

Costs vs. profits and the fact that in 1980 S&W came out with the 686 which was marketed as a larger L framed ( as opposed to the K frame S&W and similarly sized " Six " series ) .357 intended to digest a lifetime and unlimited number of full house magnum ammo. It had an immediate and large following in both the civilian and LE market.

Ruger came out with the fine GP100 in 1985 with features many of us prefer over both the 686 and Ruger Six series .

Having said that I too am a fan of the Police Service Six but will admit that they are not as pleasant to fire with full or close to full magnum loads with heavy bullets as a GP100 is .

 

[justin22885]

not as pleasant? due to the grip im sure, but was there some flaws with the six revolvers?... were they not as strong, not as reliable as modern rugers? if they were i think id much rather have one of those as im generally not a fan of rubber grips and it seems like the GP100 went out of its way to be designed specifically for them

but if the security six and service six are still strong, quality made weapons, then yeah, i want one of those when it comes time for me to fill the category of a .357 magnum in my collection

 

[geo57]

One reason that the GP100 is more pleasant to shoot with full power ammo is the grips difference but another huge reason is the weight difference between the two.

The " Six " series were very strong, reliable, quality made revolvers that had no real design flaws as far as I'm concerned. I and many others feel that the GP100 is the stronger, more robust piece. I do prefer the front frame lock up on the GP100 and also that the ejector rod is " free floating " and is not screwed into the crane / yoke assy. .

I've read where Ruger will not work on Six series revolvers any more nor offer parts for them . I do not know if either is true but I wouldn't be surprised considering they have been out of production for about 27 years. Some parts for them can be found on Ebay and other sources.

 

[Drail]

The introduction of the GP revolvers nailed the lid on the coffin of the Security Series. The GP was an improvement of the old guns.

 

[justin22885]

couldnt a security six be outfitted with a "floating" ejector rod?.. and im not sure how important front lockup is firing cartridges the revolver was designed for, but i always seem to gravitate to the more durable, more robust options so the front lockup of the GP-100 is interesting

i could always just carve my own GP-100 grip to match the profile of an older style revolver, so thats not too much of a problem, im no stranger to carving wood.. i must admit a revolver that looked like a service six, but had the added strength and modern factory and aftermarket support of the GP-100 would be pretty cool

 

[Magnumite]

The GP 100 revolvers answered forcing cone erosion, top strap cutting and recoil (shootabilty) issues not frame strength issues. Same as the L frame Smiths. You can still burn forcing cones out, just takes alot of rounds with hot burning powders at high pressures.

I've shot well over 10k hot loads through my Security Six and at least as many light to moderate loads. There was never a timing issue nor frame wear issue. But the original barrel was set back once then replaced, both times because of forcing cone erosion.

I have an early 4" blued GP100. I feel its look is unique, classic and with desirable features (like the grip frame stud).. For the cost of custom work mentioned as desirable, an actual nice specimen of an earlier gun could be bought. Or buy the lighter sevice barrel stainless gun and have it melonited or black chromed. But there would still be that pesky lack of a grip frame.

 

[justin22885]

so howd they fix the forcing cone erosion issue?.. better materials in the barrel? and its my understanding that frame cutting is a self solving problem as it only occurs to a point and stops well before it weakens