Ruger GP100 4": Standard sights and small grips?

[TMann]

Just curious: I picked up a 4" GP100 in the blued finish from a local shooter. He was the original owner. The gun has standard (non-adjustable) sights and has what appears to be the smaller sized grip.

I was under the impression that the 4" models had adjustable sights and the larger sized grip. Was this always the case? I wonder if this gun started off as a 3" model and then underwent a barrel change at the factory?

In any case, it's a great gun. I hoping to get to the range later this week.

TMann

 

[Taildragger-J3]

Don't know about a possible barrel swap. Folks with LOTS more Ruger info here that me. Just wanted to say that it looks like a sweet shooter.

 

[hiram2005]

Ruger did put those out with a 4 in ch barrel originally. And most that I have seen came with the small or compact grip.

 

[rygould]

My guess is more than likely no barrel swap was performed, but then again...you never know I have seen weirder things.

Ruger produced GP100's with the 4" barrel and the fixed sights. Their more common 4" model does sport the adjustable sights, and larger grips.

With the smaller grips, they were typical for the older 3" GP100's, however since they are interchangeable with other barrel length GP100's, you can find used GP100s with them on.

Those grips seem to be harder and harder to come by as they don't ship them with the factory guns anymore, and Ruger's website only sells the full-sized wood insert grips. Now days the GP100s sport the Houge grips.

 

[WNC Seabee]

My guess is more than likely no barrel swap was performed, but then again...you never know I have seen weirder things.

Ruger produced GP100's with the 4" barrel and the fixed sights. Their more common 4" model does sport the adjustable sights, and larger grips.

With the smaller grips, they were typical for the older 3" GP100's, however since they are interchangeable with other barrel length GP100's, you can find used GP100s with them on.

Those grips seem to be harder and harder to come by as they don't ship them with the factory guns anymore, and Ruger's website only sells the full-sized wood insert grips. Now days the GP100s sport the Houge grips.

Those have the same size panels as the current SP101

 

[slick6]

The fixed sight 4" Gp100's all came with the smaller grips-as this was the combo that the police market preferred! These came in both a short and a long barrel shroud. I have the short barrel shoud blue 4" GP100 and it came with the small grips from the factory. However, as already indicated above, the full size Ruger grips will interchange with the smaller grips!

 

[Gryffydd]

Those grips seem to be harder and harder to come by as they don't ship them with the factory guns anymore

I just picked up a set of them from eBay for my 5" GP100 and I love them. They're much easier to conceal and are still very comfortable. It took a little looking to get my hands on a pair.

 

[LordDunsany]

You can order the smaller grips directly from Ruger. I have a new GP100 but found that the textured rubber grip was too large for my hands. I was able to order the entire setup including grip panels and screws for about $40.

Makes a world of difference for me and I can still shoot full-house loads with no discomfort.

Ron

 

[roaddog28]

A lot of the earlier GP100 with the fixed sights in 4 inch were made to target the LE market. Ruger even produced a GP100 with fixed sight half lug version that was a 38 special. This was also targeted for the LE market. These had the smaller grip size again for the police market. I have a Ruger Police Service Six that looks a lot like the fixed sight GP100. Just older.

Howard

 

[Dr.Rob]

Nice find! Great gun for the money.

 

[slick6]

Here is the 4" Fixed sight half lug GP100 that roaddog28 was referring to above. It looks and feels like a Police Service-Six and, it weighs just a touch more-mostly due to the rubber grips. The gun, as pictured, is just like it was shipped out of Ruger. It happens to be chambered in .357 Magnum-but, just as roaddog28 had indicated, these GP's were also chambered in .38 Special for the LE market: