McD

The Ruger Redhawk/GP100 frontsight issue is interesting. No one, including the Ruger gang, disputes the relative shortcomings of the front sights. Thus, the innovative mechanism for a quick and easy change of front sights built in to them. Why did they use the one they did? It is rugged and well suited to service carry. Why don't they put some hot zinger of a sight set on them? Because lots of shooters wouldn't like them any more than these. I don't want crappy little fiber optic tubes on a rugged "has to work every time" gun. Enough of those have disintegrated on me already. Maybe I want a gold bead, or some tritium dots, or just a painted front sight.
Sure enough, there are plenty of affordable options for all of us - without a big gun smith bill. To me, the easy change sights and the options justify all the bitching and moaning from those who may not get exactly what they prefer.

Rover

Bowen makes sight blanks for Redhawks which fit the replaceable sight on GP's and fits tighter in the slot. They can be reduced in height and the configuration changed readily to that desired. One could have a gold bead put in or if ramp have a gunsmith or yourselft make an insert of the desired color. At one time Millett made replaceable ramps in bright orange or white to replace the sight but does not now so you would need to find it elsewhere. Ruger makes replaceable plastic sights in 4 colors for the Redhawk which can be reduced in height to work on GP's. Magnaport offers C-more transluscent sights in several colors if you send the gun for mods. Then, there are the various other sights mentioned above. Jim Stroh of Alpha Precision can fabricate a front sight desired. So, there are a number of options. Actually, one is better off than having a Colt or S&W in this regard but even those can be modified.

ExArmy11b

I love the XS "standard" dot, and also the Meprolights on my GP100's.

For a cheap fix, Ruger sells red insert GP100 sights.

If you can find one, the old Millett sights work well but they are much sought after and just a front sight will cost you 30-40 bucks these days.

Hokieman1987

I replaced the front sight on my GP100 with a fiber optic sight. It helps make target acquisition easier. It was very easy to install as well, about a 2 minute job. Here's the link: Amazon.com: HiViz Ruger GP100 Handgun Sight: Sports & Outdoors

leftofcentre67

My point is if they sell a $15 replacement sight that has an easier to see red ramp on it, why not just sell it that way? I don't know too many people who prefer the black on black sights from the factory.

Must be the same marketing guy who puts an 8 round magazine and 7 round magazine with an SR1911.

killer025

I need a photobucket account, but I found a blister pack of 4 NOS Ruger front sights at a gunshow, it had a red, blue, yellow and white insert. Im using the blue one, its sort of a sky blue color and it works great.
I imagine these were intended for the redhawk originally, the packaging is pretty old, I seem to remember a copyright date of 1984...
Anyway, I'm sure there are more out there, so its an option if you wanted to keep "factory" stuff on your revolver.
Mine is a 6" stainless, btw.

Waveform

Hi killer025 - welcome to the forum from SW Florida. Sounds like you found the same set still sold today:

Ruger-Front-Sight-Set-Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

Ruger Redhawk, Super Redhawk and GP100 with adjustable sights or Hunter sights. $13.58 at ShopRuger.com.

Wave

killer025

Ill be dipped, never even thought to look there. Well, anyway, seems like they work pretty well

KCOG

I hated the front sight on mine too when I first bought it. Purchased a red insert front sight from Ruger and am now very happy. I highly recommend it.

ExArmy11b

There are 3 kinds of red insert front sights, I have used all of them on GP100's.......the Super Redhawk front sight is the shortest, there's a GP100 red insert sight and finally the Redhawk front sight, which may be too high for the GP100 but I have used them without much of a problem.

I like the blaze orange plastic Redhawk front sight, it works well on one of my GP100's.

I also always thought Ruger should have always just used the red insert sight as factory standard for the GP100. The Redhawks and SRH's always came with a red insert sight, why not the GP100?

Deacon07

I originally bought the Williams Fire Sight , for our GP-141 but quickly realized that the lighting in the indoor range we shot at wasn't suffcient to get full advantage of the sights. I recently bit the bullet and bought a set of Meprolight sites. Both my wife and I are much happier now and not feeling the anguish of having to wear our classes and trying to focus on both target and site , if you know what I mean.
The GP is mainly her gun and I recently pcked up the SR1911 and will be adding a set of night sites on that as well.