STUBHAWK

Has anyone actually cut their fixed-sight frame to put a Novak dovetail on their revolver? I don't have a need to buy a Wiley Clap GP100, but am looking at the feasibility of putting some adjustable sights in a Novak cut on my fixed sight GP100.

Waveform

Stubhawk, you may already know this but the rear sight on the Wiley Clapp GP100 is not adjustable. I wish it was because the sight picture is a bit different than my 4" and 6" GP. Seems they went to trouble to dovetail in the. Novak sights but the rear is still fixed.

I would be interested to see an adjustable sight on a 3" GP. I think I would like it.

Wave

Alpo

@waveform
Are you sure?
Everything I've read about the Wiley Clapp GP says the rear sight is windage adjustable (by loosening the set screw according to one website).

Waveform

My bad! Windage yes, elevation no. I was thinking in comparison with 4", 5", and 6" GPs. Elevation adjustment is what I miss.

Alpo

Ah. Makes sense.

STUBHAWK

My GP100 is a fixed-sight 4" converted to 10mm by David Clements. I want to shoot 180gr. 10mm in it for hog hunting, but also be able to re-zero for 135-155gr. .40s for defense. Since it seems a Novak dovetail is feasible, then there's no reason it would have to be a fixed Novak rear sight since an adjustable fits the same dovetail.

Waveform

Yes that makes sense. The 4" frame is like the 5" and 6" with a flat top strap. I assumed you had a 3" since you mentioned the Wiley Clapp which is a 3". The standard 3" frame top strap is cast and/or milled differently and would be tough to fit in a dovetail rear sight I would assume. Since you've looked into this is there a Novak fully adjustable rear sight that would be a straight swap out for the standard Novak on the Wiley Clapp? I would love that!

STUBHAWK

I didn't realize the frames were different between the 3" and 4". Yes, there are a number of adjustable wedge-profile rear sights that fit Novak dovetails. The one in the hyperlink in my original post is from STI, and is my preference. Novak also makes one called the Adjustable Extreme Duty Sight, Caspian used to market one, but it may actually be the STI one. Kensight sells one.

Waveform

Great info - thanks! I was looking at a new 3" GP today and the top strap of the frame looks like a scaled up 3" SP101. There is the raised ramp with the center milled out and the radius notch at the sight end (if that makes sense). The 4" and 6" I have are flat top frames as is the Wiley Clapp I have. My guess is they use the same frames to start with for WC as are used for 4" barreled models and longer. The WC version gets different dovetails for the Novak sights and the other special stuff that goes into the WC version.

There's probably good gunsmiths that can do whatever you want. Like most things - you're limited only by your imagination and your budget.

STUBHAWK

I sent an email to David Clements to ask if it was feasible to do this conversion. His only response was, "Not really." I'm guessing it's not something he wants to take on rather than not something that can be done, but much can be left to interpretation with such a vague two word response. Guess I'll have to contact Jim Stroh when I get the GP100 back from David. Would have been nice to get all the work done at once, but I've been wanting to send work towards Jim at Alpha Precision for a long time.

Waveform

OK - I think I'm starting to see your dilemma. Since you're doing the conversion to 10mm you can't just buy a different GP, you need to stick with the fixed sight frame 4" you have. I wonder if the top of the frame could be milled down flat and then a dovetail cut?

The variations on the GPs are surprising. There was another post in the Collectors forum where a guy has a 3" GP from 1988 that has the same adjustable rear sight and non-pinned front sight like most 4", 5" and 6" GPs. I never knew one existed like that but there it is.

Good luck and I hope your other smith can make it happen for you.

Wave

STUBHAWK

I spoke to Jim Stroh at Alpha Precision. He's not comfortable removing as much metal as a Novak dovetail would require; he feels it won't leave sufficient strength in a GP100 top strap. He did recommend looking into the SPI Tactical adjustable sight if I do find someone willing to take on this project. Not looking to good for this project.

Waveform

Bummer. You'll still have a pretty unique 10MM GP100. And there's always next time.....and have a 10MM conversion done on a Wiley Clapp. That'd be pretty cool too. (And I realize that brings us back full circle to where you said you didn't want to buy a Wiley Clapp.)