Yes, as I have reported in other similar threads, mask the metal (or remove the grips) and hit them with 000 steel wool--to start with. A few minutes of rigorous "sanding" - being careful not to overdo one area vs another unless actually wanted -- will take the harshness away by knocking off the sharp points and bring them down to more acceptable levels.
Other than removing the plasticky sheen, done right they still otherwise look new. To further insure this, I carefully mask the grip border/edge as well as it is already smooth. Hit the grips longer with the 000 or escalate matters with coarser (00) wool to smooth them further.
I wouldn't worry about resale IM0. You're either - I assume - going to like the results of the above approach or replace the panels anyway. The steel wool rub down also makes the grips less "plasticky" overall by seemingly revealing a more substantial character/make-up and, to me, resulting in a higher grade "black rubber" like look and feel.
A fair amount of "rubber" actually comes off with this approach--the volume again depending on how long and what gauge wool applied. I went from thinking the grips looked ok but felt "bad" even not shooting...to really liking them in look and feel. I'm talking New Vaquero, in my case, but it's the same whether the Lipseys, current BH, SS or NV.
Edit: note that the above approach of course does proportionately take down the oval logo as well, unless you overtly stay away from or very carefully mask that as well,...but why would you keep that area "high" and sheeny new while the rest of the grip now looks less so? Still very recognizably the Ruger symbol--unless you really get carried away--to me reducing that area is no great loss.
Judging from several threads and post responses deriding the "cheap plastic" grips on the Lipseys and therefore most of the new Rugers, some, maybe most, may say why all the bother with this exercise? Answer: some actually like (at least the general idea of) Colt-like "hard rubber" grips and/or the retro FT/BH look. Although some will still not like the grips regardless what you do to them, the above approach at least makes these specific grips what they should have been to begin with. They're now more "Colt like." Regardless of SAA generation, the checkered Colts were never as harsh as the Rugers (or USFAs for that matter, although they're still "better" than the Rugers).
The above is an hour's work max, stem to stern--from masking (even if off the gun..the smooth border area) to "sanding" to checking how you like - to more fine-tune sanding. If you want to take things to the next level, you can - judiciously - get out some fine grit, then a polisher/buffer to finish off..as a Colt smith did for me to great effect on a Cimarron/Uberti antiquing project to great "1st gen" effect using factory 3rd gen eagles. You'd never know...and they look and feel great. They're not down to the "melted/no checkering left" look, but nice 'n functionally worn. But that may be beyond this, if still wanting the Ruger to look/feel new to almost new. Still an option if you don't care 'bout that but the shooting part.
