Front Strap Improvements-Machine vs. Hand Cut Checkering vs. Stippling vs. Serrations

What do you prefer and why? If you've got pics, show 'em please! Really can't decide on what to do because although many pistolsmiths offer these services, there aren't a lot of pictures to judge the quality of their work. I'll probably end up with a set of Pachmayr grips or another Wilson checkered front strap add-on.

grip tape is my preferred method, although I dont own any real high end 1911's

25 lpi hand cut front strap for grip, 20 lpi serrations in the back to save my shirts.

I really prefer serrations.......

I've got a champion w/20 lpi and I like it a lot. I also have a valor w/25 lpi and it feels kind of "blah", not locked in like the 20!

I'd like to add the 20 lpi to several of my 1911s but will probably go w/pacs cause I'm cheap/broke.

I am getting mine checkered as we speak. Had the grip-tape on mine, but after feeling my brothers V-Bob (checkered front-strap), I had to have it done. Mine is being hand-done by a local shop, with a file, not on a machine. Not sure what they are gonna do though as far as coarseness though.

If this thread is still around when I get it back, I will post pics for sure.

30 lpi on the grip, not too rough, looks classy when done right

30 lpi
Fine stippling
25 lpi
40 lpi
50 lpi

...in that order.

Serrations are worse than useless IMO because they A) generally face the wrong axis and B) ruin the frontstrap for superior grip treatments later.

Chainlink cuts can vary in gripping quality. STI's cuts as used on the Trojan are not grippy at all. I'll take 30 lpi over that any day.

I am indifferent to hand cut vs. machine cut , except that hand cut tends to have the borders finished better.

25lpi checkering, hand or machine...

Having read it somewhere and talking to one pistolsmith I've been told the finer the checkering or 30 lpi the more prone it is to snagging clothing. Counter intuitive I know but they say the finer points get into the fabric more and even have done tests dragging certain materials across different checkerings, finding the finer checkering takes on a Velcro characteristic. 20 lpi, especially if the points haven't been knocked off can have all the comfort of a sharp rasp but from other's experience plus my own, if the time comes you ever really need to handle your gun for what it was intended all of a sudden all those little points can become quite comforting.

I started out like alot of people using Pach wraparounds but I found it dulled the connection or feedback from my gun, doesn't let the gun recoil or rock naturally back into the hand when it cycles which bleeds off energy and recoil or rebound back to it's plane. Rather they stick to it which transfers all the energy into the hand as one unit making it feel like a rubberier, harder recoil. Shot to shot wraparounds are slower. Also, when shooting they make my hands sweat until I'm holding a sweaty gun that recoils like a heavy caliber revolver.

ETA- I would never checker a MSH on a CCW.

25 lpi.

I've got this Wilson aftermarket piece on my SA Loaded Service Target now. It's a good, inexpensive alternative, but I'd like to get something more permanent, but nicely done. Example pics of the stippling process are hard to come by. I see lots of pics of pistols that wear this, but no information on who did the work. Guess I'll just save some money and have Wilson do some checkering for me. I think I prefer 30LPI, but 25LPI looks awesome as well.

I know we aren't supposed to pick things by how they look, but I don't care for checkering. I'll go for stippling on polymer, but prefer serrations on a 1911. I've never had much trouble holding on to a 1911.

Very nice!

X2

Feels like velcor when its done right....just sticks to your hands without being too aggresive

I actually really like the chainlink treatment. I thought it looked gimmic-y, but it really gives a nice grip.

Grip tape FTW!

Not a fan of Hogue wraparounds but this post is nonsense. Having the gun slip around in your hand doesn't bleed off recoil and definitely doesn't make you faster. Locked in thumbs forward grip is fastest and will yield more accurate follow ups...

on checkering, I like 25 LPI machine or hand. compromise between 20 and 30.

Nobody except you said it 'slipped' in your hands. With thumbs locked down and a proper grip, if you know how to shoot, the gun is not fused into your hands. If you try and choke the gun down so there is zero movement then you're not allowing the gun to shoot at it's full capabilties.

With a 16lb. recoil spring, beavertail GS and thumb on thumb safety you don't need a death grip with no movement to achieve fastest follow up shot as an uncomp't 1911 will inherently rebound to it's shooting plain. No way can you muscle down the recoil and if you try you're slowing the gun down.

faawrenchbndr,

Is your front strap flat where the serrations are or is that an optical illusion? Very nice, BTW.

I have a Springfield Champion Operator at the gunsmith as we speak getting 30 lpi on the front strap. Felt other 1911 with the 30 and it felt good in my hand. Hope I get it back soon.

Recoil is absorbed in the arms not by encouraging muzzle flip

Here's one I did 20LPI







here's one I did at 25LPI




here's my mid 1990's IPSC pistol, 20LPI ( old pic)




Checkering is a lot of elbow grease, but it sure is satisfying when you're done.

It's not as hard as it looks.

Brownells sell the checkering files.

All the guns in these pics were industrial hard chromed afterward.

I like 20PLI on a match gun
25 is nice on a carry gun
30 is too smooth for me...I'd rather have skateboard tape.

25 lpi. Took 6 hours, a few drops of blood and a quart of sweat. I use Marvel jig for my first vertical line and first horizontal line. After that it's pure pressure holiding file down.

Just finished this up a few minutes ago for ricochet7. He bought gun from me used and asked for a few things before shipping out.

It's called " Project Rock Island." Going to hot blue tanks at 7am so I'm pulling an all nighter.

I have 20LPI on my Springfield and 25LPI on my Colt LW Commander.

To be honest, I'm not sure there is a significant difference in the amount of grip between the two.

I went with machine 30lpi from SACS. Couldn't be happier.

JPD158,

Can you give us a close-up of that work please?

I see this thread is still kicking. I got my gun back and took a few pics of it.

As promised, here is the outcome.

Here is the before, with the grip-tape:



And here is the after, with the hand-cut checkering, undercutting the trigger guard, and a re-blue of the lower frame:









As for the coarseness, I think they matched the Smith & Alexander mag-well / mainspring housing. According to S&A's website, their mag-well's have a 20 LPI checkering.

Very nice, BlindFaith! Who did the work for you?

Agreed. It's not quite as grippy as good checkering but it definitely works and isn't a gimmick.

My Kimber had the basic bead blasted frontstrap and it would torque more than it should, making followup shots slower than they should be. (and I have a good firm grip). I just had it checkered and am excited to get out to the range with it.

My Ed Brown with the chainlink texture hardly moves at all under recoil.

A local shop by the name of Jojo's. Not sure if they do mail-in work. I had to wait to drop off my gun as they wereso swamped with cutom orders and didn't take in new stuff for a few weeks.

Here is a link to the whole build-up of the gun.

Range Officer Build-Up

DW CCO w/ chainlink. As said before it's actually alot grippier then I thought it would be.



Golfballing- Always loved the look and wanted to see how it worked for me. Personally I Love It!!!

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