doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Checkering style, sharp diamond or flat top?

Properly executed flat top checkering can be quite functional. Typically it is fewer lines per inch that are .020" wide and about that deep. The issue in the States is tools have to be hand made as none are commercially available. As Steve said nobody here likes to do it.

I'm in agreement with John. I want my hands to be "locked in" on my target shotguns so I prefer fairly aggressive pointed checkering. I've never rubbed my hands raw and I suspect I shoot as much or more than most. Non checkered stocks are fine for my bench type target rifles...not my shot guns.

Never did a flat top checkering stock. Touched up a few and was careful not to convert them to pointed top be accident. I once made a fore end for a 1100 with pointed checkering that was 28 lines per inch. Felt great. Was a absolute nightmare to do. Swore then, and have kept that vow, to never do another one again that fine. Worse was the pattern covered the entire fore end, with only the flats on the top of the fore end not checkered. About three times the normal pattern because this was an over sized for end. Remember seeing a Sauer double which have 32 line per inch checkering and know that must have been even worse.

Bullshat. I've shot over over 1300 rounds a day for four straight days with a sharply pointed checkered grip and forend with not even a hint of hand damage. What a wuss.

Checkering most certainly does serve a purpose. I wouldn't shoot a comp gun without something to increase my grip ......... checkering is the best combination of function and looks.

SRH

I have a gun, a MF Ideal that the original chequering was over 32 LPI. By my count it was 36 LPI. But it gets so damn small it's hard to count. When I had it refinished we switched it to 28 LPI. Once you get into the 30s there is no enhanced grip and it wears away too fast.

I'm the wuss and you can't hold on to a shotgun without something to increase your grip?

Funny how Remington sold millions of guns with their stupid pressed in inverse 'checkering' and nobody seemed to be dropping them all over the trap and skeet fields.

I have a callous (acceptable alternate spelling that I've grown fond of since I learned buzz dislikes it) at the base of my middle finger from my trap gun. It's from the checkering. I'd be happy if the gun had no checkering at all.

This is a discussion board and there's no right or wrong, but if I was going to spec out a grip it would be smooth and have finger grooves. It would have a very full pistol grip like a Perazzi.

The key to decent target shooting is doing everything the same way each time, and what could be better than a grip that actually fit your hand and came up exactly the same way each time?

If you have your fingers wrapped around a grip like that there's certainly no need for a non slip coating.

Would that look like hell? Maybe. But the 100/100 would look better.

I knew who I was calling a wuss. I can read. Anyone, you or otherwise, who can't shoot a few hundred rounds in a day with a gun that has pointed up checkering without it chewing up your hands is a wuss. If you're not, find a better argument to support your dislike of checkering.

SRH

It would be great to see some pictures of those checkering jobs you did! Thanks in advance.

Buzz, I'm responding to your questions by offering my own experience and opinions. First of all do what you want it's your gun! That said I believe that certain styles of checkering look best on certain firearms and to that end here are two photos that I took this morning. The first is my personal hunting rifle, a Fraser single shot that I love.


The next photo is from a SC gun that I'm checkering. I use this pattern with quite a few modifications for a client. I checker 2-3 guns a month using this style or something very similar.


I have done two guns using flat top checkering and I found it to be difficult because there is NO room for errors. I modified two checkering tips to do the jobs correctly, at least my view of correct. Yes,It's a bugger! I also believe that flat top checkering looks wrong if done finer than 20lpi and thats probably to fine IMO.

Pointed checkering has far more grip-ability, again IMO, but the main reason that I checker guns is because I think they look better. Again IMO!

I hope this helps.

We're all used to checkering on fine guns so we favor it. However beautiful wood is beautiful in itself, so why obscure it with a checkering pattern. Personally I have no problem shooting a smooth grip...Geo