stipple or checker aluminum frame

B

bk40

New member
Bought my 1st Kimber y'day. The Kimber Compact Aluminum. Not shot it yet. Barrel fit is excellent. Slide to frame slop is very minimal. High hopes it'll be a shooter.

What would you recommend doing to the fronstrap and soon to be new steel mainspring housing.
Checker at either 25 or 30 LPI or stipple.

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BKs Pistol Pages
 
I have many guns checkered at 30 lip. I like it the best. My BHP's will be done at 40 lpi due to the thickness of the frontstrap.
 
This issue was brought up over at GunSpot. The two responces from gunsmiths (Heinie & Bilby) were that checkering on the front strap on an alloy frame could cause problems. One was the depth of the checkering into the metal could cause cracking and the second was that it was so easy to mess up because of the softness of the metal. From those concerns, I would go with stippling. Stippling will not show the little dings and scratches that a carry piece will tend to pick up that checkering will.

Smith & Alexander offers their magwell and mainspring housing in Aluminum. Same price as steel, and get the reduced weight.

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John
(formerly johnboy)
 
I've always prefferred 30LPI checkering, myself. The stippling Wickmann did on my Hi-Power is very good, re quality and function.

John F, I'll have to check that thread at Gunspot - Thanks for the heads up!

I'm thinking if I have it checkered, I'll get Scott McDougall & Assoc http://www.colt380.com to do his 25LPI checkering.

Wickmann http://www.kwgw.com will do the stippling if I go that route... besides, he owes me $100 :D

The Hi-Power pics on his site belongs to me - Kurt has been selected as one of Am Handgunners top 100 'smiths and he's using my HP pic in his ad in the upcoming issue -Sorry for tooting my own horn, but I am kinda proud!

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BKs Pistol Pages

[This message has been edited by bk40 (edited February 17, 2000).]
 
Did some digging, and here is what they said (wrote):

Richard Heinie "I only will do 30 LPI checkering on any LW Frame. I have seen a couple of the front straps crack that were done in 20 LPI." In reference to work on a Colt LW Commander.

B. Bilby "... 30 line checkering is more difficult than 20 line in either steel or alloy because it's much easier to slip or misalign the file. In alloy it's even worse because of the soft material and a slip that might mean nothing in steel could result in a real goober."

It is up to you. I personally like stippling. Both of my stainless Kimbers have the front strap stippled and the plastic mainspring housings have been replaced with stippled ones.


PS. That is a real nice looking Hi-power! I would brag about that too.

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John
(formerly johnboy)

[This message has been edited by John Forsyth (edited February 17, 2000).]
 
So how does one go about finding a gunsmith that does stippling work? Does anyone have pictures or recommendations? Is there a standard methodology or does each job look different.

I have an aluminum kimber with one smooth frontstrap and I'm looking for something more permanent than skateboard tape.
thanks
~lurker~
 
Brian Bilby , Advanced Combat Pistols, does a very good stippling. It has a like wood grain appearance. He did one of my Kimbers and is working on the second. Very pleased with his work.

Have seen pictures of the stippling that Robar does. Also very nice.

Wilson advertises that they also do it.

Give them a call.

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John
(formerly johnboy)
 
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