I had an older 9mm stainless sompinorother, and sold it. now I feel like a dope. Anyway, I decided to get a Basic Competition pistol to replace it instead of a Trojan. I will be having a SA magwell installed on it, which has machine checkering that is less than perfect. So, since this is to be the end of the line for a cheap ammo range gun, ASSUMING that SA machine checkering is similar, do I stick with cheap and matching, or do I go with hand checkering since the mainspring housing isn't part of the frame, and is thus replaceable later?

And this is officially a stupid problem to have.

I do not know what a "sompinorother" is, but since this is sold, we shouldn't bother ourselves with it.

Machine checkering can be more ... perfect than hand checkering. Usually, the machines are better at repetitive tasks, than humans. I would never bother with checkering on a low end range gun, as you called it, some skateboard tape on the front strap does excellent work and doesn't cost but a few cents.

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John Caradimas SV1CEC
The M1911 Pistols Organization
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Thank you for your time.

9mm stainless something or other. I don't know what springfield called, it didn't have a stamp on the side saying that it was something special.

What I have seen is that machine checkering makes perfect pyramids, but the "lines" do not stop at the edge of the checkering. The Smith and Alexander magwells that I have, always continue on and you have around 3-4 lines that run farther down the butt of the pistol than the rest.

I have only looked closely at one pistol that was hand checkered, I didn't use a magnifying glass, but it was not irregular enough to catch your eye anywhere on the surface, and there wasn't any longer lines on the edges. Having never handled a machine checkered pistol, I don't know if these lines exist or not, I assumed that they would.

The pistol would not be a cheap range gun, the ammunition would be. I can shoot significently more match grade 9mm than Federal eagle in a .45 (and I usually just shoot bulk speer gold dots +P), the difference for me is going to the range or staying home most days. I have not invested in reloading equipment yet and it is not in the cards until i am able to move. This is going to be a pistol that I am going to shoot essetially every time I go to the range, and I don't want any should haves, would haves or could haves with it. I would like it to look like how it functions.

From your reply it sounds like there isn't going to be a real difference between the two, and that machine checkering is probably the way to go.

What you describe seems common. I have two pistols hand checkered by real pros at 30 LPI. The cost was reasonable at $125 for the Kahr and $40 (if you can believe that) for the NAA.



In this pic you can see the checking on the front strap has a few horizontal serrations that do not have the vertical serrations reaching them... BTW, the MSH (hard to see) is an Ed Brown.

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perfect!

Thank you very much.