I just re-shaped & re-finished my CZ 550 American 308 Winchester.

The last coat is drying as we speak and it looks pretty darn good, if I may say so, not bad for my first attempt at re-shaping/re-finishing a stock.

My question is: Checkering???

Is checkering purely cosmetic?

I'm starting to really like this stock without the checkering that I removed in re-shaping...

Does anyone have pics of their un-checkered hunting rifles?

I'm thinking of going that route...

Thank you for your replies...

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
I just re-shaped & re-finished my CZ 550 American 308 Winchester.

The last coat is drying as we speak and it looks pretty darn good, if I may say so, not bad for my first attempt at re-shaping/re-finishing a stock.

My question is: Checkering???

Is checkering purely cosmetic?

I'm starting to really like this stock without the checkering that I removed in re-shaping...

Does anyone have pics of their un-checkered hunting rifles?

I'm thinking of going that route...

Thank you for your replies...

Some say checkering is purely cosmetic while others insist they need the added grip afforded by checkering. Once you get too fine I've always felt it was more cosmetic than practical.

I've always found that a rifle looked unfinished without checkering so I checkered mine. At the same time, I've never felt like I couldn't shoot a rifle that was uncheckered. How's that for confusing.

This is a 7 X 57 I finished a while back, my son took it so it did not get checkered, It would look a lot better with checkering but not sure he will give it up

The second is a 6.5 X 55 on a spanish small ring action that is currently at Bill Soverns being checkered

Rem721 and Rolland,

I appreciate your comments and the great pics you included...

I find this to be very helpful!

I hope their will be others to respnd as well...

Thank you very much!

Rolland,

Nice stocks with good figure in them...

But as I see it the checkering would really dress up these rifles for sure...

I just PM'd Bill Soverns, he was referred to me by Marc Stokeld as well...

Thanks for the reply you helped me make up my mind...

That SWEDE is going be SWEET with Bill's checkering, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT...

Thank you my friend!

My 375's and my 416 Rigby don't have checkering but the 2 customs that I have had built both have checkering as nice wood just seems to deserve some patterns on it. Don't have any hard or fast rule for myself. I DON'T checker so have to have it done when I finish a stock and it's getting increasingly hard to find someone who does good work at a reasonable price and most of all a reasonable turnaround, with the emphasis on turnaround. I had the last one I had done, done by Tim Smith-Lyon at www.classiccheckering.com. Simple pattern VERY reasonable price and short turnaround. It was just 4 point panels and it was done impeccably. I don't like the checkering to be overpowering.

I have a 6.5x284 that is not checkered but it's because it's a laminate stock and I guess they're a pain to checker well.
It's built for long range but I have taken antelope with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
I just re-shaped & re-finished my CZ 550 American 308 Winchester.

The last coat is drying as we speak and it looks pretty darn good, if I may say so, not bad for my first attempt at re-shaping/re-finishing a stock.

My question is: Checkering???

My question is: where the hell are the pictures of your rifle??

Come on man! You know it breaks several rules of forum decorum when you post that you've just finished a rifle and don't post pictures. That's serious no-no hombre!

Also...fwiw, I didn't checker the stock on the Swede I built two years ago and it looks just fine without it. You don't necessarily need checkering to complete functional stock, but checkering sure finishes out a nice stock.

Just my opinion, but checkering adds some grip that I find useful.

One can actually get a modest pattern professionally done (including the shipping both ways) for about $80.

It don't have to be some of the stuff we've seen posted here by some of the masters.....even a modest pattern finishes the rifle.

IMO an uncheckered rifle isn't complete.....and yes....I have a couple uncheckered stocks as well.

Well its dry now...

BUT, somehow there's a few pieces of lint on there that I can't live with...I'll knock it down once more and try it again...

With the guidance of a few AR members I got it re-shaped and re-finished...

Got rid of the cheekweld, trimmed the buttstock and comb flutes, re-shaped the forend and tip, re-shaped the wood around the floorplate and action, including pistol grip area...

There was alot of wood on the ground when I got done with it...

I like the way the stock feels in my hands nothing like the factory CZ CLUB that it once was...

It helps you grip the stock and it looks nice. It's supposed to be on there and the rifle will look unfinished without it. It's a no brainer, get the checkering.

Before

After

Before

After


You get the idea.

Terry

You could try your hand at stippling... I've seen that done on a few rifles and it looks pretty nice. One guy used a electric hand engraver and the other uses a bunch of finishing nails ganged together. It won't look as slick as checkering but you could try it yourself.

The best stippling I've ever seen was on the grips of an H&K P9S 9mm target pistol.

Rich

Terry,

I am assuming that is a 9.3x62, unless you just happened to have a box of same ammo handy for a rifle rest. Tell us more about it - is it a Peruvian action? Looks different than standard for some reason.

Very nice rifle.

Todd

quote:

Originally posted by TMG:
Terry,

I am assuming that is a 9.3x62, unless you just happened to have a box of same ammo handy for a rifle rest. Tell us more about it - is it a Peruvian action? Looks different than standard for some reason.

Very nice rifle.

Todd

It's a 1909 Argentine M98. It has custom bases made by Michael Scherz that give it a really nice look. The barrel is a Lothar-Walther and the stock is Claro.

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by richj:

Stipled Honduran Rosewood....love the stipling

Me too.

Terry