Kimber Talk Forums banner

Wilson Combat - Checkering Strip Front strap

8K views 46 replies 11 participants last post by  2sharp2 
#1 ·
Got 3 quotes for a front strap checkering job on my PC II. Decided that was just to much for me. So I ordered ($9.95 Amazon) the Wilson Combat Checkered Strip. It does not look as good as having it done professionally but IMHO, it doesn't look bad either and I'm happy with it. The important thing is it works. It gives me the feel I was looking for. It was easy to install even for me! I have not shot with it yet but reviews indicate it stays put with just the grip holding it in place. I will be checking out that claim Friday. Here's what it looks like.

Hand Netbook Finger Gesture Gadget


Wood Audio equipment Microphone Auto part Metal
 
See less See more
2
#3 ·
Several members are using that Wilson product. I think after shooting you will find it does the job it was designed to do and for a cheap price.
 
#12 ·
I looked hard at those for my Pro Carry but ended up with a custom grip tape cut out thingy I forget the name of, but I love it.

Let us know how it works out for you.
 
#21 ·
Sure are a lot of reviews that it doesn't stay in place.

-----

Useless product installed correctly and it fell off within a month would not recommend

This product will come off/loose after range usage even if you tighten it down good to the grips. Don't waste your time and money in this item. Wilson combat supposedly good products but not this item. Now I have to waste my time returning it back for refund

not very useful product. Doesn't stay in place very well.

Would not fit well on my Springfield. It is just a cheap piece of stamped thin metal. No way to make it flush against the front strap.
Threw it in the garbage.

Does not fit Springfield Range Officer Champion very well. The small amount under the stock grips will slip out under use, so plan on going with grip tape instead, until I can get a real checker job done.

Not even close to fitting right slipped off after 150 rounds

Do not waste your money!!!

Junk

Garbage. It looks good when installed but would come off during actual shooting.

Put this on with some VZ grips, it's held in by the smooth parts you can see being under the VZ grips.
Just shooting around, no problem.
Went through a couple of classes working draws and firing, no problem.
Last night went through a course requiring offhand use, manipulation, repeated mag changes, general abuse.
Long story short, one side popped out, I pulled on it and the other came out, and I'm going to grip tape.

As for this checker piece, as another reviewer stated, it slips down during firing. It may take a couple of hundred rounds for it to slip, but it will. I suppose you could glue it down somehow, but then you'll be dealing with the glue later on.

Unfortunately, unlike other excellent Wilson products this one is a fail. The major flaw is that their is not enough material on the sides to hold to the grip. Perhaps a piece long enough with a hole to hold onto the bushing would surely work. The product loosened to the point of being unusable after about 5 magazines.keeping it centered is very difficult. The holes would solve that problem.

Checkering is nice, but it's just a thin piece of metal foil that doesn't really conform to the front strap. It's supposed to be held in place by the grips, but it is barely large enough to be secured by them.

Does not fit the Rock Island 1911a1 due to the grooves on the front of the frame. just slid around and scratched up my cerakote

Looks and has a great feel but it will slide down after a box of shell. Think I will go back with grip tape.

It was worth a try. I wanted to get a feel before I permanently have my gun checkered at the custom shop. The crimped edge on one side did not fit perfectly on my full size 1911 frame (Springfield RO Champion), so I needed to flatten it out. Based on other reviews, there is no solid seating when the edges are only held by the pressure of the grips. It's cumbersome to try and get a tight fit. I decided to use Glue Dots (removable glue dots) which work to hold the checkered strap from sliding up and down the frame. It works. My gun is now at the custom shop getting a nice checkering.

Yea, always read the reviews. Not all are accurate; but in this case the reviews were spot on. I thought that I would give it a try and yup, this is a cheap horrible design. There was no way that I could make this work well. Maybe for an air soft pistol, or B.B. gun. Not for a defensive firearm that I trust.

This product do not stay on and or come loose after range usage even if you tighten it tight to grips. Wilson combat on this product is terrible. Don't waste your time and money

Sub-standard product from Wilson Combat. Poorly finished edges and if you don't add some sort of protection between this front strap and your 1911... It WILL leave surface marks on your frame!

This is not the quality that I would expect from WC. This part is a stamped out $0.25 piece of tin (or something along those lines). The texture is non-existent and while only $10, not at all worth it. Save your money...

Does not stay on the gun well enough to be practical

Does not work without bonding to frame first. Can get loose without superglue

This part is totally worthless to me. Total waste of $10, and I should've sent it back but I waited too long. I would not put this part on any 1911 I own...it just looks plain old cheap! Really shocked that a Wilson Combat piece is this crummy!

JUNK

The checkering is nice and the hand grips well to it but the issue is that there isn't enough slack to place under the grips and o e can definitely tell that it is an after market strap because the SS is rather bright and not a flat color SS.

Will scratch your gun and is very cheaply made. Just get a good grip. Great seller though.

The idea is cool. But it does not stay in place. It needs hooks that can connect to grip screws so it will stay in place..mine is constantly moving around and eventually comes off its a pain in the ass. I no longer use this..if w/c improves the design I'd give it a go but this one does not work in my opinion

Definitely has a nice grippy feel, problem is it won't stay in place with just tightening the grips.

Okay , Slides up and down but does its job.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Well I guess I will find out....
80% of the Amazon reviews rated it 4 or better, 58% rated it a 5.
4.7 rating on eBay
72% on Midway rated it 4 or better, 45% rated it a 5

I not trying to make a case for it being a good product, I don’t know yet. I am making a case for the unreliable nature of internet reviews and ratings. I take them with a grain of salt, a bit of information that may or may not be accurate. How many of the reviewers actually have the product? How many are too inept to install solidly? How many just have bone to pick with WC unrelated to this product and are trying to get their pound of flesh. No way to know but statistically, there are likely some in those categories.

How many reviews are there out in cyber space that swear Kimber makes overpriced junk. Poor finish, poor machining, gun is too unreliable to carry... yada, yada, yada....... while the truth as many of us know, is that, for the large part, they are as reliable as any gun and worth every penny. Of course if you say that outside this forum you become a ##### Fanboy.... Bite Me!

It’s the Internet, it must be true!

I hope to find out Friday when I run 100 rounds of 230gr fmj WWB. I will report back! Of course it’s possible I don’t even own a Kimber, I’m a sexy 20 year old who has a thing for old farts who like guns.... and I’m off my meds....hmmmmm makes ya wonder.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: sdarc
#26 ·
72% on Midway rated it 4 or better, 45% rated it a 5
Below are included in 4 and 5 star reviews at Midway. 3 and below mostly say cheap looking, ill fitting and/or moves.

It takes a little practice to learn how to attach it between the grips, and sometimes I find I need a little electricians tape so there's enough friction to prevent it shifting under grip pressure. But it's still an appealing alternative to actually having the frame's front strap checkered.

I used 5min epoxy to install them

Super glued that mother in and it works like a charm.

I did have some issues with it slipping a bit at the range, but a strip of double stick tape remedied that.

I actually epoxied it to the frontstrap

A smear of "shoe goo" helps to keep the unit in place over the long haul.

A small spot of Quick Steel on the tabs that go into the grip frame kept it from sliding under recoil.
 
#24 ·
I have had them on 3 guns for a couple of years now. I'd guess that they each have at least 2,000 rounds through each of the guns with no problems. I could see where they could come loose if not installed properly, I'd guess that was the cause of most of the complaints.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2sharp2 and Doons
#27 ·
Mine comes today, I'll find out soon enough. For ten bucks I'm not too emotionally invested one way or the other. I'll probably use some double-sided tape right out of the box, I dunno... we'll see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Doons
#36 ·
Well, it came today, and I put it on. I wouldn't have something so cheesy to a safe queen, but for my battered EDC I'm not losing any sleep over it. I coated it in the double-sided tape I use to wrap presents, stuck it on and I'll be shocked if it goes anywhere OR muffs up the sub-par finish. It looks a little silly and feels great, and at some point I'll have shot the hell out of it and reported back, but in the meantime I'm not crying over a spilled Hamilton.
 
#37 ·
I found the stuff I used, I like it a lot. I guess it's called TractionGrips.

For a 600 dollar Pro Carry that gets used for it's intended purpose a lot, it'll do. Haven't taken it off yet but I can't imagine it causing any damage.

If I'da known how good a gun this was going to be, I'd have bought a TLE or something with front checkering. But the grip stuff works great and doesn't look bad at all.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pack-Tra...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

photo uploader
 
#38 ·
I put Tractiongrips on Mrs. Bear's Beretta, they really made a big difference and have held up great. As for this little WC product, I'm pretty happy with it so far. the lack of front checkering has been my only gripe about this gun. Since I carry it around the house in my hand like a small-time drug lord, it's something I notice almost constantly. My trashed, prematurely aging hands appreciate how much easier it is to pick up and hang on to now. I can't wait to shoot it, but with how busy I've been lately, that will probably take a mugging.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KCJeep
#39 ·
Aw hell, cant find it.....

The discussion about the Wilson Combat cheapo front strap checkering/knurling thing.

So I bought one, installed it and put 450 rounds down the pipe today in a Tactical pistol clinic. It didn't move, rattle or make my gun shoot sideways. It felt great and made me almost deadly with the PCII, .45, in my hand. I would love to get it professionally done but it's just to expensive compared to what a $10 ugly add-on does just as well. Almost the best $10 bucks I ever spent.... if not for the night in New Orleans in 76..... I'm lucky to be alive.... thank god there were no video phones then.... pretty sure I'm wanted in Louisiana....
 
#41 ·
The discussion about the Wilson Combat cheapo front strap checkering/knurling thing.

So I bought one, installed it and put 450 rounds down the pipe today in a Tactical pistol clinic. It didn't move, rattle or make my gun shoot sideways. It felt great and made me almost deadly with the PCII, .45, in my hand. I would love to get it professionally done but it's just to expensive compared to what a $10 ugly add-on does just as well. Almost the best $10 bucks I ever spent.... if not for the night in New Orleans in 76..... I'm lucky to be alive.... thank god there were no video phones then.... pretty sure I'm wanted in Louisiana....
Threads merged:

I agree with you, I have them on a couple of my guns including my .460 Rowland and have never had a problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JC45 and Doons
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top