[Shane1911]

We all like our checkering, waves, conamids, serrations, stippling etc. on our frontstraps.........but how important do you feel about "stickshun" on the back of the gun?

I honestly can feel NO difference when shooting, in control or movement with a mainspring housing that is smooth, serrated or checkered. I believe most of the control comes from the frontstrap. In fact, I kinda like smooth or serrated mainspring housings only, as it allows my hand to slide up faster into the grip safety when I draw quickly from a holster.

 

[John Lawson]

ust because you do something thousands of times wrong doesn't make it correct.
You should have a correct (in place) firing grip on the frame before you draw. If you can't, then you have the wrong holster.
The front strap is best when it is smooth or grooved, allowing a firmer grip without adherance. The m/s housing should be checkered or grooved and the grip safety should be low enough to allow leverage when elevating the piece to firing position. The high grip safety is useful only to those with very large hands.
With this combination, a very firm grip results that allows one hand shooting with great accuracy when necessary. If ;you mis-position your fingers on the front strap, you can still re-position during the draw if you have grooves or a smooth front strap.
Most of the "add ons" that have become "essential" do not contribute to shooting; they contribute to the pistolsmith's bank account.
Before you ram up a bad mouth...try it. Observe, remember, compare. Once you learn to control the weight of a heavy pistol by pressure of the hand against the m/s housing and the low curved grip safety, you won't want to return to the current fads. Unless you have hands like Virginia hams, that is.
Oddly, all of the very best pistol shooters of the past did it with smooth or grooved m/s housings and backstraps. Both in target and combat modes.

 

[harley45]

John, I'm just a young guy who are some of the old masters you speak of? (they really prefered plain front straps and ms housings?)
Thanks for your posts they are always informative.
Eric

 

[John Lawson]

I could actually fill about 20 pages with their names. Just go to the library and look at copies of Arms and the Man and The American Rifleman from 1919 to about 1970.
All of the National Matches and Regional Matches and some Local Matches were covered. Most writeups show the shooters and their pistols.
Draw your own conclusions.
Then, look up a book on the OSS, and/or look at the Applegate tapes (available from Paladin) and again, draw your own conclusions.
Some changes are beneficial; other changes are simply changes for the sake of change.