Best Hardchrome - ?accuracy, tripp, alamo who?

Tripp and Checkmate Custom.

I don't know Tripp's off the top of my head but Checkmate's http://www.checkmatecustom.com

I had 2 guns hardchromed by Checkmate and both jobs are outstanding. I have one gun done in Tripp's CobraCoat polymer finish which is also very well done. A friend of my just got a gun that is Tripp hardchromed and it's real nice.

My next hardchrome job will likely go to Checkmate again.

Nooooooooooooooooo not Check Mate! Anybody but Check Mate! They lose parts too frequently and at times, apply horrible finishes.

I have been having Tripp plate some projects for me and they have been outstanding. Virgil Tripp knows guns and knows what we need. I would give him a try.
God Bless
Jack Weigand

It took Checkmate three tries to get the hard chrome right on an aluminum alloy frame that Brian Bilby sent to them for plating. I wouldn't recommend using them. IMHO

John

NOT accurate eiter.
geo ><>

hi Jack

Don't forget Metaloy.

I have had Rebel Gun Refinishers in Wildwood Florida (352/330-0268), do 4 guns recently; one polished blue Gold Cup, one two tone pre-70 Gov't Model, and a couple of brush finish hard chrome. I've been satisfied with their work, so far. I have had problems with both Checkmate and Accurate in the past. Never had to send a gun back to either company, but had frequent little things wrong that I had to straighten out in my shop. Most frequently was plating the ejector on a two tone job, when I asked for blue.

I'm going to send some work to Metaloy, as soon as I need a matte hard chrome job.

Why are there so many refinishers in Florida?

John

Tripp has been doing all my work. I cant recommend him enough.

Tom
AF Shooting Team

Why are there so many refinishers in Florida?

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Dunno. Why are there so many great smiths in Pennsylvania? A holdover from the earliest years of our nation? Behlert, Leckie, George Smith, Jack Wiegand, John Yanek, Pete Carber.....

I used Checkmate with mixed results. No more. Rebel used to be great, then went downhill for a few years. Last few years they seem to have gotten it back together well. Nice looking stuff coming out of there now.

Anybody ever try Techplate Engineering? I was thinking of giving them a try since they are here in Kalifornicate...judging by their website they seem to be knowledgeable and skillful, but references matter most...
www.techplate.com

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I knew Thomas Jefferson, he was a friend of mine...Governor Clinton, you're no Thomas Jefferson

gigi*riva, I used to use Techplate when I lived in Calif (many moons ago), and always had good luck with them. They are a bit pricey, as they charge by the piece, not the gun, and it's cheaper if you have 2 or 3 frames etc., as the cost goes down. Also, they used to charge extra for any polishing such as a brush finish. Terry Tussey still uses them I believe, and Paul Liebenberg use to use them before he went to S&W.

Good Luck,


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Don Williams www.theactionworks.com www.pickagripcom

I just got my now hardchromed HK P7M8 back from Checkmate today, and I have to say that they did a great job. The finish looks factory, and the gun runs as smoothly as it did before it was sent off. Price was $155 + shipping, turnaround was a little less than a month. Good luck.

FYI, I believe Paul Liebenberg at Pistol Dynamics uses Tripp Research for all his hardchroming.

Excellent pic, Bob, thanks! Say, is that a bare stainless frame with a hard chrome top end? Looks sweet!

I opted for Metalife as recommended by my gunsmith.

I should have my piece back in hand within the next 45 days. I will report back. In my research, Metalife doesn't seem to have a large following, but it's customer base seems to have the loyalty of a cult.

Be well!

In about 2 months I'll have a gun back from Tripp Research (it's having alot of work done by Dave Berryhill first, hence the wait). Tripp is probably the one hard chromer I've never heard customer complaints about on these (or other) forums, and all the pics of his work always look fantastic. AP&W and Checkmate always seem to have alot of gripes whenever the subject comes up.

Precision Gunworks said:

Why are there so many refinishers in Florida?

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A lot of water to dump chemicals in?!?!

I was wondering....is hard chrome better than bright nickel? And which will last longer? And when you have someone refinish a gun do they strip off the old finish? Sorry for so many questions, but, inquiring minds want to know.