The checkering on my .450 is comming along fine and I will soon be posting some pictures. If you would like I will post pictures about how to lay out a checkering pattern and how it is done, you know, the master lines and such.
The Big French 12 ga action is either going to be a .470 Nitro or a .500 Nitro, I am leaning towards the .470 for resale value but what do you think?
As for the checkering if you want to know, first you decide what you want for a pattern. This is for the most part cosmetic and up to personal taste. When doing this I use strips of electrical tape cut into 1/16" strips. These strips you can lay out along the bordors of the pattern and they will follows the curves with nicely and if you want to make changes it can be done with ease. I leave the tape on when I start cutting the checkering as it helps to prevent ren overs especially on the back stroke and you feel the tape long before you cut through it causing a run over. Once the pattern is layed out I remove the tape and from here on in you must work carefully when reaching the edges of the pattern. Checkering is not hard to do if you are careful and take your time, you will gain speed as you get experiance but even so to do it right will take time as in days not hours.