TargetTalk

Yes, David, that Velcro strap mounting looks like the way to go. I wasn't aware that they were available. Here in the "Colonies" there was often a paucity of information available about accessories for euroguns. The World Wide Web in general, and this site in particular, has done a great deal to eliminate that.
Ordering items can still be a problem.

OK, going back a bit in this thread to the "strengthening bar" mentioned by PaulT-
I've picked up (purchased) one of those bars from Larry's Guns. It was a recycled item and came without instructions or screws.
Anyone here actually installed one?
Does it just screw on or is some initial preparation required? It looks like the bar is going to squeeze the sides of the frame together if I tighten the mounting screws excessively.
PaulT warned against removing the bar once it has been installed, but Larry implied it was OK to remove the bar if I could accept that the gun would need to be re-zeroed.
I don't expect that I will remove the bar after it has been installed, but I really would like to know how tight to screw it down.
Comments from anyone experienced with this mod, please. PaulT?
Thanks,
Mike T.

As far as I know, there were some early factory installations where the bar was glued to the frame, so taking it off was basically out of the question because of the underlying material (carbon). They realized pretty soon that this was not a feasible solution if they wanted to sell more of the bars. The bar was invented - I think - by a guy named Reto Wildhaber, who was the production engineer at Hammerli for some years. It should prevent vibration problems in the .32, although I'm not sure whether these problems concerned all versions of the 280 or the early ones only (anyway, they came back in the SP20 - and those made the 280 vibrations look negligible). The earliest bars (like the one I have) are not tapered toward the front, but rectangular. I use my one to balance the .22 (which has - custom - the same bismuth lining around the barrel as the late model .32) more similar to the .32, viz. I shoot the .32 without any additonal weights (and no, I don't have any vibration problems). I don't see a problem changing the bar, but it is quite a tight fit and I wouldn't use too much force, more of a sliding approach.

The instruction not to remove the bars once fitted came from the mechanics at Hammerli's Lenzburg factory when some of our GB squad were there having guns serviced.

When the guys who are making and servicing the gun specifically tell you not to do something, unless you have a good reason for ignoring it you take their advice.

Like fitting a wheel, keep applying additional pressure on each screw until tight. We were not provided a metric for this but we were in no uncertain terms this is a one way operation by their technicians!

I have seen many cracked frames on Hammerli pistols but not with these bars. It is a shame Hammerli did not issue one for the SP20 as most of us have at least one cracked frame. They could also do with a retro-fit for the SP20 .32 slides as well <g> as these in warrantee units were horrendously expensive.

A Hammerli service update. It is fortunate that the dealers are helpful but they obviously need to make a living. Nobody at Walther/Hammerli has had the courtesy to reply to our polite email or letter requesting refund for these component parts that failed in pistols that have only shot factory ammunition and are used less than 30 days a year; shameful!

Why, that must be the reason the bar was sold as an aftermarket part to everyone and his cousin - whitout any instructions concerning torque...