Back when gunmakers were using "pressed checkering", it was pretty obvious, as the design was pressed in below the surface level of the wood, doing little to enhance the grip. The old Remington BDL's from the 1970's is a good example.

Todays machine cut checkering can be very good indeed, actually "cleaner" than typical factory hand checkering from days of old, with less over runs and flattened diamonds. It also allows for a more complex pattern that would be cost prohibited if done by hand on a factory rifle. I doubt there are few factory hand checkered stocks anymore in modern guns. Custom firearms with hand checkering is a different animal, requiring lots of time and skill, as well as cost. One key factor that usually differentiates a good custom hand checkering job from a good machine cut job is that many custom jobs are cut to a fine 22 or 24 LPI, while most machine cut checkering jobs usually run around 16 or 18 LPI.

Larry