Garand Rear Handguard Retaining Clip Question

Hello. I am new here and have enjoyed reading over the information on your forum.

I'm putting together a new Boyd stock for a Garand I purchased that did not have a stock. This is my first time putting the metal on to a new stock because my other Garands have always come with stocks.

When I was going to attached the Rear Handguard Retaining Clip I noticed the ends of it were not bent exactly the same. Then I looked closer at the handguard and noticed one side is thinner than the other where the clip bends over the wood. Below is a picture of the retaining clip.

My question is which way does the clip go on or does it matter? Thanks for your help.


https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ard_Clip-1.jpg

It is PERFECTLY okay.If it weren't like that it wouldn't fit.Take a look at where the grooves on the barrel are and you'll see whence I speak.

I WOULD advise that you get the tool to spread it though and be VERY careful when you press it on too.I would recommend that you slide it on the barrel with the lower band REMOVED and then line it up and gently push the lower band over the front of the rear handguard and once it's done and aligned etc drive the retaining pin through the hole in the lower band AFTER you have made sure that it too is properly aligned.

I use a nut pick to remove the handguard IF I don't want to remove the lower band.Just GENTLY lever it off using the top of the op-rod as your fulcrum and then do the left side too CAREFULLY as the rears are kinda flimsy.

Cheers,

JR

Thanks for your response John.

I do have the tool for removing and installing the retaining clip. My main question though was does the side of the clip that is bent more go on one specific side of the rifle? I have never noticed that the angle of the bend in the clips were different before. Maybe this is just a clip that wasn't bent properly or one side was stretched out.

Thanks again.

No, as John said the clip fits only one way. Have a look at the rifle first or there will be problems. If you put it on without the wood first you will see the lean to one side.

I understand now. I'll take a closer look at the rifle without any wood on it.

Thanks again.

I hate to be foolish about this but I put the clip on the rifle without the wood and it fit fine both ways. It wasn't real obvious which way it should go but it did seem to fit slightly better if it was put on like below. Would this be the correct way? Thanks.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo..._Clip_02-1.jpg

"Right" is the op rod cutout side, yes.

Sorry, I was just looking, didn't mean to highjack the thread!