It makes youi wonder why there was a need for a top nosecap band. After all, nothing changed at that end. The stresses and strains remained the same. Bayonet fixings, cup discharger loadings were the same. Top handguard fittings the same....., under the nosecap at one end, lower band at the other. Indeed, except for a few internal odds and sods, so was the fore-end - to the extent that the conversion even used the original fore-ends albeit slightly modified.
As a matter of interest, this nose-cap band arrangement was a feature on one of the lightweight rifle prototypes. Mind you, that was for another reason.....
Comments anyone.........