Mystery Handguard

Pulled this one out of a box of 300+ Hg's yesterday.
Correct length and width as USGI.
No markings on the bottom.
Shallow sighting groove like a USGI Type II.

Do you see anything odd?

Cheers,
Charlie-painter777

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Cool - no dirt and lint to clean out of the rivet holes! Maybe go through the 300 one more time to make sure you can't find another one. :lol: - Bob

Bob,
Just started pulling from the first box.
I've pulled maybe 35-40 and have started a inventory/type list. Noting markings and types when I came across this one.
I don't know what type of wood?
Has the weight of a GI walnut, but grain pattern looks more like that hard southern pine,spruce,fir. (SPF)
It was installed on something at one time. I can wipe powder residue off the underside and see where the receiver ring and barrel band made contact.
This first box has est 15+ of the Kapur type III Hg's.
These all came from a buy back in the 60's from Western Canada to Wash state to me.

It's so hot out, I thought I'd share this odd one with the membership. Something COOL we can do.

This one is a first for me :confused:

Stay Cool...... Do A Rain Dance
Charlie-painter777

You see some strange things at times. I had a 94 Winchester rifle that had the butt made from oak. It was well done but the angles were ALL out by just a touch. Nothing quite vertical or horizontal. It had been stained black to hide...the grain? This one looks like someone's attempt to create something they didn't have.

Charlie,

Maybe show a picture or two of the Kapur Type III if you have time and it cools down some there. I hadn't even started the A/C here until a couple of days ago. It may come close to 90 today for only about the second time so far this year. It seems like I saw a hanguard on eBay sometime over the past few months that didn't appear to have rivet holes. I've seen several that have obviously been filled with "plastic wood." Does that one have filled holes, or was it assembled somehow without exposing the rivet heads? Also, if you come across any 4 rivet handguards with copper colored rivet heads, I'd like to know more about the story on them. I have a couple of them, but the rivets look like steel on the end that's bradded over. Maybe they're just plated on the heads to prevent rust? I've been told they are commerical and not GI. - Bob

Sneaking on,
lots of company :-(
No rivet holes.
Small nails on the bottom side, look like the kind you'd find on ole shoe/boot soles.

Later
CH-P7

Charlie, I also noticed that the metal has a small "sliver" missing where it would slide under the lip of the receiver (its not square). Do you think that was cut on purpose?

I bet it makes for a nice tight fit, NOT!

TR,
They got the right side tab just like USGI.
Leftside tab they ran to far around to the bottom edge.
So as you've seen, they dug out the snips and cut the corner (near 90 deg) to clear the recess on the frt of the receiver.
To be honest, it fits very nicely on a loose W code UEF barreled receiver I have laying here.
Been slow..... Just thought you guys might enjoy this.
It's off to my strange parts box which includes the buttplates that were stamped upside down (or inside out) and other odds and ends.
I'll start a new post if any of these HG's get interesting.

Charlie-painter777

Looks home made.

Definitely home made with the clip secured with brads. The center sighting groove is off-center. The wood looks like heart pine stained walnut. Fairly crude but interesting. It should have a 'BI' mark for 'Bubba for Inland'. :)

I dont know how many companies actually manufactured the top handguard. It looks like it may have been an early attempt at a company setting up manufacturing. The ones that normally get tossed out. Just a theory of course.

Could be elm..... Very interesting.:confused:

Well, its been on a shooting carbine. You can see the ring left by the receiver lip over the sheet metal retainer clip, resulting from a 'hard fit'.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USGI

Charlie,

If you come across any 4 rivet handguards with copper colored rivet heads, I'd like to know more about the story on them. I have a couple of them, but the rivets look like steel on the end that's bradded over. Maybe they're just plated on the heads to prevent rust? I've been told they are commerical and not GI. - Bob

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I got a chance to check out my brother's 6.4 mil CMP Inland a couple days ago, and noticed it has a 4 rivet shallow groove handguard. The hanguard has the "brass/copper" color to the rivet heads. The stock that came on it was beat up pretty bad so he changed it, but it still has the handguard from the CMP. I'm thinking it must be a USGI handguard, rather than "commerical." I'm curious if you'll find any of these in your search.

Thanks, - Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Capt Mil Coll

I dont know how many companies actually manufactured the top handguard. It looks like it may have been an early attempt at a company setting up manufacturing. The ones that normally get tossed out. Just a theory of course.

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Not a bad theory, but this piece was obviously and crudely formed mostly by hand, and not by any kind of machinist or woodworker. The strange thing is how it was found in a box of G.I. hand guards. I could see a G.I. hand guard that had some field-expediant 'makeshift' repairs, but I don't think this one started life as a G.I. hand guard. I'm wondering if it could have been made by some native craftsman in some country during WWII to replace a lost or damaged part, and consequently remained with the carbine, eventually being thrown in with a pile of take-offs at an arsenal somewhere.