Off of forend questions for a while, on to rear handguard identification questions...

These showed up in the mail today.

One came from a private party, the other is supposed to be "NOS Walnut" and came from here: Handguard, Rear, Walnut | Gun Parts Corp.

I'm not so sure I think the unfinished handguard is Walnut.

I'm more inclined to think the unfinished unit is some kind of wood from Asia. I note that it is milled a bit differently than the finished guard around the relief for the rear sight leaf.

What say all of you, who made these and when?

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To me the unfinished wood looks like walnut. Who done it is a whole 'nother story... Yes it's different.

It could be, it just looked a little different to me.

One of these days, I'll oil it up and see how it looks then.

I wonder if it might be a reproduction? Nothing in the GPC listing says original. Still curious who made the pair either way.

I can't guarantee it to you, but I think it's very likely that the 'new' one in bare wood is a modern Indian made reproduction. The general standard of finish is not good enough for anything a Royal Ordnance Factory would turn out; just compare the workmanship against the other Enfield made example. There are a number of contemporary Indian made front & rear guards being sold from the UK on 'that internet auction site' at the moment. I bought a couple of sets of these a while ago just to see what they were like. Adequate if you're not too fussy.......though they may be better now.

Thanks Roger. Makes we glad I paid the web price and not the eBay price with I think was around $60 US for the probable reproduction.

Well, will you look at what I turned up Sunday morning. The forum software rotated my pics again.

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Looks good though. All nicely marked...

Another rear guard found me yesterday.

Very nice looking piece...

Some of the current rear h/g repros are rather tall, and one may have trouble sighting over them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mk VII

Some of the current rear h/g repros are rather tall

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I'd put it in place and if it's too tall just sand it down carefully so as not to go into the rivets. Problem then is it'll be glassy smooth...

If it is bare wood, wet it. Water will raise the grain.
If it has a finish, steam it over the tea kettle spout.
It wont be glassy smooth anymore.

And they just keep showing up. The rear was cracked, but it is already glued and clamped.

As always, curious about the markings.