Mystery Handguard

[INLAND44]

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'.

[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.

[gew8805]

Could be elm..... Very interesting.

[INLAND44]

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'.

[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

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

[INLAND44]

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.

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.