Win Mod12 Trench Gun Conversion

[Madcap]

What does the inside of your original adapter look like? is the hole flush or chamfered on the inside? In your case I'd worry more about function then duplicating the original method. When you finish filing/sanding/grinding, the outside will look right no matter what direction the rivet goes.

Photos of the inside of the adapter -

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[ssgross]

Photos of the inside of the adapter

those look to have a chamfer for part of the head to reside. When bucking a rivet, the shank will expand and "flow" to fill the space and tighten the joint provided it was clamped together tight. insert rivets from inside. tap in a slightly tapered mandrel to hold it the rivet extra tight in the hole, and peen over the head from the outside. when you drill the hole in the shield, be sure to bevel it well...like a flush rivet on an airplane. when you grind it smooth, it will become as perfect as the circle and the bevel will give it enough meat to hold. That's how I did my krag handgaurd clips. much thinner metal than your shield, but a slight chamfer was enough. now, a hand guard clip doesn't have to be as strong as your heat shield, but same principal I think. When tapping the rivet by hand, you can tell and feel how tight the joint is becoming by the sound of the hammer. On the hand guard, tops on my test pieces would gradually increase in pitch until "pop" the wood split from the rivet expanding.
Measure carefully!

[Madcap]

That's such thoughtful info and I'll try to follow it - thank you. I'm a little familiar with aircraft riveting and understand some of what you say. I orders some 3/32" x 5/32" steel rivets from eBay last night and will wait till they arrive and try to go from there. I' not sure where to come with a the correct mandrel at this point but will try to find one. I have a few connections at the local airport.
Thank you again...I'll get back soon as I find out more to work with.

Dick

[ssgross]

the correct mandrel at this point

I would think a fat hardwood dowel with a piece of sheet steel as a shim would do the trick. Could use one of the tabs from an electrical box as the shim if you need something harder.
While you are at the big box store, get a flat piece of steel, cut some squares off, and practice your technique with flat pieces before you try to do the deed on your parts. lots of light, squarely placed, taps. Your rivets will be softer than you think. Take your time setting them.