M-1 Garand Handguard Installation

[Thunderbolt]

Hi All - I just re-stocked one of my M-1s, transitioning from a birch stock to a vintage walnut one complete with vintage rear and foward handguards. When using the birch components the gas cylinder lock would turn to the 2:00 position forcing me to reverse back to the 6:00 position, creating a looser front handguard and also a looser gas cylinder. After re-stocking with vintage walnut stock and handguards the cylinder lock comes nicely down to the 6:00 position without forcing it and tightens up the gas cylinder etc. My question is should there be "some" play with the foward handguard. Should I back off a complete turn to create some "slack" to allow for wood expansion due to heat transfer? Best - Thunderbolt

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[Mark in Rochester]

yes a little clearance between the front handguard heat shield and the rear gas cylinder ring is desireable.

If the gas cylinder is hard on the handguard heat shield this will cause point of impact shift as the barrel heats up.

The wood does not expand due to heat - wet yes - heat no.

[gulliver62]

The play is good but it doesn't have to be very much. Our local Garand guru will file the back surface of the gas cylinder(the part against the handguard) until there is a paper thin gap. Just enough to remove the contact.