No1 MkIII rivets

[NVGuy]

Hi all, Does anyone have a source for the rivets used to secure the cap to the front of top front handguard and the spring clip used on the rear top handguard? Also, suggestions on installing them?

As always, thank you!

Information

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[22SqnRAE]

I had a similar need a while ago. I boldly approached Flea Bay and bought a small bag of M2 x 3mm countersunk flat headed copper rivets. In American speak, that's about 5/64 OD and 1/8" long. Judicious use of a dolly and a suitable centre punch had the rivets gripping the cap in no time. Granted, they look copper not brass, but they do the trick.

If you wish to be a purist, then a similar application with brass wire would work, though the trick will be upsetting the head neatly in the first place. I haven't yet mastered that.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Not sure if they ever made the caps without the holes being threaded, but I've never seen a "unthreaded one. If you can't find or make the rivets, try to track down the screws. They, of course, have a "special" Enfield thread.

The rivets are pretty basic, but you will need a dinky chuck or collet unless you turn them from "larger stock.

Dimensions for the screw are:

Screw, overall: 0.215" - 0.220"
Head Diameter: 0.195"-0.197"
Shank Length; 0.160" - 0.165"
Thread: 0.143"-0.143" x 56TPI
Slat depth: 0.03"
Slot Width: 0.024"

I don't have the minor diameter of the screw or the thread in the cap holes to hand at the moment, but should be easy to establish by either calculating / CAD-ing out the Major diameter and pitch numbers, or, by "gauging" the holes in the cap with a bunch of number drill bits. Making these screws looks like a job for a watchmaker.

I can understand why they went to the rivets.

[mr.e moose]

I just purchased a number of the rear hand guard rivets and the front hand guard screws from Numrich this January.

[NVGuy]

Good morning everyone. Thank you for the replies. So just for clarification, the front cap is held onto the front handguard by screws and not rivets? The rear handguard clip is riveted in place?


I found these on Numrich. They both seem to be for the front handguard cap but not the rear handguard spring cap? unless I am misunderstanding?

Screws:

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1055290

Rivet:

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1422620


Thank you!

[AFJon]

Yes the front is screwed on. I have an entire assembly (two screw and the cap) if you need one.

[Mk VII]

Mostly the front cap is screwed but riveted ones (mostly Australian) can also be found.

[Brian Dick]

I've got lots of the little screws available for the front handguard cap. I ran out of the rivets for the rear handguard spring clip some years ago.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Making those little brass rivets and washers (for the rear hand-guard ones) would be good therapy for someone with a little Unimat lathe and a stock of suitable brass rod, especially during "home detention". Good practice for making "N" scale rolling-stock wheels, dummy rounds for 1:35-scale machine-guns, etc., etc.

I have a couple of the "rear" rivet sets here but not exactly enough to be offering them wholesale.

I also have the dimensions of those rivets, if anyone is keen / desperate.

[WillSarchet]

Making those little brass rivets and washers (for the rear hand-guard ones) would be good therapy for someone with a little Unimat lathe and a stock of suitable brass rod, especially during "home detention". Good practice for making "N" scale rolling-stock wheels, dummy rounds for 1:35-scale machine-guns, etc., etc.

I have a couple of the "rear" rivet sets here but not exactly enough to be offering them wholesale.

I also have the dimensions of those rivets, if anyone is keen / desperate.

I would be interested in the correct dimensions. I bought a pair of rivets from Numrich and - surprise surprise - they are definitely NOT correct as they don't fit through the holes in the spring, as well as being steel.


As far as the Prestigious stocks go, I have fitted one of their forends to a No4 MkI and am very happy with it, and am now starting on a No1 MkIII* set from him. Good quality wood, some of it with a very nice figure. He's open to making anything you can loan him a pattern for - when shipping gets less crazy again im sending a finger groove 1903 stock and possibly a high-wood M1 carbine stock for duplication.