Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Sporterized and unofficial modified Krags
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Parashooter
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Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:14 am
Location: Kragmudgeon House, CT

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by Parashooter »

I give up! Having actually done this job as described, with no special tools or skills, all I can add is that it wasn't difficult and nothing cracked.

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butlersrangers
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Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by butlersrangers »

Thanks 'Parashooter'' for all the 'How To' you contribute!

Warpspasm
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:17 pm

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by Warpspasm »

Parashooter wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:59 am I give up! Having actually done this job as described, with no special tools or skills, all I can add is that it wasn't difficult and nothing cracked.
LOL. Sorry. I think it would be easier if I had another person to hold it together while I worked the hammer and punch. I'm more frustrated than anything else. My wife's been away since I started this and will be back soon. Hopefully, that will make the difference. We'll see.

FredC
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Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 4:38 pm
Location: Dewees Texas

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by FredC »

I tried to add to the conversation a couple of days ago. but deleted the post instead of submitting it. I am with the others here glue will not work here. We glue a lot of components in the shop but we have large areas to work with. The thin strapping you will be using not so much. We have riveted hard stainless pins and drilled them on the end to start the peening process. Worked real well for us. Photo is attached of the parts. Two legs a roller and shaft were all assembled together all had to be very tight and the roller still able to freely turn. We did use a spring loaded pusher to hold the legs tight together, corresponding to your third hand that you think you need. I think with books, 2X4s or something stacked up on the vice to support it and couple fingers holding the punch and a couple of fingers holding down the strap with one hand and the hammer in the other I could pull this off. Practice on a random board till you got it down.
Butlersrangers idea of drilling or slotting the end is sort of cheating but cheating will make it easier if you have the means to do it. The other thing is make the right length of nail poke through. Too long and the upset at the end will not keep the strap tight, too short and it will not work. Making the hole tight on the nail will help the end result also.
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Last edited by FredC on Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

blfrankjr
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Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 8:31 pm

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by blfrankjr »

Warspasm,
Clips are .02 thick and .620 wide, rear band I believe is two inches long before bending. I used 1075 steel. I believe it is listed as Spring steel, but still needs to be tempered to be a “spring”. I have some 1075 the right dimensions if you want some. Getting the holes in the right spot is the hard part, the holes are 1/8 inch.
You also might try asking a lumber associate at Home Depot or similar for some of the banding steel mentioned earlier. Often used to bundle lumber.
I’d get someone who normally works with tools to help with the rivets. If you know someone with an aircraft Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license, they may have a rivet squeezer.

Warpspasm
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Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by Warpspasm »

Here's where I am currently. I managed to get my hands on some steel strapping that will work. Steel strapping is a scarce commodity because places like 84 Lumber and Home Depot (and probably many others) now get their lumber strapped with plastic bands. I've been working on a piece of scrap left over from the where I shortened the handguard. I drilled the scrap and a piece of band. I've really struggled with the juggling of all of the parts to with regards to getting them all lined up and then hitting the punch with a hammer. My wife is back home, so I can probably get her to help me out with hold the stuff. I really couldn't get enough of a smack with the hammer to even begin to peen a standard steel nail. I orderd some split rivets, in what I'm hoping are the correct size, from Amazon and they will probably be here today. I'm also hoping that once I get them it will all work out.

Baltimoreed
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Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:42 pm

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by Baltimoreed »

If you are using an aftermarket handguard without any holes get a couple mauser clips to experiment with. Thats what I've used on two builds so far. I cut a mortise into the guard and the jbwelded them in. You could easily add rivets then. The 2 silvery things on the bbl are the clips. Might need to flex them for a tight fit. Real Krag clips seem to only be available if robbed off a busted handguard.
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Warpspasm
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:17 pm

Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by Warpspasm »

Baltimoreed wrote: Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:31 pm If you are using an aftermarket handguard without any holes get a couple mauser clips to experiment with. Thats what I've used on two builds so far. I cut a mortise into the guard and the jbwelded them in. You could easily add rivets then. The 2 silvery things on the bbl are the clips. Might need to flex them for a tight fit. Real Krag clips seem to only be available if robbed off a busted handguard.
Thanks. Off to find some Mauser clips.

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butlersrangers
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Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by butlersrangers »

'Warpspasm':

FYI -If you search for "Mauser Clips", you will probably be inundated with references for cartridge 'chargers', a.k.a. 'stripper-clips'.

What you are actually seeking is the spring-clip that was used on a narrow range of Mauser handguards.

On certain Mausers, (like the 1908 Brazilian, 1909 Argentine models, Spanish and non-German 1898's), the rear of the handguard was secured to the barrel by a spring-clip. The spring-clip was fastened to the inside of the handguard with two small wood-screws. These handguards tend to have rather thick wood.

Like everything, Mauser handguards are in short supply and have gotten expensive.
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butlersrangers
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Re: Need a picture of a handguard spring clip. Attached or unattached to the handguard.

Post by butlersrangers »

A Google search for 'Mauser handguard clip' indicates Century Arms may have the metal clip & screws for $4.00.

(I don't know if this will actually work on your Krag handguard project)?
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