my .308 keeps evolving.

[44rdv4rk 0]

Every time i think i've finished my .308, I do more shit to it. It's like a damn compulsion. Here's some of the stuff I've done to it.

 

I loved the function of the BHO, but the button was longer than it needed to be, and rubbed on my trigger finger.

Even when it was engaged, the button still protruded beneath the receiver.

To fix this, I engaged the BHO, and scribed a line on the button where it met the receiver. then i removed the BHO and ground it down to that line, and then rounded the corners a bit.

 

Now it doesn't hit my finger, and when it's engaged, you can barely see the button at all.

 

I also bubba'd myself a handguard retainer. I took a romy hg retainer, and ground it to fit aroundthe barrel, totally removing the center of the top section. Then I drilled a hole on each side, for the locking lever. After that, I put the HG on and slipped the retainer into place to locate where i needed to make the locking notch in the barrel. A small round file mae quick work of the notch. To make the locking lever, I took a 16 penny framing nail, and ground its head to a little 'button', then i notched a flat into the shaft of it so it could release from the notch in the barrel. I annealed the nail to make it able to bend more sharply without cracking. Then i simply poked the nail thru the holes in the HG retainer (while it was in place on the barrel) and bent the end down to make a lever. Its a pretty low-class solution, but I'm a pretty low-class guy.

You can see the drawback to this way is the semicircle that the lever scratched on the HG's

 

 

Now, of course, I wanted a cleaning rod, just for looks. God bless JBWELD. I just built it up with a greased cleaning rod in place, let it set, slipped the rod out, and filed it square.

 

Lastly, I didn't like the FSB being right at the end of the barrel. I knocked out the pins, took it off, and ground it shorter, until it was the same lenght as the non-tapered section of the barrel. Then I put it back on, drilled new pin holes, and did some JBWELD magic to make 'ears' to hold the cleaning rod.

 

Here's the whole shebang:

[macbeau 902]

Sweet - you've got kind of an RPK thing going on there. You need to find a "clubfoot" butt for it.

JB Weld and the Dremel tool are the home gun builders best friends. I really like your solution for the lower HG retainer. Could you possible grind the inside of the "lever" flat and polish it - thereby eliminating the scoring on the HG's? I was also wondering what could be done to WECSOG a cleaning rod retainer without replacing the FSB and gas block... Has it held up well under firing?

[44rdv4rk 0]

The cleaning rod retainer has held up fine so far, but I've probably only put 100 rds thru it in this configuration. Time will tell, i guess.

I've thought about putting an RPK furny set on. It is sort of shaping up that way, isn't it?

 

As for the scoring on the HG's you have a good idea, but the damage is done. I'll definitely give it a shot before putting any new furny on it.

[aurbis 1]

I like the whole design, it really looks good! RPK buttstock is a good idea too, maybe a bipod if you would actually use it. Either way it is a badass rifle.

 

Nice work on the cleaning rod attachment. Is all of the material holding the rod JB WELD? That's pretty neat. I think I may attempt something similar, except that my barrel is 16" so the rod sticks out several inches. I was going to chop down the rod at the non-threaded end. Let me know if you have any ideas...

Edited January 25, 2007 by hellgrün-K

[44rdv4rk 0]

yep, just jbweld. if it doesn't hold up, i figure i'll re-do it with a short length of metal tubing embeded in the center of the jbweld.

 

for your 16", why dont you drill a hole in the retainer to pass the rod thru. then you could actually use the cleaning rod.

 

i'm looking for a longer rod to use on mine, so it will be functional. that cleaning rod is regular ak length, it's just for looks right now... does anyone know where i can find a 22" cleaning rod?

[aurbis 1]

yep, just jbweld. if it doesn't hold up, i figure i'll re-do it with a short length of metal tubing embeded in the center of the jbweld.

 

for your 16", why dont you drill a hole in the retainer to pass the rod thru. then you could actually use the cleaning rod.

 

i'm looking for a longer rod to use on mine, so it will be functional. that cleaning rod is regular ak length, it's just for looks right now... does anyone know where i can find a 22" cleaning rod?

 

There is a hole in the retainer, but the rod only goes up to where the barrel ends, right underneath the bullet guide. It is blocked off by the receiver, and if I drilled through that it would come in contact with the internals of the recevier.

 

I'll take a pic if you don't get what I'm trying to say.

[macbeau 902]

44rdv4rk, hellgrün-K - It sounds like you two many be able to swap cleaning rods - perhaps?

[G O B 3,516]

Mosin Nagant rods work too. Tre M38/44 should be just right.

[ironhead7544 35]

It looks fine just as it is. Its the first long barreled 308 that Ive really liked. Dont over-do it.

[DaGroaner 2]

Not overly verbose at all. Thanks for the WESCOG insight and some great gun porn!

[rwsackett 0]

Not overly verbose at all. Thanks for the WESCOG insight and some great gun porn!

 

 

+ 1!