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How to install K-Var plastic upper hand guard on gas tube?


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I watched a video online showing how to do it, but I can't get mine to spin around. I tired soaking it in hot water and trying it, but it only gets about half way then hangs up. Is there some sort of trick to it that I am missing? Should I heat the plastic up with a hair dryer?

 

Thanks in advance!!!

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It helps to thin out the 4 contact points on the underside with the grinding tool of a dremel. (The K-Var upper handguard is not perfectly fitted to most gas tubes). Then, you will be able to put it on with your hands with some difficulty, or with a loop wrench. You want it to be tight, but not humanly impossible to remove. When putting it on with your hands or the loop wrench, twist one end at a time, then alternate to the other end.

Edited by Jim Digriz
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I watched a video online showing how to do it, but I can't get mine to spin around. I tired soaking it in hot water and trying it, but it only gets about half way then hangs up. Is there some sort of trick to it that I am missing? Should I heat the plastic up with a hair dryer?

 

Thanks in advance!!!

I had the same problem. Ive herd of "It helps to thin out the 4 contact points on the underside with the grinding tool of a dremel" like Jim suggested. Works, just dont take too much. Ive also used CLP or some different type of lube.

 

From my own experiences ive wrapped the Gas Tube in protective cloth and clamped on to it with vice grips and worked it around with my hand, just make sure its not so tight that you crush your GT. sometimes you have to manipulate the ends of the handguard to get it to move around those contact points. Thats a bummer you broke it. But if you can get it on there, at least its not a huge rip/crack. Should still work.

Edited by AZG
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Looks like you might be able to still use the hand guard if you can get it trimmed and on properly.

 

Did one recently and documented it. Check out the link. I pointed out where I had to trim. Just used a matt knife and took a little off at a time. It was a PIA.

 

http://forum.saiga-12.com/index.php?/topic/63654-going-green-conversion-part-4done/page__p__610528__hl__%2Bgoing+%2Bgreen+%2Bconversion__fromsearch__1#entry610528

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Very nice tutorial, I wish I had found that tutorial before I messed with it. The crack is too big for it to look right if I tired to still use the handguard. In what way did you grind the lip edge? It is hard to tell from that photo. I understand where to grind the 4 points, but the ends I am not so sure about. Oh well I have a few days until a replacement comes. Does anyone know who sells just the upper handguard for cheap?

 

Thanks for that link!

Looks like you might be able to still use the hand guard if you can get it trimmed and on properly.

 

Did one recently and documented it. Check out the link. I pointed out where I had to trim. Just used a matt knife and took a little off at a time. It was a PIA.

 

http://forum.saiga-1...__1#entry610528

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an easy way to install a handguard on the gas tube is to use an open end wrench. approx 3/4" or whatever the appropriate size of the tube is. i dont recall at the moment. hold the handguard and rotate the gas tube via the wrench and the tube will roll into place very easily. great for removal too.

 

even with that break, you could proabably still use that upper. the crack may not be to visible once installed.

Edited by GregM1
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Very nice tutorial, I wish I had found that tutorial before I messed with it. The crack is too big for it to look right if I tired to still use the handguard. In what way did you grind the lip edge? It is hard to tell from that photo. I understand where to grind the 4 points, but the ends I am not so sure about. Oh well I have a few days until a replacement comes. Does anyone know who sells just the upper handguard for cheap?

 

Thanks for that link!

I shaved the hand guards concave/inside part on the last two ribs (not the outside). It was as if the gas tube was too fat, obviously it was the variation in the K-Var furniture. Mine turned on about half way and got bound bad where the arrows are. The front two ribs were tight but turned on without any trimming.

 

Did try heat and lube but both were a no go. If I had used serious leverage it would have broke. A little shaving did the trick. Next time I will use a wrench like the others have suggested, and shave it a little at a time if need be.

 

Possible suggestion is to practice trimming and finish installing your broke one. If it don't look bad you can avoid buying another one. If it does look bad take it off and replace...at least you will have experience fitting one and not chance ruining another.

 

Hang in there. It is all a learning experience.

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Once again, you guys ROCK!!! Thank you all so much for the sage advice and helping me get things working. If it was not for this forum and the Calguns forum, I would have a major mess on my hands and I also would have no idea about Saiga's or the restoration process. I have been an avid forum user for over 10 years for everything from computers to cars and I have to say I have gotten more help here than all of the other forums I have visited combined.

 

I took your advice and practiced on the broken handguard and was able to get it on the tube, with alot of grinding and a hair dryer. The crack is not as bad as I thought and will work for now. The only issue I have now is that the gas tube is a little loose and it rattles around a bit when I wiggle it. Is this normal? The gun cycles smoothly, so I don't think it will have a negative affect. I was thinking about wedging a piece of thin cardboard or paper between the upper front gas tube retainer ring and the lower front handguard bracket. Any advice???

 

Thanks in advance!!!

 

Very nice tutorial, I wish I had found that tutorial before I messed with it. The crack is too big for it to look right if I tired to still use the handguard. In what way did you grind the lip edge? It is hard to tell from that photo. I understand where to grind the 4 points, but the ends I am not so sure about. Oh well I have a few days until a replacement comes. Does anyone know who sells just the upper handguard for cheap?

 

Thanks for that link!

I shaved the hand guards concave/inside part on the last two ribs (not the outside). It was as if the gas tube was too fat, obviously it was the variation in the K-Var furniture. Mine turned on about half way and got bound bad where the arrows are. The front two ribs were tight but turned on without any trimming.

 

Did try heat and lube but both were a no go. If I had used serious leverage it would have broke. A little shaving did the trick. Next time I will use a wrench like the others have suggested, and shave it a little at a time if need be.

 

Possible suggestion is to practice trimming and finish installing your broke one. If it don't look bad you can avoid buying another one. If it does look bad take it off and replace...at least you will have experience fitting one and not chance ruining another.

 

Hang in there. It is all a learning experience.

Edited by WiKDMoNKY
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My gas tube wiggles a bit too. Took the metal clip off my factory one, popped it on the new gas tube and movement was reduced slightly. It still has some side to side wiggle. Everything works fine so I'm OK with it.

 

Don't believe wedging something combustible between the gas tube and barrel is a good idea.

 

Many in here have used these gas tubes as replacements for upper hand guards. If there were something dramatically detrimental with the wiggle it would have been addressed in a thread or two.

 

Good job following through on the upper hand guard.

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I thought about the paper/cardboard being combustible last night late and decided against that. I just popped off the factory metal clip and put it on the new one and the wiggle is gone!

 

Another big thank you to everyone here for the speedy help. You guys rock!!!

My gas tube wiggles a bit too. Took the metal clip off my factory one, popped it on the new gas tube and movement was reduced slightly. It still has some side to side wiggle. Everything works fine so I'm OK with it.

 

Don't believe wedging something combustible between the gas tube and barrel is a good idea.

 

Many in here have used these gas tubes as replacements for upper hand guards. If there were something dramatically detrimental with the wiggle it would have been addressed in a thread or two.

 

Good job following through on the upper hand guard.

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  • 2 months later...

an easy way to install a handguard on the gas tube is to use an open end wrench. approx 3/4" or whatever the appropriate size of the tube is. i dont recall at the moment. hold the handguard and rotate the gas tube via the wrench and the tube will roll into place very easily. great for removal too.

 

I went ahead and bumped this thread after running into this issue myself, and I used basically this method to get it installed. Mine was too tight to hold by hand and I really wanted to avoid shaving any material to help guarantee a tight fit when finished, so this is what I did: I have some 1/4"-thick sheet black rubber that works really well as vice pads, so I got the assembly situated in the vise with rubber on both sides. The rubber both protected the parts involved and added a "no skid" effect like a jar opener, and combined with the pressure from the vise compressing and deforming the handguard slightly it rotated around with an open-end wrench on the squared-off part of the gas tube fairly easily. A little further tweaking to get it all squared up once it was out of the vise and it was finished. I'm not sure I'd try this method with a wood handguard because I'd be worried about splitting it, but for the flexible poly it worked well.

 

 

 

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