wood handguards for v12

[dproctor15 11]

Let me start with the finished product so everyone can see if you would be something you are interested in.

 

The upper handguard is (too my knowledge) the same as any akm upper. No fitting required.

 

This is a surplus Romanian rpk lower handguard (HG)

 

I used a dremel tool with a sanding drum to enlarge the opening at the receiver end.

 

I tapered the opening to about 3/4 of the way down the HG towards the muzzle end of the HG.

 

Here is a table of the before and after measurements of the wood HG compared to the poly HG

 

I did not have to alter the muzzle end of the HG. On my initial fitting it was loose. The overall length seemed to be a little shy so I used a thin piece of rubber as a shim. This held up through my durability test, but after the poly was applied it was snug and the shim was not needed.

 

Here is a close up installed on my v12

 

The pistol grip sit further back on the molot grip did. I fixed this by using a drill bit to alter the angle on the hole.

 

I had an issue with the bolt that holds the pistol grip on. I rethreaded both the grip crew and nut with a tap and die set. I plan on using a dab of lock-tight for the final assembly.

 

 

Still has room for the folder to function.

[Spacehog 2,218]

Nice job. The only improvement I would suggest is modify the rear lower retainer guard bracket for the RPK where it goes into the receiver. Adding that bracket back in would help finish up the handguard and make it look like it was made to be there. Always cool to see someone think outside the box, and make their firearm unique, and wood is always a classy touch.

[Sdustin 578]

Nice. I was thinking the same thing able the rear of the lower handguard. Good write up. Oh all the measurements! I can see this helping a lot.

[Skoodge 22]

Mine thus far; needs a little more sanding and then stain and urethane.

 

 

Dproctor, what color stain did you use? I like that red.

[dproctor15 11]

I used scarlet rit dye. I put on 2 heavy coats of that. it turned the wood a really dark brown/red. So much I really could not see the wood grain as much as i wanted. I put on one light coat of red oak wood stain, miniwax if I remember correctly, and it brought out the grain nicely . It was really really dark at that point. So I mixed the scarlet rit dye in with the polyurethane and put on 6 to 7 coats of the rit/polyurethane mixture and it lightened it up some and bring it back to a deep red. I found that it helps immensely if you only swirl the mixture lightly as not to introduce bubbles into the poly. I still had rit dye not dissolved/mixed in with the polyurethane at the bottom of the bottle when I was applying it to the wood. I got pics if you would like to see them too.

 

 

BTW I like that lower with the handle!