LOWER HANDGUARD RETAINER TIP

[essohbe 47]

There are several threads about lower handguard retainers, if you want to go that direction with your rifle. I found the new aluminum piece from Br*wn*lls to be a decent retainer if you swap out the bolt that comes with it and modify a stainless steel one instead.

 

Before you begin, take a look at the pic I posted below. You are only going to cut into your barrel maybe a groove measuring no more than a 1/16 of an inch. Maybe not even that much. All you need is a little groove to catch the retainer piece's bolt into so it doesn't move forward nor backward. I've seen some people attempt these bolt-retainer mods and I think they cut way to deep into their barrels. You don't need to be weakening your barrel by cutting too deep into it. DON'T BE A RETARD. Do not cut into your barrel more than what you can see from my own picture.

 

 

 

 

Depending on the lower handguard you use, the groove may need to be cut in an ever-so-slightly-different position, but they should all pretty much be the same damn size.

 

I'm using the LHV-whatever lower handguard. It sits against the receiver nice (and you'll need a damn jaws-of-life to get it on BTW). Put your handguard on WITH THE RETAINER PIECE ON IT and then scribe where your groove is going to be on the barrel for accomodating the retainer's crossbolt/screw.

 

 

 

 

Here's some other pics below of the Brownells lower handguard retainer with my specific alterations I think are necessary.

 

 

 

 

It is because the 8-32 thread screw provided with the retainer piece is a hardened carbon-steel look'n screw that I have decided to replace it with a stainless steel one of the very same thread but a tad bit longer. I got myself an 8-32 x 1" stainless alen head bolt. The carbon steel is just way too brittle to consider using it seriously on a rifle. It will also not stand up to what I did to help it fit:

 

What you want to do is get to a grinding wheel or something similar and shave off the threads in the middle of the bolt. Leave the end that is going to be threaded into the other end of the retainer piece alone. Leave some thread near the allen head also, where the allen head fits into the little "well" on the opposite end of the retainer piece.

 

DO NOT SHAVE MORE THAN THE THREADS OFF. You don't need to get crazy. I bought two stainless screws and experimented. I went too far into the first one and it would not hold in the shallow barrel groove that I cut very well; I didn't want to cut deeper into the barrel. I took the next screw and barely ground the threads off. I then tested it, yet it didn't quite align right so I ground off just barely a little more and it went in tightly. This is what you are striving for.

 

Use blue lock-tite or anything else similar, just because it's common sense and good practice to not have parts flying off your rifles as you shoot them.

 

 

Let me repeat: Do not cut into your barrel more than removing the threads in the middle of the bolt allow it to fit into the groove you cut for it.

Carefully take you allen wrench and turn the bolt into the opposing end of the retainer piece. If you did it like I am attempting to explain, you should see that any remaining threads on the retainer's screw/bolt have cut into the top of your barrel groove, maybe a 64th of an inch or less if I had to guess. This is the tight fit you are looking for, without having it misaligned with the other end of the retainer piece it threads into.

 

Here's what it looks like when it's finally on:

 

 

 

 

 

I took mine off and painted it black and painted over the groove in the barrel too then I put them back on.

 

This retainer piece from Brownells is alluminum but don't wrench the thing on as tight as it will go, you will probably strip the threads or break the 'arm" off the thing - although I think it's pretty strong. It looks brittle because it resembles the hardened steel but it's really more maleable aluminum. Just hand tighten it snug and lock-tite it.

 

Because I used a slightly longer cross bolt (1 inch) it leaves room to put a nut on the end if you think you need to. Someone raised conern to me about the stainless male thread not staying in the aluminum's female end but put a tiny nut on you should be fine.

 

>> Something else brought up was about the Brownells piece having no sling loop. There's other ideas available though, like putting on right into your handguard (meh?) or if you have a rail, get a sling attachment that goes onto a rail. Something I might do is get a tri/quad rail barrel clamp (I have an NcStar one on another rifle) and put the sling attachment on that. Since you can put it anywhere on the barrel, put it directly in front of the handguard retainer to help hold the retainer in place even further (although if you did it right it really shouldn't be going anywhere anyway).

Edited December 14, 2010 by Kalashniklown

[toshbar 36]

So how many threads have been hijacked by us?

Lol. I was was about to suggest consolidating to one thread, but looks like this works.

[essohbe 47]

Lol.

[leadslinger 37]

i was wandering if any one put this on a k-var hand guard. it looks like it doesn't seat flush with the polymer. the tabs on the metal portion that the retainer fits on may have to be filed down some. I am going to wait to get some more info. It just might be the way the k-var hand guards fit. anyone?

[jimdigriz 580]

oops...removed

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jim Digriz

[gpqueen 545]

Here is another alternative for handguards without removing the gas block or filing on your barrel. http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/-strse-460/Saiga-Lower-Hand-guard/Detail

[WildmamWilliams 51]

Hey great! And after that's put on, normal AK furniture will fit on the front? I thought there would be more to it then that. Now I feel more confident about that stage of my restorversion.

[jimdigriz 580]

Hey great! And after that's put on, normal AK furniture will fit on the front? I thought there would be more to it then that. Now I feel more confident about that stage of my restorversion.

 

Check my post in the other handguard retainer thread about drilling a dimple for the set screw. If you don't do that - and it's not difficult - the retainer will slide forward. It's pretty embarrassing to have your handguard go flying off at the range. Don't ask me how I know. ;-)

[WildmamWilliams 51]

Hey great! And after that's put on, normal AK furniture will fit on the front? I thought there would be more to it then that. Now I feel more confident about that stage of my restorversion.

 

Check my post in the other handguard retainer thread about drilling a dimple for the set screw. If you don't do that - and it's not difficult - the retainer will slide forward. It's pretty embarrassing to have your handguard go flying off at the range. Don't ask me how I know. ;-)

 

Just read it.

Thanks Jim. Good advice as always! Now.... of all the different hand-guard retainers, is there any big difference other than price?

[jimdigriz 580]

Just read it.

Thanks Jim. Good advice as always! Now.... of all the different hand-guard retainers, is there any big difference other than price?

 

Since Classy's retainer will no longer be available, there's no competition. I would get the Dinzag one from CSS. The Brownell's one might be a good retainer, but the lack of a sling loop would a deal killer for me.

[WildmamWilliams 51]

Will do then. I wonder if getting it from Dinzag might be better for me, as I live nearby, and could maybe pick it up, no shipping and such.