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Posted: 3/4/2004 7:07:01 PM EDT
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Hello, Just got my KVAR US stock set and had questions regarding fitting it to my rifle. For the gas tube upper handguard, do you recommend altering (filing or shaving the interior rib) to allow easier rotation, or do you just clamp the end in the vise and rotate it with brute strength? The lower handguard will definitely need to be altered in the rear. What would you recommend to shape/cut the plastic? A file or dremel? Basic hand tools? Hate to say it, but I don't own a dremel yet. The butt-stock also will need to be profiled, can this be done with a file or would you recommend sand paper? What worked for you guys? Also regarding the stock screws, what size drill should you use...one that lines up with the center of the screw or one that lines up with the lands in the screw? I want to make sure that the teeth will cut into the polymer, but not to the point that it might break the screw. Sorry for the long post. Any helpful recommendations would be appreciated. TIA, -e- |
| I just used a dremel on my stock set. The upper hand guard i left the way it was it was tight but not impossible to move. For the butt stock and lower HG it took about 5 minutes of dremel work and it fit like a dream. I imagine a file or sand paper would work also just a bit slower. |
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Much of it depends on what you are fitting the furniture to. MAK90s require a lot of fitting, especially the buttstock. I used a set of files, which took me quite some time, but produced an excellent no gap fit. If you decide to go the file route I highly recommend buying a file that has no cutting surface on one of the edges. This allows you to file the surface you're trying to fit without altering the area that actually butts up to the rear of the receiver. I used a Dremel on the lower handguard to remove the bulk of the material. Then I squared things up with a file. As far as the tang screws go, I highly recommend the set of screws K-Var sells. They are made specifically for the synthetic buttstock so they will not shear off while you are screwing them in. As added measure, I inserted the screws into a bar of soap before I screwed them into the stock. Start with a drill the size of the shank. I you feel the screw is still too tight then go up one drill size but no more. As a side note, make sure you place a center punch in the tang area exactly in the center of the hole you intend to drill. Once a hole is started off center it's really difficult to correct. The inside radius of the upper handguard might need thinned down a bit to fit well. I used a Dremel tool for this. In some people's opinion I may have gone a bit overboard getting everything perfect. But I just try to take a little pride in my workmanship. |
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