East Taylor LLC repro handguards?

[Rick the Librarian]

I had a gentleman from another forum recommend reproduction Krag handguards from a firm called "East Taylor LLC". They appear to sell all varieties (including the 1899 carbine model with the wood sight protector) for $65, which includes rivets and the clips.

Anyone hear anything positive or negative about them?

Here's the link:

http://www.partsforantiqueguns.com/Krag%20%28Springfield%29%20Upper%20Handguards.htm

[Mark Daiute]

I have purchased maybe a half dozen handguards and forearm extensions from them. the 1901 rifle handguards required some minor fitting, especially under the binding lever.

I will continue to by stock parts from them.

[Rick the Librarian]

I would like to find a cracked or broken Krag handguard to I can have somebody put together one for me. But if that doesn't work out, I'd like to have an alternate plan.

[5MadFarmers]

The initial batch of 3rd block 1899s were made with rifle handguards so you have an easier option available.

[Rick the Librarian]

You mean the "flat" handguards (no wooden sight protector) like on my other 1899, 356,000 range?

http://www.fototime.com/3294A159E09435D/standard.jpg

[Dick Hosmer]

I have purchased maybe a half dozen handguards and forearm extensions from them. the 1901 rifle handguards required some minor fitting, especially under the binding lever.

I will continue to by stock parts from them.

How were the forearm extentions? For what I'm doing (shortening, not stretching) it would be easier to just use regular stocks, but I just hate to chop a good stock to make a phony!

Anyone have one (or perhaps two) DECENT whacked M98 stocks - MUST have clear 1902 cartouche - for sale, CHEAP? I have a cutoff 1896 stock, and/or some parts which I would trade.

[Rick the Librarian]

How were the forearm extentions? For what I'm doing (shortening, not stretching) it would be easier to just use regular stocks, but I just hate to chop a good stock to make a phony!



That's why, when I advertised on the WTS/WTB forum, I asked for a broken or cracked handguard.

[madsenshooter]

I have one negative to throw in here. I bought one his handguards for a 1901 sight off ebay. I didn't get around to trying it for quite some time. When the sight was on, it left quite a gap between stock and handguard on the right side. He wasn't nice, but he did give me my money back, and told me he wouldn't sell to me again, because it fit, in his opinion. Yes, it fit, until you put the sight in the slot, which I don't think he did. So, I had my sister buy me another one through him, and it fit fine. I probably could have enlarged the sight slot and made it work, but don't think I should have had to. With anything mass produced you're going to have one not within specs from time to time. Also got one for a 1902 sight had to trim a wee bit to allow clearance for the elevation locking knob, no big deal, Mr. Dremel gave me a hand.

[Rick the Librarian]

I hope to find a broken handguard that I can piece together. If you have seen pictures of the corroded Krag carbine I have posted, I think a "new" handguard would look a little silly. I just thought it best to see if I could come up with an alternative if I can find a handguard to piece together.

[Dick Hosmer]

You know, I don't understand these people - with the machinery available today, NO one needs to turn out a cheap-$hit product.

I'd bet that most people would even pay more for a handguard, so long as it fit.

And - it's NOT bleeping rocket science, either. The holes NEVER move. The band NEVER moves. The clip slots NEVER move. There are only THREE sight-base placements. A monkey should be able to get it right, every time.

[Mark Daiute]

Ok, so that get's us back to forearms. the only problem I've had with them (and these REALLY aren't rocket science) was grain. Somehow or other the wood grain doesn't seem to match the old walnut. At this point tho I'm getting pretty picky.

I told them about the 1901 sight and handguard and was told that it was an exact copy from a specimen in good condition.

[Kragrifle]

Ben Rice was a master.

[Rick the Librarian]

Ok, so that get's us back to forearms. the only problem I've had with them (and these REALLY aren't rocket science) was grain. Somehow or other the wood grain doesn't seem to match the old walnut. At this point tho I'm getting pretty picky.



That is my concern about using a "new" handguard with an "old" stock.

[madsenshooter]

Put a new one on, send it to my house for awhile. After dwelling in my closet for a short time with all the other guns, it'll look old and beat up. Don't consider S&S either, I got one from them, real light wood, almost light as balsa weight-wise, that drinks stain like a sponge, and it was lopsided.

[Mark Daiute]

one of my restored Krags I have to remind myself it was restored (stretched). It's a 4 digit 1892 and I went to check it for the filled ramrod channel. Good thing I don't take myself seriously.

M

[madsenshooter]

Larry E. Price used to make the forearms with the cleaning rod slot Mark. I would guess installing a filler would be up to the buyer. I had some fitting problems with one I got from him, rear was a little small, but I had some extra still on the old stock. The splice is barely under the band rather than at the rear of it where I'd prefer.

[Dick Hosmer]

I would not buy anything from that scumbag if he were the last parts supplier around. Poster boy for putting up flaky stuff with no return allowed, then absolutely refusing to answer questions, even though (to look like a nice guy, I guess) he solicits same in his boilerplate.

[madsenshooter]

I got the same cold shoulder when it came to asking a question, or offering feedback on his product. No reply.

[Dick Hosmer]

F**k him - he's not worth any further transmission of electrons - there's other fish in the sea!

[Dick Hosmer]

Ben Rice was a master.

Yes, he was, except for that weird pinkish color on his early work - but the fit was always good.

[Rick the Librarian]

F**k him - he's not worth any further transmission of electrons - there's other fish in the sea!

Now, Dick, don't hide your feelings, tell us how you really feel!! :D

[Mark Daiute]

Larry E. Price used to make the forearms with the cleaning rod slot Mark. I would guess installing a filler would be up to the buyer. I had some fitting problems with one I got from him, rear was a little small, but I had some extra still on the old stock. The splice is barely under the band rather than at the rear of it where I'd prefer.


The rifle doesn't deserve that level of, level of.... well I don't know what to call it. Restoration will have to do until I come up with something better. My point was that the stretching of that one went well, so well I forgot it was stretched back, even if it was only for a while. The rifle has a wonderful, tight barrel. I wonder if it was re-barreled while still in service. What's that late cartouche? BA? FA? the one in the very square box? This rifle has the remnants of one of those and as posted before, one day as I was picking it up I realized there had been a cartouche on the starboard side of the wrist. This rifle came to me with a scope with a weaver mount. The scope and the mount are now on a rifbine I assembled from parts. The two holes in the 1892 receiver have been filled and aren't overly obnoxious. Certainly not as obnoxious as the scope and mount. for now it's as close as I'm gonna get to an 1892.

[madsenshooter]

Starboard side, S.W.P. 1894 between serial #s 1177 and 1932. I think most of the 92s got re-barreled at some point in their service. Course not all or we wouldn't have any original examples left. BA was the Benica Arsenal's refurb cartouche, the BA usually followed by the inspector's initials. I guess there were also SA and RIA refurb cartouches, and someday I might figure out what the J mark on some of them are. They didn't start using the refurb cartouches until 1908. That would have been after barrel making got tightened up a bit by the invention of the star-gage, circa 1905.

From the first, great concern over the uniformity of the bore diameter of the new service rifle prompted the use of a mechanical bore measuring device known as the "star gage"... (yes, that's "gage", not "gauge")... the device had "fingers" that extended into the lands and grooves to measure the size of the barrel. The Krag Rifles had suffered from a lack of uniformity and the "star gage" (circa 1905) was designed to correct the deficiency. By 1909 it was discovered that the more modern methods of rifling the '03's barrels had resulted in a product that would pass the "star gage" test in well over 90% of all the new rifles.

[madsenshooter]

East Taylor handguard. I was wrong, the ill fitting one was for the 1898/1902 sight. Guy swore up and down it fit, my stock must've been sanded. So I sent him a pic of a GI handguard on it, no gap. Was told not to buy from him anymore and he reluctantly refunded my money. 2008 pic, coming back to haunt him. Problem was the sight slot was cut off, I probably could have fixed it it, but for the money didn't feel I should have to.

[Mark Daiute]

Bummer. So who does that leave us with for good replacements? Especially sad since, IIRC, Jack Schwartz is a member of the KCA.

[Dick Hosmer]

Perhaps we should just pay the price of real ones? They CAN be had, just not on the cheap. I recall Bob's (who is a decent guy) case, and the seller seems to have forgotten the prime directive.

I'll re-state an earlier position: There is absolutely NO reason why the suppliers cannot provide PERFECT handguards - period. If they do not, f**k'em!

Actually, I'm simply turned off by the name "East Taylor LLC" - sounds (and apparently acts like) like a law firm. Who tells a customer - when they've given them a substandard product - that they won't sell to them again? I'd tell you, but the answer wouldn't be PC.

[Rick the Librarian]

Bottom line ... (since I started this thread) - I'll continue to look for a broken handguard that I can have Rick Borecky piece together with the one on the carbine currently. The more I think about it, a reproduction handguard of whatever quality, just wouldn't look right with the condition my carbine is in.