Carbine Hand Guard Source

[robh5]

Would anyone have an idea were to find a hand guard for a Krag carbine 1896 sight? I have a nice M1898 carbine that the hand guard was badly damaged.
The place in Georgia that makes decent repro's seems to have halted production for awhile. Finding an original is very difficult and expensive.
Thanks.

[Dick Hosmer]

If done carefully, a virtually perfect (and basically undetectable) M96C guard can be made from an M96R guard, which are more available, and cheaper, than the real thing. Work slowly using fine tools to produce the short tenon which just fits into the barrel band. Of course, such work should be made clear to a prospective buyer. Repros are fine, but can never approach the appearance of the real thing, as, no matter what is done to them they always look too fresh around the rivets.

[butlersrangers]

I agree with Dick, that original Krag hand-guards are much nicer than reproductions.

S&S Firearms, Glendale, N.Y., may currently have reproduction Krag hand-guards.

A couple of years back, I picked-up an original model 1896 rifle hand-guard, that was basically ruined.
Someone had lengthened the sight-opening, toward the front, to accommodate a model 1901 Krag sight.

This allowed a 'guilt free' hand-guard alteration, (like Dick Hosmer mentioned). In this case, it reclaimed a hand-guard,
that was otherwise a gross eyesore.

The attached photos show the altered model 1896 rifle hand-guard on a "faux-carbine". It would look 'reputable' on a real model 1896 carbine.

(FWIW - No good Krag parts were harmed in building this shooter).

4863748638

[robh5]

If done carefully, a virtually perfect (and basically undetectable) M96C guard can be made from an M96R guard, which are more available, and cheaper, than the real thing. Work slowly using fine tools to produce the short tenon which just fits into the barrel band. Of course, such work should be made clear to a prospective buyer. Repros are fine, but can never approach the appearance of the real thing, as, no matter what is done to them they always look too fresh around the rivets.

Interesting, I never thought of that. Converting one would be no problem for me since my profession for the last 35 years has been 18th and 19th furniture restoration and reproductions. Still, most of the loose hand guards I see are for the 1898/1902 sight. I even have an extra guard for a 1902 sight. Thanks for the help.

[Dan Shapiro]

https://www.ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=124

[Kragrifle]

1896 sight rifle handguards are running over $200 on EBay if you can find them,

[Ned Butts]

1896 sight rifle handguards are running over $200 on EBay if you can find them,

I bought one a couple of years ago to do the conversion, at that time they were under $200. It is still in rifle configuration, I can't bring myself to cut up a complete good condition handguard even to make an even scarcer carbine one. I continue to look for one with a damaged front end to do the job.

[1mark]

If you still need a hand guard for the 1896 sight contact me. I have an original hand guard. As noted, these are not cheap.

[Kragrifle]

Interested

[robh5]

Taking Dick Hosmer's suggestion about a M96R hand guard, I was able to make a M96C hand guard for my M98C carbine. I tracked down a M96R hand guard from an friend. It had some damage under the front end along with a crack. With a little bit of work was able to turn it into a nice looking carbine hand guard. Thanks Dick for the suggestion.4891348914489154891648917

[jon_norstog]

Rob, that is a really nice bit of work you've done there!

jn

[Dick Hosmer]

You're entirely welcome, and what you did was EXACTLY what I meant - there IS enough wood there to do a perfect job, if removed a bit at a time - and yours turned out beautifully!!

I'll go out on a limb here and hazard a guess (since the wood is SO fragile at that point) that even SA, or a repair depot, might have resorted to the trick a time or two - but we'll never know.

[Kragrifle]

How did you make the forward part of the handguard that is a lighter colored wood?

[Dick Hosmer]

How did you make the forward part of the handguard that is a lighter colored wood?

I believe that is simply a photo of where he had finished filing/sanding, but before he stained the raw spot. The beauty of this "conversion" is that the needed wood is all there, you just have to expose it VERY carefully, little by little, working like a sculptor. If done properly, the modified piece would be exactly like the real thing, and if "SUPER-well-done" would be absolutely indistinguishable.

[robh5]

How did you make the forward part of the handguard that is a lighter colored wood?
As Dick said below, it is showing how it looks after the excess wood was taken off, before staining. All I used was a utility knife and a dovetail saw, and a little bit of sandpaper.

[Kragrifle]

Very well done!