[KurtC]

I seem to remember the standard tabs are just bent 90 degrees, and this would interfere with the screw(s) location so they need to be bent upward? The band is hardened so they need to be annealed. So I can see how the person twisted the whole band in doing this. I would send it back on aesthetics alone. That parts looks terrible, functional as it may be. Do you know if they quench or harden these bands after they screw and glue them and bend the tabs?

The tabs are bent upwards so that they can't vibrate against the stock ferrule.

It's SOP on welded assemblies as well.

 

[Nonsensical]

Yes I apologize I didnt read the thread closely...

I apologize also. I shouldn't have replied like that. I was frustrated and took a bit of it out on you. Appreciate the advice.

 

[KurtC]

At this point I have to ask...

What possessed you to have SAI commercial parts screwed and glued?

Usually folks go through that trouble and expense with USGI parts.

 

[smoothy8500]

What possessed you to have SAI commercial parts screwed and glued?

That is a valid question...Could not have been any cheaper than just buying it from Midway or Brownells.

 

[Nonsensical]

That is a valid question...Could not have been any cheaper than just buying it from Midway or Brownells.

At this point I have to ask...

What possessed you to have SAI commercial parts screwed and glued?

Usually folks go through that trouble and expense with USGI parts.

Tbh, I know unitizing is generally only beneficial if done in conjunction with glass bedding (did not know it was also generally worth the trouble with USGI parts), but simply bc i wanted to see if I could get a bit more accuracy, and/or less flyers.

Getting a unitized GC from Fulton or SA would have been closer to $200 after taxes. So, figured this gunsmith was reputable (allegedly), and costs after shipping was worth it to try. But now I feel i should have left it alone. Sigh.

 

[lysander]

I had a bunch done years ago. The gunsmith told me to send extra bands because they crack easily during modification

You really should anneal the front band lips before trying to bend the lips. According to the drawing they are supposed to hard, depending on the material some can be as hard as files.

Pack the bottom in sand to keep to cool and get the lips hot as fast as possible.

 

[Dflag]

The upper tab is twisted more than just a little. Ugly.

 

[Nonsensical]

That is a valid question...Could not have been any cheaper than just buying it from Midway or Brownells.

Yea, thought it was a good deal at the time. Didn't want the welded version. Should have done more research or just gone w welded.

Springfield Armory M1A National Match Gas Cylinder Steel Blue

These steel gas cylinders are constructed to the same demanding standards of all National Match components, and will serve admirably for years while...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Whipped Cream Head]

Nothing wrong with welded, many of mine are. If welded properly, they should never break from normal use. Screwed-n-glued is a more guaranteed secure method, a consideration if competing, and the preciseness of it has a certain appeal. If the band tabs were bent first (don’t know how else you would do it) the smith should have selected another front band.

 

[HKSteve]

The tabs are bent upwards so that they can't vibrate against the stock ferrule.

It's SOP on welded assemblies as well.

I never knew this, but it makes sense. I thought it was to better capture the handguard but it doesnt matter. This being said, wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to just trim the tabs shorter than annealing & bending them like this?

 

[KurtC]

I never knew this, but it makes sense. I thought it was to better capture the handguard but it doesnt matter. This being said, wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to just trim the tabs shorter than annealing & bending them like this?

The tabs still need to support the front of the handguard. Match handguards have the bottoms of the front lip trimmed to fit on top of or inside the bent tabs. There may be better solutions, but this is how the AMU started doing it 50 years ago and it has become SOP.

 

[HKSteve]

Yes I’ve seen that thx

 

[HKSteve]

Oh, I see now you’re saying they they curl those tabs up to raise them higher as to avoid hitting the feral. That makes sense. I thought they did it to bend them outward to avoid hitting the feral. Thank you.

 

[Ted Brown]

Bending the tabs up also pushes the hand guard up and away from any contact with the stock. These little details all contribute to improved accuracy.
The gas cylinder in question could be fixed to a degree by simply bending the corner with the crack forward to properly align the band. It won't eliminate the crack, but it's a very small crack and should not grow if the band is straightened out. It appears that the band may have suffered an impack which bent it back resulting in the crack. Just my WAG.

 

[hueygunner]

ted: you are more correct than the other experts. the gas cylinder was sent to me by this gentleman.
that is his front band that crack was in there from day one.
I have seen lots of aftermarket front bands with this flaw over the years and even a few gi ones.
whomever did the bands bending and annealing on that other gas cylinder was a not a smith.
the crack I have seen mostly on front bands is in the one spot that happens when someone/gun owner has tried to bend the tangs up without properly annealing, then sends it to me or you without letting us know in advance that they had attempted to perform the bending seen in that other photo then bent it back straight and sent it and the gas cylinder and parts for the modification.
only problem is it induced stressors not normally seen by us who have older eyes and when we anneal the tabs the metal has already been stressed out so it cracks on the loop area of the tang.
admit sometimes I miss this crack and it is an embarrassment I strive to do the best job but sometimes I goof. this one as no one is perfect. gene Barnett showed this to me many years ago.
I offered to fix his gas cylinder for nothing which would have included a new gi band for no charge. as a one man band I cant afford return shipping all the time. so this guy who sent this out was way off.
that band so called crack in that area is not a factor in strength of the band but a manufacturing problem in the stamping process. I told him to shoot his rifle and get back with me which he did not. he still has the option of getting the band replaced for no charge he just needs to provide the shipping. jeff

 

[hueygunner]

It’s hard to tell from the photos but I don’t see any shiny metal in that crack leading me to think that it occurred before parkerizing. Did you send the parts to him or did he supply the front band? If the part was manufactured that way, it probably should have been rejected upon inspection, imo but other than being a little unsightly, I don’t think you’ll have any problems with it.

only part of that that gets heat paint for cosmetics is the area of the screws the gas valve. if I did the complete refinish which not most guys would go for it would be totally re oxided and would look brand new. jeff

 

[hueygunner]

Army style, drill and tap method. Yea, the more I think about it the more I feel like he knew something was up and sent it out anyway. The fact that he knew where and offered to fix it for free, given I pay for shipping, but suddenly reversed his opinion after I confronted him makes everything sus.

the only one here that is nonsensical is you. your option I gave you is still open. jeff

 

[smoothy8500]

First it seemed like a lot of complaining, but now....

 

[Cranky182]

First it seemed like a lot of complaining, but now....

Have to agree with you on this one, OP surely got the pot stirred up on this thread and the other thread he has on this very same topic.

 

[Cranky182]

ted: you are more correct than the other experts. the gas cylinder was sent to me by this gentleman.
that is his front band that crack was in there from day one.
I have seen lots of aftermarket front bands with this flaw over the years and even a few gi ones.
whomever did the bands bending and annealing on that other gas cylinder was a not a smith.
the crack I have seen mostly on front bands is in the one spot that happens when someone/gun owner has tried to bend the tangs up without properly annealing, then sends it to me or you without letting us know in advance that they had attempted to perform the bending seen in that other photo then bent it back straight and sent it and the gas cylinder and parts for the modification.
only problem is it induced stressors not normally seen by us who have older eyes and when we anneal the tabs the metal has already been stressed out so it cracks on the loop area of the tang.
admit sometimes I miss this crack and it is an embarrassment I strive to do the best job but sometimes I goof. this one as no one is perfect. gene Barnett showed this to me many years ago.
I offered to fix his gas cylinder for nothing which would have included a new gi band for no charge. as a one man band I cant afford return shipping all the time. so this guy who sent this out was way off.
that band so called crack in that area is not a factor in strength of the band but a manufacturing problem in the stamping process. I told him to shoot his rifle and get back with me which he did not. he still has the option of getting the band replaced for no charge he just needs to provide the shipping. jeff

Jeff,
Thanks for clarifying this situation for everyone