Made in USA "Cheese Grater" hand guard

[Toad]

Those "cheese grator" handguards are a weird one.  Lots of people claim they are US made and there may have been some back in the day that were USA made, but I don't think the current batch of cheese grators are US made.  I don't even think the older ones that were "US made" were stamped made in the USA.  Anyone actually have one that IS stamped made in the USA?

Nope, never seen one stamped Made in USA. During the AWB, there were bins of them available at every gun show. They all seemed to be packaged the same, just with different card stock inserts with different info. During the AWB, folks were tentative with putting anything on an SKS that wasn't marked Made in US in some way. Today, I dunno. But, Id certainly hold onto the packaging, just to avoid any issues.

[Carl in CT]

I'm not sure that paper would satisfy the BATF but it is better than nothing, at least you can make an argument. 

I'm not sure either but like you said it's better than nothing. I guess I would hope that since I have something that says it is made in the USA and they would have no way of proving otherwise I'd be ok. This one is on my SKS-M which has Murray's made in USA hammer/trigger/sear set and a cut down Tapco made in USA gas piston (and op rod but that doesn't count). The only time I need the handguard to be made in USA is if I want to use foreign mags. So I stick with Tapco mags to be safe for now. Maybe I can find some made in USA AK mag parts (followers or floor plates) to put in the other mags then I'm all set with or without the handguard.

[panoz77]

Or just swap followers from one to the other.

[Carl in CT]

Or just swap followers from one to the other.

Will the Tapco followers work in the metal Chinese mags and vice versa?  I hadn't tried that and thought they wouldn't work for some reason. Can't hurt to try I guess.

[panoz77]

Not sure, give it a try 

[panoz77]

Or just swap followers from one to the other.

Will the Tapco followers work in the metal Chinese mags and vice versa?  I hadn't tried that and thought they wouldn't work for some reason. Can't hurt to try I guess.

Found these too.
http://www.primaryarms.com/WeaponTech_AK47_Enhanced_Bolt_Hold_Open_Follower_p/afwtakf3.htm

[Toad]

Or just swap followers from one to the other.

Will the Tapco followers work in the metal Chinese mags and vice versa?  I hadn't tried that and thought they wouldn't work for some reason. Can't hurt to try I guess.

Comparing old Tapco (IMO the new ones suck), the followers weren't even close. A number of Chi, duck bill never had the BHO slot.

[panoz77]

Or just swap followers from one to the other.

Will the Tapco followers work in the metal Chinese mags and vice versa?  I hadn't tried that and thought they wouldn't work for some reason. Can't hurt to try I guess.

Comparing old Tapco (IMO the new ones suck), the followers weren't even close. A number of Chi, duck bill never had the BHO slot.

I think the conversation switched from SKS mags to AK mags a few posts up in regard to his SKS-M.  CIC is talking about swapping AK followers.

So I stick with Tapco mags to be safe for now. Maybe I can find some made in USA AK mag parts (followers or floor plates) to put in the other mags then I'm all set with or without the handguard.

[sksmcrossvilletn]

I wonder if there is any way we could talk Gould Engineering into making these cheese grater hand guards and stamping USA or made in USA on them? I am sure if we did a group buy he might consider it. I for one would be in for at least two of them.

[Different Drummer]

I wonder if there is any way we could talk Gould Engineering into making these cheese grater hand guards and stamping USA or made in USA on them? I am sure if we did a group buy he might consider it. I for one would be in for at least two of them.

I live about 1.5 hours from them.  If they needed an example I have the new Redbird one I would gladly drop off.

[Carl in CT]

I wonder if there is any way we could talk Gould Engineering into making these cheese grater hand guards and stamping USA or made in USA on them? I am sure if we did a group buy he might consider it. I for one would be in for at least two of them.

I live about 1.5 hours from them.  If they needed an example I have the new Redbird one I would gladly drop off.

I'd be up for one.

[juaneye]

I would take one or two.

[sksmcrossvilletn]

I would take one or two.

Okay,

Could someone who has been here a while possibly contact them on this site. I am new to the site and I don't want them to think I am blowing smoke. I will try and contact them though if no one else wants to.

Thanks,

[40below]

I'm not sure that paper would satisfy the BATF but it is better than nothing, at least you can make an argument. 

I'm not sure either but like you said it's better than nothing. I guess I would hope that since I have something that says it is made in the USA and they would have no way of proving otherwise I'd be ok. This one is on my SKS-M which has Murray's made in USA hammer/trigger/sear set and a cut down Tapco made in USA gas piston (and op rod but that doesn't count). The only time I need the handguard to be made in USA is if I want to use foreign mags. So I stick with Tapco mags to be safe for now. Maybe I can find some made in USA AK mag parts (followers or floor plates) to put in the other mags then I'm all set with or without the handguard.

Carl in CT;

I have a "M" as my grab & go choice of firearms, which also has the trigger, hammer & sear by Murray and a USA made gas piston from ebay. With a Tapco mag I'm at + 2, with a Bulgarian plastic mag that has USA follower and floor plate from K-Var it's at +1. Then for the steel mag, I don't have a problem because every 922r part that I'm using in the "M" is a repair part.

40below

[vermontcnc]

Hi Guys. I also purchased a cheese grater hand guard years ago, but I opted not to use it. After installation I did not like it with my Timbersmith stock, so I opted to remove it.

As for manufacturing them, I'm afraid I would not be much help. My shop is primarily CNC machining. The cheese graters are a metal fabrication piece made from sheet metal. I do not do any fabrication in my shop. I machine from billet chunks of metal. I could machine them from billet, but the cost would be far beyond what anyone would be willing to pay. It would be so labor intensive that I didn't even take the time to make myself one. I am always up for doing group buys, but sadly we have not yet expanded into fabrication. I appreciate the thought though guys. Thank you for the consideration!