Tapco SKS handguard/gas tube question: did I screw up??

Elliottsdad · November 4, 2017, 12:42 AM

So, first of all, I kept all the original SKS wood/vintage parts in case this all went awry, so I'm not panicking. However, I'm afraid I might have screwed up this tapco upgrade!

The tapco stock fit perfectly, but the tapco handguard/gas tube needed A LOT more fileing than the instructions recommended (filing was necessary so that the gas tube lever could swing into place and lock it down). It required so much filing, in fact, that I began to file past the piston hole on the rear of the gas tube. It is minimal, however.

Now, once the lever locks into place, it covers this diagonal cut in the piston hole from above. I'm not sure if gas/pressure can escape/cause some kind of malfunction in the rear portion like this, but I'm not sure. It looks as if the piston can still move freely, it's just that I shaved a little too much so that toward the top of the hole, some of the hole's rim has recessed.

I guess what I'm wondering is, is this in some way unsafe to test-fire? And also, should I go into this assuming it's not going to work? I don't want to buy another handguard/gas tube just to have this same problem again..

FrankenMauser · November 4, 2017, 02:39 PM

A photo would be good.

Does the Tapco handguard have an integral gas tube?

Elliottsdad · November 4, 2017, 03:40 PM

Yeah, it does, but the rear block (where the Piston comes out to chamber a new round) is WAY more stout than the original, so it required a lot more filling than was recommended in the Tapco instructions.
I'll post a photo of that over filed rear hole ASAP
FYI: the fit is incredibly rock solid. But to get it there, it required this much filing

Elliottsdad · November 5, 2017, 09:40 AM

I took photos, and have tried to post them three different ways. No luck.

rjinga · November 5, 2017, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliottsdad

I took photos, and have tried to post them three different ways. No luck.

Get a free Imgur account, post them there and then copy and paste the BBCode (message boards & forums) link on here. Easy Peasy.

FrankenMauser · November 6, 2017, 03:05 AM

Check the "posting pictures" sticky in the support forum. Pretty much every avenue is covered.

Elliottsdad · November 6, 2017, 08:49 AM

https://imgur.com/a/0Grcy
Here's the picture
Thanks everyone! Hope this link works

Elliottsdad · November 6, 2017, 05:50 PM

Sent that photo to Tapco with a little write up on fit, amount of material removed, concerns about gas/piston movement/position in relation to recoil spring assembly, etc.
Tapco customer service (admittedly very fast) complete response e-mailed back:
"It will be fine."
Cool, then.

November 4, 2017, 12:42 AM	#1
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	Tapco SKS handguard/gas tube question: did I screw up?? So, first of all, I kept all the original SKS wood/vintage parts in case this all went awry, so I'm not panicking. However, I'm afraid I might have screwed up this tapco upgrade! The tapco stock fit perfectly, but the tapco handguard/gas tube needed A LOT more fileing than the instructions recommended (filing was necessary so that the gas tube lever could swing into place and lock it down). It required so much filing, in fact, that I began to file past the piston hole on the rear of the gas tube. It is minimal, however. Now, once the lever locks into place, it covers this diagonal cut in the piston hole from above. I'm not sure if gas/pressure can escape/cause some kind of malfunction in the rear portion like this, but I'm not sure. It looks as if the piston can still move freely, it's just that I shaved a little too much so that toward the top of the hole, some of the hole's rim has recessed. I guess what I'm wondering is, is this in some way unsafe to test-fire? And also, should I go into this assuming it's not going to work? I don't want to buy another handguard/gas tube just to have this same problem again..

November 4, 2017, 02:39 PM	#2
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	A photo would be good. Does the Tapco handguard have an integral gas tube? __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

November 6, 2017, 03:05 AM	#6
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Check the "posting pictures" sticky in the support forum. Pretty much every avenue is covered. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

November 6, 2017, 08:49 AM	#7
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	https://imgur.com/a/0Grcy Here's the picture Thanks everyone! Hope this link works Last edited by Elliottsdad; November 6, 2017 at 02:32 PM.

November 4, 2017, 03:40 PM	#3
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	Yeah, it does, but the rear block (where the Piston comes out to chamber a new round) is WAY more stout than the original, so it required a lot more filling than was recommended in the Tapco instructions. I'll post a photo of that over filed rear hole ASAP FYI: the fit is incredibly rock solid. But to get it there, it required this much filing

November 5, 2017, 09:40 AM	#4
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	I took photos, and have tried to post them three different ways. No luck.

November 6, 2017, 05:50 PM	#8
Elliottsdad Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2010 Location: Glenwood, Iowa Posts: 238	Sent that photo to Tapco with a little write up on fit, amount of material removed, concerns about gas/piston movement/position in relation to recoil spring assembly, etc. Tapco customer service (admittedly very fast) complete response e-mailed back: "It will be fine." Cool, then.