User Panel
Posted: 11/14/2010 4:02:35 PM EDT
Has anyone removed a fixed carry handle and installed a rail in its place ? Is this even possible ?
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Dude, just sell the upper and buy a new one. You can get an upper for under $100
Quoted: Has anyone removed a fixed carry handle and installed a rail in its place ? Is this even possible ? |
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I haven't seen anyone try that in many years. Much easier to just swap everything out to a new flat top receiver.
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just get a dremel and remove material.
go slow, it will be alright. |
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Easiest way would be to just get a new flat-top upper reciever and swap your barrel into it.
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Sure it is possible, and used to be done fairly regularly. But flat top uppers are cheap. Just buy one.
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Quoted:
just get a dremel and remove material. go slow, it will be alright. Since you've already got the dremel out - Have you ever thought about barrel flutes? |
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I wouldn't, and I'm usually not adverse to making chips out of guns.
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Quoted: just get a dremel and remove material. go slow, it will be alright. |
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Used to be done before flat top uppers became the norm. I think Bushmaster actually sold a rifle with a cut-off carry handle and bolted-on Weaver rail.
I think someone should post pics of some of these, heh. |
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Just run it thought a planer until you get it to the height that you want it. Easy. |
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Quoted:
Used to be done before flat top uppers became the norm. I think Bushmaster actually sold a rifle with a cut-off carry handle and bolted-on Weaver rail. I think someone should post pics of some of these, heh. Yeah I've seen a few like this at Gunshows over the years... looks pretty strange... - Clint |
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Just run it thought a planer until you get it to the height that you want it. Easy. Why not just use a gas axe? |
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A buddy of mine had a pretty well-respected pro build him a custom AR, and he milled the handle off an A1 or A2 and mounted a rail in it's place.
I'm not sure why they chose that route, but I think it was to pitch it forward 15 or 20 minutes of angle for long-range shooting (to get the most out of scope elevation adjustments.) They bought a new upper specifically for the job, so it wasn't as though they were trying to scavange/salvage anything to save money... |
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Back before there were flat tops, we milled a flat & bolted a scope base on.
One of the big issues when you did this job was the stresses in the upper. When you cut through the first leg of the carry handle, the cut would open or close. One some the cut would spring open .200 or more - always worried me that the carrier bore was no longer straight on those. The Redfield base for the 336 was always a good choice, but it was best to open the holes up & use 8-40 screws in all 4 holes. A real pain in the ass compared to buying a flat top today. The only reason I can see for this now would be a desire to have an upper without a brass deflector & forward assist. . |
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I never said I wanted to do it. it was just part of a discussion we were having one day.
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You don't have a single hair on your balls if you don't bust out
a dremel and get to work asap. And make sure you post pics of the results!! |
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Quoted:
Back before there were flat tops, we milled a flat & bolted a scope base on. One of the big issues when you did this job was the stresses in the upper. When you cut through the first leg of the carry handle, the cut would open or close. One some the cut would spring open .200 or more - always worried me that the carrier bore was no longer straight on those. The Redfield base for the 336 was always a good choice, but it was best to open the holes up & use 8-40 screws in all 4 holes. A real pain in the ass compared to buying a flat top today. The only reason I can see for this now would be a desire to have an upper without a brass deflector & forward assist. . I think now you can get new Flattop uppers without brass deflectors and forward assists. Don't know the company's name offhand; maybe there are more than one? ( Probably one or more of this site's sponsors...) |
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I have a factory built DPMS tri-rail that started out as a cary handle forging.
They milled off the handle and the rail is bolted on. So obvioulsy, the answer is yes. But, as a machinist, why would you go through that much work to do it right when you can buy something nowdays for $100? |
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YEAH DAWG YO AND SHORTEN THAT BARREL TOO WIT A HAKSAW YO PUT A DEAGLE ON DAT SHIT TOO
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If you don't need a forward assist, I have a flat top from Bravo I'll trade you.
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If you insist on machining the handle off, send the receiver to Compass Lake Engineering, Frank White knows how to remove the handle and can put on new mount to the receiver. Far cheaper though to just buy a new upper.
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I have one at home that this has been done to. It was cheap and I'd planned on using it for a .22 upper. I'd forgotten about it till this thread.
I'll dig it out and post pics in the morning...if I can find this thread again. |
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I guess my question is what to do with an upper after you hack fixed handle off.
How do you mount anything? |
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Don't take the badgering from some of these guys....if you can get your hands on an arc gouger; it will turn out better than if you use a dremel.
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I guess my question is what to do with an upper after you hack fixed handle off. How do you mount anything? JB Weld. or duct tape if you are really cheap. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I guess my question is what to do with an upper after you hack fixed handle off. How do you mount anything? JB Weld. or duct tape if you are really cheap. Why not just duct tape the optic to the carry handle, then? |
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Hack saw. Then a belt sander. Then drill and tap to install a chunk of rail.
You're welcome. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Back before there were flat tops, we milled a flat & bolted a scope base on. One of the big issues when you did this job was the stresses in the upper. When you cut through the first leg of the carry handle, the cut would open or close. One some the cut would spring open .200 or more - always worried me that the carrier bore was no longer straight on those. The Redfield base for the 336 was always a good choice, but it was best to open the holes up & use 8-40 screws in all 4 holes. A real pain in the ass compared to buying a flat top today. The only reason I can see for this now would be a desire to have an upper without a brass deflector & forward assist. . I think now you can get new Flattop uppers without brass deflectors and forward assists. Don't know the company's name offhand; maybe there are more than one? ( Probably one or more of this site's sponsors...) Not sure if any other companies make them, but I know DPMS does, have one as the upper on my varmint rig. |
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I guess my question is what to do with an upper after you hack fixed handle off. How do you mount anything? JB Weld. or duct tape if you are really cheap. Why not just duct tape the optic to the carry handle, then? Don't be ridiculous. He wants his shit custom, not some cobbled together homebuilt piece of shit |
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its doable... http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii85/penguinslider009/compressedpics01-2.jpg Now that is sweet! |
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I guess my question is what to do with an upper after you hack fixed handle off. How do you mount anything? You bolt a Weaver rail to it. |
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Quoted:
just get a dremel and remove material. go slow, it will be alright. Be sure to post pictures afterward!!!!! |
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It is possible and was done back in the day (Weaver rails would be screwed onto the existing upper). It would be a lot more economical to remove the A1/2 upper, sell it, buy an A4 upper, install it, and go on with life.
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I just swapped an A4 upper for an A1 on my lightweight carbine.
Took me about 9 minutes, not counting the time it took me to assemble the ejection port door, fwd assist, and sight onto the stripped upper. Unless you're specifically going for a rat-rod, post Apocalypse look for your rifle, do it the easy way like the last 87 posters have said. You can sell the original upper on the EE to someone doing a retro build, and by the time you find a section of rail to bolt on, put the time into it, and get something to cover the bare aluminum, you'll have spent way more than you would have saved anyway. WTF am I thinking OP, get a case of Schiltz, a hacksaw, and a pulse MIG welder. Don't let any of these loosers dissuade you from having the awsomest AR15 on the firing line. Make sure to post pics here after you're done |
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its doable... http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii85/penguinslider009/compressedpics01-2.jpg You are a fucking MASTER with a Dremel! |
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