Trigger Guard Shaping

25 October 2024, 23:43

dpcd

RC; of course I did not/could not comment on the "before" photo; since it was not shown at that point in time.
The "before" (later picture) one is obviously not Polish.
Clearly Polish contour; neither the early K98 (which are strictly Polish), nor the later WZ29 used the sling hole.
RJ: eave it as it is; do not thin it.
MR, and everyone else; is free to do whatever they like. I like the Polish pattern TGs; as is; no alteration needed.

26 October 2024, 06:36

Bobster

Waaaaay too thin IMHO. I'm with DPCD on this one. I think it looks fine as-is. A good challenge would be to take a TG like that with the parade hole and use it to build a push button floorplate latch like some 1893's had. Then do the hinged floorplate

26 October 2024, 07:45

Craftsman

Richj

If you cut to those lines it will scream amateur.

A professional and very graceful looking one with lots of good clear instruction is in Jim Carmichel's book "Do it yourself Gunsmithing, page 225. He had a lot of talent as a gunwriter and professional level custom gun work. You may have to dig to find this book now, I looked inside the cover of mine and it was dated 1978.

What ever you do don't just dive in and start cutting. To get the proper look you need to research so do's and don'ts and good design.

26 October 2024, 09:00

dpcd

Here it is; I don't like it, but someone might. Too thin and sharp for me. I like them square and tough so when you drop it, it won't bend.

26 October 2024, 09:05

Bill Leeper

The P14 trigger guard (just the trigger guard) is a very pleasing shape. Everything ahead of the guard is ugly. The Springfield is pretty nice too. I have seen more mausers screwed up than improved. Mine are as they came. Regards, Bill

26 October 2024, 18:08

Bobster

Whooo! A smidge too sharp around the edges for me. Looks like a good way to cut a finger off.

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
Here it is; I don't like it, but someone might. Too thin and sharp for me. I like them square and tough so when you drop it, it won't bend.

26 October 2024, 18:14

richj

That silver guard is a Bish picture that I had. The lines are for reference only. I will NOT make it that thin.

Here is a Swed Mauser I did a long time ago. no rounding over.

26 October 2024, 19:01

dpcd

Looks great.

26 October 2024, 21:51

rcraig

This floorplate is a very nice addition to the Mauser trigger guard.

https://www.libertytreecollect...=13781&idcategory=40

26 October 2024, 23:30

Bobster

That Swede looks superb. Do it that way.

27 October 2024, 01:30

SDH

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
Here it is; I don't like it, but someone might. Too thin and sharp for me. I like them square and tough so when you drop it, it won't bend.

KEEP FILING~ You are almost to the other side....

27 October 2024, 01:40

ssdave

I've tried narrowing and tapering them, hard to make it look right. Now, just contour the front and clean up the sides a bit. First one is one of mine, second is a old german guild mauser.

27 October 2024, 04:01

dpcd

Yep; that is how I do and like them; they aren't broken. Don't try to fix them.
That Carmichael one I posted the picture from his book, is positively hideous, and dangerous.

27 October 2024, 21:32

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

Note a real expert on the right way or the wrong way...but as dcpd inferred...it is after all a trighger GUARD!

When I was making bottom metal...it seemed or at least I perceived that the smaller calibers...folks seemed to expect the rounded, tapered sculpted treatment...so that's what I did .

On the big stuff, the guard was left the robust "miitary" style....I started to offer a choice...and was klnd of surprised that a majority opted for the robust style

For whatever that means.....

27 October 2024, 23:03

dpcd

It means more shooters appreciate function over art.
There is another option; cut the bow off entirely and install a fancy, sculpted bow from a double barrel shotgun.
You've all seen them. Most commonly combined with DSTs; both dumb ideas on a hunting rifle. Just for looks. I've had them on old German spotters.
Yes, someone here has killed 492 head of game with them; proves that anyone can learn to manage suboptimal equipment.

28 October 2024, 00:05

richj

Also an option

28 October 2024, 15:18

p dog shooter

quote:
Yep; that is how I do and like them; they aren't broken. Don't try to fix them.

I haven't paid much attention to trigger guard styles.

Unless they interfered with the trigger.

28 October 2024, 19:33

dpcd

Age old topic; is it a piecer of Art, or strictly an item of function?
Each rifle owner, decides that for himself.
For me, the Oberndorf ones, are superbly artistic, yet totally functional.
Here is an option; only $19.

28 October 2024, 22:21

Jiri

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
It means more shooters appreciate function over art.
There is another option; cut the bow off entirely and install a fancy, sculpted bow from a double barrel shotgun.
You've all seen them. Most commonly combined with DSTs; both dumb ideas on a hunting rifle. Just for looks. I've had them on old German spotters.
Yes, someone here has killed 492 head of game with them; proves that anyone can learn to manage suboptimal equipment.

Double set trigger, right?

28 October 2024, 23:45

dpcd

DST is Double Set Triggers. Quicker to type.

29 October 2024, 00:12

Jiri

Oh thanks. We call it german set trigger. So didn't letters put together...

Jiri

29 October 2024, 00:34

2152hq

Another way to get the SxS style shotgun guard onto a rifle.
In this case the rifle has a box magazine that extends below the bottom of the rifle stock in front of the orig trigger guard.

The rifle here is a full length stocked carbine sporter built on a Romanian M93 6.5x53R service rifle.

The added DST feature on the sporter needed(?) the shotgun style guard.
SO such a gurad was spliced into the cut off portion of the rifle's orig trigger guard as it extended back from the box magazine.

The splice is very well fitted and easily detachable once the single wood screw is removed from the new guards tang.

The pics may not be in order but I think they can be figured out OK.
Just another way to do something. I've seen the set-up on several sporters done in Europe;

29 October 2024, 01:34

dpcd

They spent 6 hours making that hinge when they could have just welded it on....
Labor was cheap back then.

29 October 2024, 15:33

p dog shooter

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
They spent 6 hours making that hinge when they could have just welded it on....
Labor was cheap back then.

Or maybe a form of winter trigger guard.

29 October 2024, 19:06

dpcd

The front (firing) trigger is still blocked even when the rear piece is removed.....

30 October 2024, 01:35

2152hq

quote:
Originally posted by dpcd:
They spent 6 hours making that hinge when they could have just welded it on....
Labor was cheap back then.

If the rear 1/2 is welded on, then you can't get at the rear tang screw for the action which is underneath it.

Yes you could make a big blasted tang screw to go right through the new trigger guard and thru the orig rear tang hole.
That'd look really great.

It's a Sporter,,not a blasted CommBloc suicide charge rifle.
What's wrong with some nice workmanship.

30 October 2024, 20:28

ssdave

Nice workmanship, but an inappropriate platform to receive that work.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. But, in my opinion, making an engraved sporter out of a military utilitarian rifle with an external box mgazine is a case of polishing a horse turd.

I can see how people do this to save $$, especially back in the day when that was a $5.00 rifle. But, they could have started with a $15 rifle, and had something worth something when they were done. Putting valuable labor into something that doesn't reflect that value when done makes no sense.

Also, anyone that can make and fit that trigger guard, has the skill to not make a big blasted ugly tang screw that looks bad, they could have applied the same ingenuity and skill to making a reasonable looking tang screw setup. Just a choice they made.

30 October 2024, 21:46

dpcd

Easy; put the tang screw in from the top, like on the Mosin.

02 November 2024, 01:37

2152hq

quote:
Originally posted by ssdave:
Nice workmanship, but an inappropriate platform to receive that work.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. But, in my opinion, making an engraved sporter out of a military utilitarian rifle with an external box mgazine is a case of polishing a horse turd.

I can see how people do this to save $$, especially back in the day when that was a $5.00 rifle. But, they could have started with a $15 rifle, and had something worth something when they were done. Putting valuable labor into something that doesn't reflect that value when done makes no sense.

Also, anyone that can make and fit that trigger guard, has the skill to not make a big blasted ugly tang screw that looks bad, they could have applied the same ingenuity and skill to making a reasonable looking tang screw setup. Just a choice they made.

Send all the Steyr Mannlicher 1893/95/96 rifles and carbines my way for disposal please.
Terrible things that need to be eradicated from the earth no doubt.

..Yes, just the choice they made to do the trigger guard the way they did. Some nice work, not the easy way out. AND Nice to see IMO.
A tang screw thru the TG could be made slim but in the current position would slip right thru the portion of the guard where the spur and tang split. So the screw shank would show nicely.

"...Easy; put the tang screw in from the top, like on the Mosin....."

I'd bet they were trying to avoid the Mosin look.

You know the 'military utilitarian rifle with an external box magazine made into a sporter,,,the horse turd thing.
So they spruced it up a bit with that fancy TG.

02 November 2024, 03:15

yumastepside

Not all fancy rifles are Mausers.....not all custom work is done for value....

Roger

04 November 2024, 18:52

Kolo-Pan

27 November 2024, 23:41

Don Markey

quote:
Originally posted by ssdave:
I've tried narrowing and tapering them, hard to make it look right. Now, just contour the front and clean up the sides a bit. First one is one of mine, second is a old german guild mauser.

I never could easily by hand either so I made a jig to hold the guard at an angle and use a 1-1/4” ball mill. That keeps me from making the guard bow not completely disappear from going side to side trying to make it even!