SAM7R Handguard Help

[TestedTwice]

So I recently picked up an Arsenal SAM7R-66 with the picitinny quad-rail. I would rather have gotten the SAM7R-61, but the dealer said that he would not be able to get them for quite some time. So I settled on the 66 with the idea that I could just buy the handguards and install them myself. The guard that goes around the gas tube went on without too much issue, but I had a REAL hard time with the lower handguard. It doesn't want to seat correctly into the retainer; almost as if the handguard is too wide. I actually have to squeeze the handguard quite tightly to even push the retainer down over the handguard tangs. I have a few pictures that I can link.


This picture shows the tangs at the retainer end of the handguard:



This one is of the reciever end of the handguard:



The following two pictures are when I try to install the handguard without squeezing the guard. This is as far as I can work it:




The next pictures are after I squeeze the handguards really tight and work the retainer down around it. This is as far as I can get it even with light rubber mallet tapping. It looks like the side with the latch has a bigger gap:







I'm not sure if I'm being really nitpicky here, as it seems to latch fine and has very little play. It has SLIGHT rotational play, but VERY slight. Almost not noticeable. The worry I have is the fact that it's putting a lot of outward pressure on the retainer because I had to squeeze the hell out of the handguards to be able to work it in. What do you guys think?

 

[Panzerschwein]

So I recently picked up an Arsenal SAM7R-66 with the picitinny quad-rail. I would rather have gotten the SAM7R-61, but the dealer said that he would not be able to get them for quite some time. So I settled on the 66 with the idea that I could just buy the handguards and install them myself. The guard that goes around the gas tube went on without too much issue, but I had a REAL hard time with the lower handguard. It doesn't want to seat correctly into the retainer; almost as if the handguard is too wide. I actually have to squeeze the handguard quite tightly to even push the retainer down over the handguard tangs. I have a few pictures that I can link.


This picture shows the tangs at the retainer end of the handguard:



This one is of the reciever end of the handguard:



The following two pictures are when I try to install the handguard without squeezing the guard. This is as far as I can work it:




The next pictures are after I squeeze the handguards really tight and work the retainer down around it. This is as far as I can get it even with light rubber mallet tapping. It looks like the side with the latch has a bigger gap:







I'm not sure if I'm being really nitpicky here, as it seems to latch fine and has very little play. It has SLIGHT rotational play, but VERY slight. Almost not noticeable. The worry I have is the fact that it's putting a lot of outward pressure on the retainer because I had to squeeze the hell out of the handguards to be able to work it in. What do you guys think?

It's fine.

If that retainer locks down, leave it. If there is any wobble, deal with it. That is the nature of the AK system. Sometimes things don't fit as tight as other designs. Get over it. The AK is a combat rifle, and quite frankly it doesn't matter. If it goes *BANG!*, and parts don't fall off, it's fit for duty.