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Did the rifle holder during the M38 era have a canvas cover stapled to the holder? My rifle holder has 4 staple holes the same as the staples that hold the padding to the radiator grill.

Tom

Tom, my canvas (that needs to be replaced) is fixed to the
holder by rivets. The rivets and canvas appear to be original
to the unit. While we're on the subject of rebuilding rifle
holders, is there a source out there for the flat spring steel
clip for the pivot at the forestock??

Rick,
I am also looking for the flat spring. I emailed John at MWM, I think he used to have complete repro holders so might have had a source for springs. But so far, no response.

On the canvas - There should be canvas/leather pads over the inside springs held on with rivets. Also the welting for the buttstock is held by rivets. The internal canvas pads are listed on the beechwood website and I have a call in with weebee webbing to see if he still makes them too.

But, I am wondering about the big zip-up canvas cover that some of the rifle holders had over them. From the few pictures I have seen they were held to the back spine of the rack with staples.

The canvas cover would make a quick-ready rifle holder useless but I am still interested to know if they were supplied when an M38 was outfitted with a rifle holder in the field.

Tom

I have two repos, and noticed that the aluminum rivits that hold the canvas pads in, rub marks in your gunstock!!!!! Any ideas on stopping this while we are talking about replacement. John

The rivets on the originals had small heads and from what I have seen they were set deeply into the canvas/leather.
Also be sure yours is set up with the rivets low in the springs. The original racks have two rivet holes in the springs. This photo shows the rivets set in the deepest hole of the springs.
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=111133
If the problem is the buttstock rivets maybe you can add another layer of web over the riveted area (glue?). I doubt the jeep police will comment on covered rivets but the rifle police will call you out on scratched furniture.

I though about grinding them down, even painting DR. Scholls corn pads OD green . Thought I'd wait and see if someone has a brainstorm. They look extremely difficult to replace in the holder. Thanks for the pictures Tom! John

Thx for the link, Tom. What's the function of the u shaped round
stock in the photo? Mine doesn't have a provision for it..

And on the subject of the spring, i spoke to John B. by phone a couple of
months ago and he told me it was a non-replaceable part. With no
disrespect intended i would disagree- i think a guy could replace it if he
had a source for the part..

I misread the original post and thought you were refering to the pads..
Do you have a photo of the zip-up cover??

Here s a link to the canvas cover:
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... +#p1051138

So far I have no concrete information when it was or was not installed.

The little steel U bracket is for your shorty SMG. The barrel wont reach the spring or latch.

I agree on the latch spring because mine is also removed and suffered the same crack. I'll let you know if I find anything.
Tom

Thx Tom. If you find a source i'd like to hear about it. I am going to
experiment with some steel banding-the type used in shipping crates.
From the link i gather that perhaps running board mounted RRs on
trucks and such had factory covers, but jeep RR covers were a
motor pool add..

If there were rifle racks with and without covers it may have been a PIA for supply to have 2 versions. Or was there just a rack with the cover during the post war period and it was up to the installer or troops to remove the cover? The canvas was stapled with heavy 1/2" staples to my rifle rack. The staples are still there but the canvas is gone.
here is another photo:
https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/p ... ategory=31

Interesting link- for the record my rack shows no evidence
of ever having staples mounted.
If i come up with a working clip from steel banding i'll send you one..