Well I have my first Garand match in a few days, I ordered a mat, a fellow CMP member gave me a shooting glove, got my rifle sighted in today and while at the range I realized I forgot to order a 2 round clip. Now time is too short and I need to make one.
Yes I know I can just cross to rounds in a en bloc and make it work but I fumbled way too long trying to get the two rounds crossed to lock in the rifle and close the bolt, I'm sure I'm not doing it right but I don't want to be fumbling with it on the line.
I cut a clip, now I need to make the bend, what I'm finding is the entire side of the clips wants to just twist while I'm trying to make the bend on the newly cut end, I only need to curl it over a bit to hold the 2nd round. I have torches and can heat it to soften the metal and make a nice curl, but then how do I put the temper back in the metal once I'm done bending? I'll need to temper it to have the same spring properties as it should. Do I heat it orange and dunk it in old oil? That's how I was taught to harden steel and that has worked well for making steel hard, but wouldn't that be too brittle and not spring? Guess I could always find out, I have more clips.
Anyone heated one of these and then re-temper it? Or does anyone have a tips on how to bend this to get the curl without heating it?
Below is the clip after I made the cuts, (sorry for the flash wash). Does this look about right or do I have it all wrong?
Thanks!
Guy Wilson