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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Favorite Bolt Handle Styles


z1r

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Nah man, I like it just fine. Love it in fact. If it hadn't been for your trained eye, the problem would never have been fixed. All my future projects will have welded handles for just this reason.

 

As Mike pointed out, all the preceding bolt handles posted in this thread were welded until I tossed mine in the mix. I like the way my forged handle(s) [i've got a few left] turned out, but mine also turned out a lot longer than all the other forged handles I've seen. Here is an example of a forged bolt that a good friend of mine did. It is from the very first Mauser I ever attempted to sporterize and turned out very short and stubby:

 

102.jpg

 

Note the extra high scope rings.

 

Here is a picture I took after I had it rebarreled two years ago. This should give you some perspective on how short it turned out:

 

Picture025jpga.jpg

 

My friend did this for me as a favor, but as much as I hate to say it I see a welded on handle on the drawing board in late 2008 or early 2009. The handle is really too short to get any leverage to work the bolt with and bolt root protrudes so far above the bolt that I'm stuck using extra high scope rings on this rifle which prevents me from getting a good cheek weld. If I could get the scope a little closer to the receiver, this rifle would be a heck of a lot more comfortable to fire.

 

Some guys like short bolt handles. I don't. Then again, I also drive a Toyota and date brunettes. In the end, its kind of whatever floats your boat I suppose.

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not quite... but I am not adept at picture posting... the one I say is forged is in fact, w/o being touched up!!

BTW the welded one I like is not perfect... but close enough for the girls I go with!!! MV

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I missed your second pic. Don;t want to add to the cornfusion!

 

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Jason,

 

Even if the handle in the first pic you posted is too short, it looks good. I have forged bolts on two of my rifles. I bought them at auction and though short, there is enough clearnace to work a bolt properly. I won't replace them. Partly because I don;t like to mess with things that work (they're both tack drivers) and partly out of respect for some unknown craftsman. Whoever he was did a good job putting those rifles together. Well, at least the metal work. He sucked at stock work, lol.

 

Rod, that first forged bolt of yours looks good. It's hard to overcome them being a little short for my tastes but it is also hard to make them look good. Nice job!

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On my bolt handles I usually cut the handle just in front of the knob, and then get another replacement bolt handle contour the knob and usually knurled it and cut about 3/8" up from the knob. Weld it to the bolt handle and then forge over.

 

MVC-017F.jpg

MVC-018F.jpg

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One sort of hybrid technique I haven't seen mentioned yet is to cut most of the way through the handle at the root, heat and bent to the desired angle, then fill in the resulting open notch with weld.

 

I haven't personally seen any done like this, but it seems to me that if you like the military "gumball" that this option could provide a little more length, without the potential deforming effects on the root that forging would.

 

Anybody out there tried this?

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I've herd of it but not done it personally. I always like to leave myself a way out, If I'm going to weld a bolt handle I prefer to weld on an extention at the end just in case the weld didn't take good. Granted you are dealing with 50-100 year old steel, of unknown makeup, So if it does come loose at least you have something to grab a hold of to open the bolt, and to try to reweld to.

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I find the partial cut and weld to be more trouble than its worth. I tried it just to say I tried it. I've cut the old handle off, turned it 180 degrees and rewelded at the desired angle. Gives you more length. Still kinda short. If you can weld, then just cut it off and weld on a new one.

 

I've never had a handle come off. The "unknown" base metal is a non-issue. And, the composition IS known. Poor welding is usually the culprit not the base metal. Rod will disagree with me. I know he hates Turk made bolts. Can't say as I blame him but once you get through the impurities, they will hold as well as any. Just a ton more work involved and a real money loser.

 

I have a bolt in my shop from a butchered Spanish Mauser that was cut oon the underside and then forged. Probably one of teh worst forging jobs I've ever seen. I also just received a Swede 96 last night that had probably the ugliest welded handle I've ever seen. You can tell a lot of effort went into it but dam# it's ugly!

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Mike no i dont disagree with you on that the turks weld on strong the problem is they have the impurities that cause the pits and blowholes and sputtering while welding. and it seems like if you grind out the pits and flyspecs to reweld when you refile the areas they may be fixed but you find twice as many new ones that were created while you were fixing the ones before. my biggest complaint is the locking lugs are way too soft i havent checked but i would bet that they are no higher than 35 rockwell c scale they file way too easy. i will have to see if i cand find someone who has a tester i have a bunch of turk bolts we can test.

 

Rod

 

yeah, the Turk steel has dreck in it but once you burn, grind, pick, cuss, all the contaminents out they're plenty strong. As to lugs, now you know why I heat treat every one of MY mausers and all my customers I can talk into it. Most will.

 

Give me a good old cz bolt any day.

 

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i have had the same problem with turk bolts its compounded when you use a stick welder my solution other than replacing the bolt has been to make my first passes using a higher amperage setting then grind out and rough shape then make second pass at normal setting it also helps alot using a dc welder

been meaning to post some pics just been to lazy to load them

we do have a nice display of individualism in the ones that have been posted good work fellas

 

weaver77

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Not particularly my favorites but have the pics in my file so I thought I'd post them.

 

This is a Santa Barbara action I used to build a 338 Winnie with.

 

barb-2.jpg

 

Weird story and some salesmanship behind the one below. This was done for me by one of Harry McGowen's smiths for me. I wasn't real particular about the bolt and the job was running allot more than expected but I wanted something other than having the military bolt bent but I wasn't real clear in my letter. I have a bad spot in my right hand and if I run a bolt in hard, it touches a nerve and feels like a jolt of electricity. I wanted the bolt knob flat to avoid the spot in my palm. The gunsmith called me about 2 hours after I had carpel tunnel surgery and I was still loaded on the anesthetics and pain meds and I replied with something like I don't care what it costs do it right. Can't remember without digging up the invoice but the bolt cost was either 120 or 160 and I still didn't get the flat side I wanted. Nice job but awfully pricey. Don't spend money without a clear head!! I almost had to change my underwear after getting the final invoice.

 

gowen-1.jpg

 

gowen-3.jpg

 

gowen2.jpg

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"Original Mauser" sporters had a short bolt handle, but still looked very nice.

 

originalmauser.jpg

 

 

That they do. But, most every one these days thinks a scope is mandatory and those old stubby handles do not lend themselves to low scope mounting. The later factory Mauser sporters used high rings. Something most shooters these days run from.

 

I do a version of the factory handle that allows low scope use.

 

TC1Mex2.jpg

 

 

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how did i forget this little beauty?!

 

Ottmarboltclose-.jpg

 

I copied that same picture into my inspirational photos folder! That is a very nice looking rifle. A little bit of fancy engraving, but not over the top.

 

Z, that's the kind of forward chamber area to barrel transition I was talking about.

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One sort of hybrid technique I haven't seen mentioned yet is to cut most of the way through the handle at the root, heat and bent to the desired angle, then fill in the resulting open notch with weld.

 

I haven't personally seen any done like this, but it seems to me that if you like the military "gumball" that this option could provide a little more length, without the potential deforming effects on the root that forging would.

 

Anybody out there tried this?

 

Some of my early Mausers (93 Spanish & 95 Chilean) were done this way by a local gunsmith in Macon, GA, back in the late 60's. I no longer have the rifles, but they served me well and thinking back, I had no issues with their looks.

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heres what makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! this is the before pic of it

Tanglewood, that one looks mighty familiar. Is that my Twede before plastic surgery?

 

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Gary

 

That is Bob aka "zeriverrats" 35 Whelen bolt before it had surgery. I also sent yours back today so you should see them by wed.

 

Rod

Rod, I thought I recognized it. I was there when he did that. Same day we did two of the bolts you have just cleaned up for me. We gave new meaning to "Ozark Tinkerin' Fools" that day. :blink:

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