harrygrey382
Well-Known Member
My rifle is a Brno BO98 - factory sporterized with a NOS/refurb action. Although a nice rifle, the bolt handle left a lot to be desired. With super high mounts, the handle would kiss my 40mm scope. So after I've scuffed it a bit (and been using it for almost a year) I bit the bullet and decided enough was enough.
So I had to find a handle. I decided on welding a new one as buggering around with the old one when going to the trouble of putting a new one on didn't make sense. I'm stingy so didn't want to buy one... That left making one, because I also rather fancied Pervus's bolt handle in Puclic Enemies.
I started with 16mm round stock, on the forge it went. Forged it to a rough shape.
Cut it down and ground to a closer one. I filed out a raise in the bottom grip area and chequered it with a needle file.
Cut the old one off leaving about 3mm of stub. I shaped the new handle to line up how I wanted, tacked it on and tried it for size. All good so welded it fully. I did one pass then water cooled it. The lugs never got warmer than luke, and I applied a lot of heat stop paste to the cokcing cam, which never seemed to get hot either.
Buffed it up
I had to take a small notch out of the reciever, and a bigger one out of the stock.
I guess it won't allow mounting of an ultra low scope, bu it won't be the limiting factor with this safety and hopefully I can go to medium mounts now.
By the way, does anyone know what saftey I have? I don't like it - sits too high, doesn't lock the bolt and is ugly. Would a Bueler style fit right on or would my shroud have been modified for this one?
So I had to find a handle. I decided on welding a new one as buggering around with the old one when going to the trouble of putting a new one on didn't make sense. I'm stingy so didn't want to buy one... That left making one, because I also rather fancied Pervus's bolt handle in Puclic Enemies.
I started with 16mm round stock, on the forge it went. Forged it to a rough shape.
Cut it down and ground to a closer one. I filed out a raise in the bottom grip area and chequered it with a needle file.
Cut the old one off leaving about 3mm of stub. I shaped the new handle to line up how I wanted, tacked it on and tried it for size. All good so welded it fully. I did one pass then water cooled it. The lugs never got warmer than luke, and I applied a lot of heat stop paste to the cokcing cam, which never seemed to get hot either.
Buffed it up
I had to take a small notch out of the reciever, and a bigger one out of the stock.
I guess it won't allow mounting of an ultra low scope, bu it won't be the limiting factor with this safety and hopefully I can go to medium mounts now.
By the way, does anyone know what saftey I have? I don't like it - sits too high, doesn't lock the bolt and is ugly. Would a Bueler style fit right on or would my shroud have been modified for this one?