Welding my mauser bolt handle

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.
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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.
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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.
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Buffed it up
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I had to take a small notch out of the reciever, and a bigger one out of the stock.
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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?
 
Thanks flytie, I'm pretty chuffed with it actually. When I saw that mauser of Pervus's, I thought I'll have me one of them... So now I'm one step closer!

I guess mine is a little shorter and less tapered though. And the chequring is more crude. Inspiration -

That's not my safety, I wish it was...
 
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Nice work Harry,:tiphat: I had the same problems years ago with a 98 I had, but I didn’t go to the lengths you did to put it right.

ATB

Tahr
 
Excellent work Harry. It looks nice and if it works perfectly for you - then it's doing the job well - which - in the field is mostly what matters. Was the round stock mild steel or spring ?

There's a lot of talent about on this site.
 
I guess mine is a little shorter and less tapered though. And the chequring is more crude. Inspiration -
That's not my safety, I wish it was...
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Harry, thanks for the link! I had watched that film but not picked up on the bolt handle at all. I have chuckled over that, and wondered how many others watched that film and thought, "that's the bolt handle for me":rofl: Only on SD :cool:

ft
Edit: I am even more impressed now!!
 
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Harry, thanks for the link! I had watched that film but not picked up on the bolt handle at all. I have chuckled over that, and wondered how many others watched that film and thought, "that's the bolt handle for me":rofl: Only on SD :cool:

ft
Edit: I am even more impressed now!!
lol yeah I was obsessing about it for weeks after seeing it. I just had to keep rewatching that film. Although that rifle is generally very classy IMO!

harry you have done a good job there ,did you just mig it ,atb wayne
Thanks. Yep, just mig'd - it's a Lincoln Minimig 180. Got plenty of penno, I'm very confident it won't break off even if I (accidentally) fire a hot one!
 
lol yeah I was obsessing about it for weeks after seeing it. I just had to keep rewatching that film. Although that rifle is generally very classy IMO!


Thanks. Yep, just mig'd - it's a Lincoln Minimig 180. Got plenty of penno, I'm very confident it won't break off even if I (accidentally) fire a hot one!
hi harry im sure it will be great i was interested just out of interest was you on 6mm wire. again good job,atb wayne
 
hi yes mate ,on your safety would it be easier to buy an after market trigger with safety fitted and do away with that safety on the back. atb wayne
 
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hi yes mate ,on your safety would it be easier to buy an after market trigger with safety fitted and do away with that safety on the back. atb wayne
no, in short.

That would mean hogging out the stock for side safety. Also, bolt shroud safeties are better (in my and many others' opinions) - they lock the firing pin (and normally the bolt) not just the trigger so are safer. Also you don't have to alter the stock, and you can change safeties without touching the trigger. Also it's very easy to change shrouds and/or safeties. I'm seriously considering buying a Bueler type safety, but I'm still wondering whether my shroud has been altered for this safety
 
no, in short.

That would mean hogging out the stock for side safety. Also, bolt shroud safeties are better (in my and many others' opinions) - they lock the firing pin (and normally the bolt) not just the trigger so are safer. Also you don't have to alter the stock, and you can change safeties without touching the trigger. Also it's very easy to change shrouds and/or safeties. I'm seriously considering buying a Bueler type safety, but I'm still wondering whether my shroud has been altered for this safety

Shrouds are quite cheap it don't get expensive until one goes to the Winchester style safety and it's machined shroud then you looking at around £150-£200.
 
Shrouds are quite cheap it don't get expensive until one goes to the Winchester style safety and it's machined shroud then you looking at around £150-£200.
Well I'd love a 3pos scope friendly safety, but after further thinking I might get creative wth file grinder and polishing wheel to see if I can make the shroud and safety easier on the eye and scope mount height
 
Well I'd love a 3pos scope friendly safety, but after further thinking I might get creative wth file grinder and polishing wheel to see if I can make the shroud and safety easier on the eye and scope mount height

Harry, I recieved an email from a friend yesterday part of which might appeal to you;

WIRE WHEEL:
Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, "Oh, sh1t!"

ft
 
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