Bending a mauser bolt handle?

migrant hunter

migrant hunter

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I bought a 98 mauser from another member, turns out the bolt handle does'nt clear the scope.
(not blaming him, I did'nt ask and he said he never had a scope on it.)
I want to keep this gun, it's a 9.3x62 and I have bought molds and dies for it.
How hard will it be to have the bolt bent to clear the scope, and who should I be asking to do it?
I guess I won't be using it of my elk hunt in 3 weeks, so I'm not in a huge rush.
Don't want to end up with crazy high rings either, the stock is a Choate with a comb for a scope(shot it yesterday with the irons, to continue with irons will require dental work!)
Thoughts?
 
Cut off the bolt where the root is the right length to clear the scope. Then, if you can't do it yourself, take it to a welding shop and have it welded back in place. Measure how wide the bottom of the bolt has to be to clear the stock. You may have to carve some of the wood away to clear and might just have to go to slightly higher scope bases or rings to get everything right.

If you're going to go to all of the trouble to do this, I would also suggest getting an oversize bolt knob to make grasping easier.

Bolt handles can be very tricky and they need to be done right. If you are going to get it heated, it should be done in proper bolt bending blocks.

Not many smiths have these blocks anymore. They used to be a fairly common tool in a shop but now that Mauser 98 actions are becoming so valuable, there is more money in just leaving them as is or building a put together milsurp out of them.
 
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BEARHUNTER is right in his post above. It is better to cut and weld a new bolt handle on, than try to bend it. A set of bolt bending blocks not only bent the bolt downwards, but also gave a bit of a shaped area next to the bolt body itself. It is better to buy a new bolt handle, or get someone to make one for you on the lathe, because just bending the issue bolt tends to make a bolt handle that is too short and hard to grasp, and it is difficult to get the correct shape to clear a scope. This will probably need a cut-out for the bolt handle in the stock too.

If you take the bolt to a welding shop to be welded, then make sure you wrap the bolt body in a wet rag or asbestos to keep the heat localized when welding.

Quote "easy to bend a bolt handle, just use a big enough hammer" ----Not really the most intelligent solution to the problem!
 
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I've done a few with bolt bending blocks and heat sinks. Heat stop paste and wet rags too.
Forging the handle down is relatively easy with oxy-acetylene and a hammer. Finishing the handle to make it pleasing to the eye is where the time is.
 
I prefer to cut and weld. There are very attractive replacement handles available. Have the job done by an experienced gunsmith with the proper jig. The results will be better than having the work done by someone who is inexperienced with the procedure.
 
tiriaq said:
I prefer to cut and weld. There are very attractive replacement handles available. Have the job done by an experienced gunsmith with the proper jig. The results will be better than having the work done by someone who is inexperienced with the procedure.
Click to expand...

X2,,,,,,,,,, Heat sink and jig is very important on a job like this. A gunsmith with the right tooling can do the job quickly. The money you pay for a good job is soon forgotten but you will be reminded of a bad job every time you use the gun, even if it was free.
 
Someone experienced in altering 98 bolt handles can cut and weld and reshape nicely and re heat treat the area's that require it. It is not a quick and easy job. I used to do them years ago and was charging $150 + when I quit doing them.

Just about anyone can do a lousy job...
 
I have bent a couple of model 96 swedish mauser handles. Stripped the bolt body and packed with wet rags plus ore around the outside of the body. I made a shallow hacksaw cut on the top of the handle where I wanted the bend to start. The put the bolt body in a home made jig (from 3/4" plate) which was essentially a bolt body diameter hole with the lower edge / side curved in the shape I wanted the bolt handle to take. Heated the handle red hot and down and somewhat hollowed and finally filed and shaped the handle to my taste. The wet rags kept the bold body from getting hot enough to change its temper

You do want to be sure that the bolt handle is not silver soldered or brazed to the bolt body

cheers mooncoon
 
"...take it to a welding shop..." Has to be welder who knows about bolt handles. You can't just weld 'em and hope the bolt doesn't get heated wrong. Like Tiriaq says, have the job done by an experienced gunsmith with the proper jig.
 
Numrich has the whole bolt, bent and all, for $180 ish. Would it be easier to buy a bolt and just have the headspace checked,
or is that a lottery depending on if the barrel needs cut and/or new extractor cut?
 
migrant hunter said:
Numrich has the whole bolt, bent and all, for $180 ish. Would it be easier to buy a bolt and just have the headspace checked,
or is that a lottery depending on if the barrel needs cut and/or new extractor cut?
Click to expand...

i don't think they will send a bolt to someone that isn't a gunsmith.... im not sure they will send them cross border as they are a major part of a firearm.

ive bent a few, and using heatstop paste, a hot oxy torch and 2 people it is easy (or a way to hang the torch where you wont burn yourself) use some artful bending on it and it can look nice after you are done filing sanding and polishing the handle. with the right bend they are quite easy to get your hand on, and will clear a standard scope. the filing sanding and polishing are the hardest parts, getting where you bent looking nice.
 
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