I have a Mauser project rifle on the go and it has a straight bolt. Any reasonably easy ways to bend this? I don't have any heat sources beyond a simple torch from Cdn. Tire. It says it will braze, but I don't know, I'd like to avoid welding if possible. Any ideas?
Bending Mauser bolt advise.
- Thread starter Casull
- Start date
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Depending on the project, if a fancy job, Brownells have some nice bolt knobs with checking work on 'em , this may be cool 
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
If you are forging the bolt handle, use a heat-sink and heat control paste. Any area left exposed, wrap it in a damp, cool rag. I have not tried it with a Mapp set-up, only oxy-acetylene. One drawback of the Mapp is you may have to expose the metal too long to the heat build-up, which may give you some discolouration to the bolt or flame cutting at worst.
Do you have access to bolt-bending blocks? These are a great aid, used with a heavy ballpien hammer.
Do you have access to bolt-bending blocks? These are a great aid, used with a heavy ballpien hammer.
Guntech, Lg and RD are right. If you insist on doing it yourself, cut it off and tig weld it back on. What you will have acheived by either bending it or weldig it is a bolt handle that is to short and you won't be satisfied with it, especially with gloves on dureing a sub zero temp hunt. bearhunter
To offer a cheaper solution to Guntech's advise; drill a bolt diameter hole near the edge of a piece of 3/4 plate and grind the edge of the plate to match the contour you want; ie a cheap bending jig.
Strip all the innards out of the bolt, pack it with wet rags and also put a shallow hacksaw cut where you want to start the bend (right adjacent to the square base.
In stead of buying a torch, take the whole set up down to the local garage and pay them $10 to heat the area to be bent, for you. I very much doubt that you can get enough heat from MAPP gas or similar. You need the concentrated heat of oxypropane or oxyacetylene.
If you want a photo of the jig I am suggesting, drop me a line and I will email one to you.
cheers mooncoon
Strip all the innards out of the bolt, pack it with wet rags and also put a shallow hacksaw cut where you want to start the bend (right adjacent to the square base.
In stead of buying a torch, take the whole set up down to the local garage and pay them $10 to heat the area to be bent, for you. I very much doubt that you can get enough heat from MAPP gas or similar. You need the concentrated heat of oxypropane or oxyacetylene.
If you want a photo of the jig I am suggesting, drop me a line and I will email one to you.
cheers mooncoon
- Location
- marmora ontario
Tons of bolts on Ebay under Mauser parts, give them a try first. JITC
- Location
- Newfoundland
Not wanting to hijack ,however since everyone seems to recommend having a smith do it can you recommend anyone in particular to do this ? Do they need the whole gun or just the bolt sent?
Thanks
Thanks
I have converted bolts for scope use by altering the original handle, and by replacing the handle. I prefer the latter, because it is easier to achieve a more attractive result. There are welding techniques that result in a job that is close to undetectable when finished.
If you are going to do the job yourself, make sure you have the necessary skills with a torch, etc., before starting.
Extra Mauser bolts are available, but headspace becomes an issue unless a new barrel is being fitted as part of the project.
A gunsmith would need the bolt and action. It may well be necessary to refit the bolt to the rear of the receiver.
If you are going to do the job yourself, make sure you have the necessary skills with a torch, etc., before starting.
Extra Mauser bolts are available, but headspace becomes an issue unless a new barrel is being fitted as part of the project.
A gunsmith would need the bolt and action. It may well be necessary to refit the bolt to the rear of the receiver.
Klondike_bob did this for me today in well under an hour. With his jigs and so on, it was a piece of cake. There is some cleanup required on the milling machine which I will do, but for the time it took, it was easiest to have someone with the gear already just do it.
Thanks Bob.
Rob
Thanks Bob.
Rob
6mm Shooter
CGN Regular
- Location
- White City, SK
There are istructions on Brownell's site in the how to section.
I have found the best way for me is to cut the handle about 3/4 way thru from the top,leaving the bottom attached. Heat and bend to your spec. then fill the gap with tig. If you cut the old handle off you shuold have a welding jig to align the parts. Most gunsmiths can weld a new handle on and clean it up so weld is not detectable. The downside to forging only is a very short handle that looks hokey. Mark
