Bolt handle bending
- Thread starter eeemaster
- Start date
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Depending on what action/bolt you have, bending a bolt handle is not quite as simple as it looks. It is possible to do this by putting the bolt into a vise, wrapping it with WET asbestos or rags, and applying heat CAREFULLY. The oxy-acetylene torch is best because it gives more heat and heats up the handle quicker. The faster you can do this is better.
Propane torches MIGHT give enough heat to bend the bolt handle, BUT it will take much longer to heat up the handle as the propane flame does not burn as fast and produce as much LOCALIZED heat as the oxy-acetylene torch. Therefore, it takes a LOT longer to get the metal to a point where you can bend it, and exposes the bolt body itself to too much heat.
Also, some bolts typically do not have enough length to do a good job when bent. You end up with a short bolt handle/knob which makes it a bit more difficult to operate. Military rifles, such as most Mauser rifles, are typical of this.
Some home basement bent bolts are, to be charitable, not pretty. It might be possible to find a gunsmith who has a set of bolt bending blocks for your rifle and have him do it.
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Depending on what action/bolt you have, bending a bolt handle is not quite as simple as it looks. It is possible to do this by putting the bolt into a vise, wrapping it with WET asbestos or rags, and applying heat CAREFULLY. The oxy-acetylene torch is best because it gives more heat and heats up the handle quicker. The faster you can do this is better.
Propane torches MIGHT give enough heat to bend the bolt handle, BUT it will take much longer to heat up the handle as the propane flame does not burn as fast and produce as much LOCALIZED heat as the oxy-acetylene torch. Therefore, it takes a LOT longer to get the metal to a point where you can bend it, and exposes the bolt body itself to too much heat.
Also, some bolts typically do not have enough length to do a good job when bent. You end up with a short bolt handle/knob which makes it a bit more difficult to operate. Military rifles, such as most Mauser rifles, are typical of this.
Some home basement bent bolts are, to be charitable, not pretty. It might be possible to find a gunsmith who has a set of bolt bending blocks for your rifle and have him do it.
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I have bent 3 bolts on model 96 (swedish) mausers. An ordinary propane torch is not nearly hot enough for the job. I used an oxypropane cutting torch which is basically the same but a little cooler than oxyacetylene. Not mentioned so far is the need to strip the bolt of its internal components and fill the inside with wet paper or cloth, as well as protecting the outside with same. Also I made a jig out of 3/4" plate with the bolt going crosswise through the plate to support the bolt body and with the new contour of the bolt handle filed into it. That gives you something to hammer onto or into. Also since the bolt handle started out considerably thicker than I wanted it to finish, I made a shallow hacksaw cut where I wanted the bend to start. Following bending, I filed the area being bent to a flattened oval (for want of a better word) cross section
cheers mooncoon
cheers mooncoon
I'm doing this to a mauser 96 bolt that I welded a brownells ruger style bolt handle on. I'd like to bend the handle upwards slightly. As far as over heating I have heat past and a brass heatsink. I just do not have access to a oxy accet torch anymore. My uncle retired and hasn't filled his tanks up and I do not want to bother him to get them filled for a small job. If the oxy propane can get me enough heat I'd rather go that route Like others were saying if it takes a long time I just do not want the lugs to over heat but I think they should be fine if I take the steps necessary to keep the lugs cool
Oxypropane uses a different tip than oxyacetylene. The acetylene tips that I have seen had 4 holes around a hole in the center for oxygen when cutting. My propane tip has what looks sort of like a long tapered sprocket for the inside portion. It has long grooves for the gas to pass through so that instead of 4 holes you have 10 or 12 and a guess. The acetylene guage and connection will screw into a 25 lb propane tank. Functionally it is the same as an acetylene cutting torch although for some reason I think an acetylene flame is around 5000 F versus around 4500 for propane
You seem to be using oxypropane to describe what most of us would call a propane torch which has no separate source of oxygen
cheers mooncoon
