Hi guys:
Since there are lots of surplus stock charging handles around and some of you may have access to a Lathe and Mill, I thought it would be of interest to post this.
I weighed the stock handle at 12.5g, the goal was to add as little mass as possible but I'm sure it isn't too critical. The mechanics of the 10/22 action seem pretty sloppy to me. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I suspect it's part of what has produced a reasonably reliable low cost rifle, which we all love to improve upon.
I started by milling the old handle 3/16" deep to accept half the diameter of the new 3/8" Delrin extension. I also drilled 2 holes to be tapped #3-48. My guess is that the handle is cast steel which machines well.
I made the handle extension from 3/8" Delrin round bar, I used a boring head to recess the Delrin part to match the radius of the end of the original charging handle. Here are the two finished parts.
I cold blued all the steel parts.
Here they are assembled. The new assembly weighs 13.3g. I put Loctite 222 on the screws.
Comparison with the stock handle.
And on the rifle.
The longer handle is much nicer to rack, specially in the Winter!
Since there are lots of surplus stock charging handles around and some of you may have access to a Lathe and Mill, I thought it would be of interest to post this.
I weighed the stock handle at 12.5g, the goal was to add as little mass as possible but I'm sure it isn't too critical. The mechanics of the 10/22 action seem pretty sloppy to me. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I suspect it's part of what has produced a reasonably reliable low cost rifle, which we all love to improve upon.
I started by milling the old handle 3/16" deep to accept half the diameter of the new 3/8" Delrin extension. I also drilled 2 holes to be tapped #3-48. My guess is that the handle is cast steel which machines well.
I made the handle extension from 3/8" Delrin round bar, I used a boring head to recess the Delrin part to match the radius of the end of the original charging handle. Here are the two finished parts.
I cold blued all the steel parts.
Here they are assembled. The new assembly weighs 13.3g. I put Loctite 222 on the screws.
Comparison with the stock handle.
And on the rifle.
The longer handle is much nicer to rack, specially in the Winter!
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