Welfare Lefty Charging Handle V 2.0

Stevo

Stevo

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The first attempt failed due to improper execution and left me with a bolt carrier with no handle and a hole on the left side.

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I smoothed it out with a grinding stone on a Dremel, drilled a crooked hole with my $35 Princess Auto drill press, tapped it 5/16" UNC and installed a shortened 5/16" socket head bolt with Loc-tite. The carrier got two coats of BBQ paint and two coats of satin clear. It looks like s**t and works like a hot damn. Total cost about $15 because I bought a couple of taps.

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ipscgraz said:
You could consider grinding a few threads of the bolt...so the bolt bottoms out in the hole just as you run all of the now-shorter threads into the hole.

Might look just a tad less bubba.
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I did shorten it. If I shorten the bolt in the pic down to the smooth section it ends up too short. I haven't found a bolt with the right length smooth shank on it yet.
 
I have considered something of this nature for my new SKS. I was thinking about doing the same thing EXCEPT machine a new bolt handle or chop off and bore out the original and then run a bolt through it the same way you did. Let us know how yours holds up for strength.
 
I used the tightening sleeve off a tap chuck for my handle. You can buy replacement sleeves at crappy tire or any supply store for ~$10. It's nicely knurled and has a great look. I did basically the same thing; drilled & tapped the carrier, then modified the above sleeve to insert a bolt through it into the carrier. This is a great part because the sleeve is internally threaded allowing you to create a shaft that can thread straight through the sleeve, then tapering to a smaller shaft to thread into the carrier. It's got a ton of strength.

Initially all I had was loctite to hold it in which was fine for the first 8K rounds, but the forces after that started affecting & loosening the threads so I'd have to keep retightening it every 500rnds or so.. Not wanting to take a handle to the face, I have since welded the handle down. It isn't going anywhere now..

IMO a lefty charge is the best modification you can do to this rifle (after a good muzzle brake). I punish my rifle weekly and she's better now than when I got her.


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Stevo, that's just gross looking!
All you need now is a life vest and you'll be back in the battle! :D

All jokes aside, that's some good ingenuity. Too bad it's not straight, it'd look pretty good.
 
Exoce†;3337249 said:
Stevo, that's just gross looking!
All you need now is a life vest and you'll be back in the battle! :D

All jokes aside, that's some good ingenuity. Too bad it's not straight, it'd look pretty good.
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Yeah, it's truly bad. I'll keep the life jacket in mind for the next 3-Gun shoot!

blckgnznstuff said:
Look for "shoulder bolts" you may find something a bit more clean looking for little cash.
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Those would work great if my mad skillz had allowed me to drill the hole perpendicular.:kickInTheNuts:


For me the real point was that I was able to turn a messed up carrier back into something useful. Better that useful actually. If you've run a LH CH on a Vz you know what I mean.
 
yes I shoot rifles left handed. I have shot the vz, just it would be nice to have a left hand charging handle so your not reaching over, or conversly under.

my favorite charging handle was on my hk G36 , it was ambi and mounted right in the middle.
 
You lost me.

If you're holding the pistol grip in your left hand, the stock charging handle is already in the right spot for a lefty. If you're taking your hand off the pistol grip to run the bolt, you're doing it wrong. Run the bolt with your right hand.
 
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