Rhineland 45 ACP Kit

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ray: if you have a friend who can heliarc weld you can just cut the bolt handle off completely and weld it back on in a more favorable position.

If you try to heat and bend it you will alter the heat treat of the bolt body which you don't want to do. Too much of the bolt will suck up heat and once it's to 400 F it will turn blue and it is soft after that.

Here's a pic of my M96 bolt. I went a little farther than just cut and reweld on this one as I wanted the big screw on knob so I had to make the handle with threads on it and a flange for the knob to bottom against.

However the weld back onto the bolt part is exactly the same and is a 10 minute job,as long as you pile enough filler rod onto it so you can make conture without low spots. Also the heat affected area with the heliarc is much less than gas welding or using a torch to bend it.

The reason for the big knob is this rifle is being built as a NM target rifle and with the cock on closing style action the big knob makes it much easier to cycle bolt from the prone or sitting position. Also I can screw on a 1" round knob instead if I want. The threads on the bolt handle are 5/16-18 so any knob with those internal threads will work. Knobs like this are available from McMaster-Carr and other sources. Not expensive at all.

Here's some pics.

Randy

[greywuuf]

Wow, we need pictures of that complete rifle! That looks really nice.

Homeland defense begins at home. I'm not there. Sent from a mobile device using a commercial app.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Wuuf: The gun is a M96 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. I found a guy who had had several CG63 Swedish Target rifle stocks knocked off in nice walnut, and I have a Lyman receiver sight for a Husky rifle that will be going on it.

The gun is one of my many "Gun Projects" that have been put on hold until I get my Jeep project done or at least running.

When it does get done it I will show pics of it. The wood in the stock has some interesting figure and will come out nice.

The gun would shoot 1.5" in stock form before I took it apart, so I hope with better sights it will be a good performer.

Randy

[deltaenterprizes]

Bolt bending blocks and a heat sink work well, I have used them a few times with no problems.

[d4xycrq]

Epoxy cured nicely and I got to sanding... A quick squirt of primer to see how many holidays there are:

Before:



After:







Ray

[d4xycrq]

Randy,

That bolt handle for the Swedish Mauser looks fine - very fine. I have two Swedes' - bought them decades ago, before they got hot. I think I gave no more than $89 each for them. One is the shorter version - the other, obviously longer. Both have the end of the barrel threaded for some apparatus. What caliber is your match rifle going to be?

Delta - I'll have to Google for the bolt bending blocks and heat sink. Never seen that done. Brownells, would have 'em I'm sure.

Best regards.

Ray

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ray: so what's wrong with that? I think it came out good. I believe I'd remove the ejector hsg and trigger before final paint and do them separately, but that's me.

My gun is staying 6.5x55 which is a damn good target rifle caliber, and pleasant to shoot.

I am doing the same thing to my Jeep frame as we speak, and am filling over goobered welds with bondo and filling low spots in the frame. It is looking much better than before and is a worth while thing to spend the time to do right.

Your gun will look much better when done than if you would have left it pitted and just painted over it. Even a $4.95 bondo kit from Pepboys would make it look better and lets face it your job looks way better than $5 worth of time and effort.

Good result. What kind of stock are you looking at. Full Length Mannlicher style Sporter? would be cool.

Randy

[greywuuf]

YAY! just got the package slip, my small ring kit is in.... Should be able to put up some pic's tomorrow evening.

[d4xycrq]

Grey,

Glad to hear the kit is almost in hand. How long ago did you order it?

Ray

[greywuuf]

I would have to check, but it was only last week, i think the order payment was confirmed on monday ?

[deltaenterprizes]

Write up from Brownells site:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1...r_Bolt_Handles

[W.R.Buchanan]

Or you can just cut it off and reweld it in the new position, which takes 10 minutes.

Randy

[badgeredd]

Ray,

For what it's worth, I'd cut the handle and weld a new one on your bolt. The bending of a bolt handle can be a chore to say the least because one has to control the residual heat in the bolt body. BUT one can simply bend the handle if you have a acetylene torch available. Wrap your bolt with soaking wet rags and heat the shank quickly, bend the handle and mist spray water onto it to cool it. Take care to keep the flame from playing onto the bolt body. Don't quench it quickly as it'll weaken and crystallize the steel. The bolt forging blocks do work but a good friend and gunsmith really hates doing it over replacing the handle. Your gun, your choice.

Edd

[greywuuf]

Got my mil contour small ring kit, as expected the threads are to large.... I will try to get some pictures up as i go along and make progress. I think I am going to leave the straight bolt handle as it seems to be easier to work that way... with it being "cock on close" and all.
Dan

[greywuuf]

Good News!... about an hour with a triangular file and some "crocus" cloth and we are good to go.

[greywuuf]

UPDATE:
just got the magwell/trigger guard in the mail and it is PERFECT! I lucked out, my rails are wide enough, the magwell adapter slides snugly to the front of the magwell and the magazine seem to be high enough that even if the round noses down a little ( top round especially) that it still catches the ramp and feeds all right. This thing might just run out of the box. buddy of mine had a butchered old stock ( missing some fore end that I would have had to cut off anyway ) so I am not far from trying this all out ! Still waiting for delta's Range report though I might even get motivated to post some pictures later tonight.

[d4xycrq]

Folks,

Still no kit from Rhineland - but meanwhile, the receiver has come apart for prep and paint. (removed bolt stop/ejector and trigger assembly)

Here are pictures showing the FN receiver with DuraCoat (DuraBake) Gun Blue finish applied.

Way more in-your-face blue than I expected, especially under camera flash.

Scroll up to see just how bad this receiver was before.









Bolt and trigger are still in the white, and I think I'll leave them that way. Not sure what to do with the barrel as far as paint goes. I'm leaning toward leaving it in the white as well.

Thank you for all the continued helpful comments and encouragement!

Best regards,

Ray

[greywuuf]

Looking like I might work out for you !
that is a little "Blue'r " than I would have expected as well but it looks nice.

I am busily de-griming and removing about 60 years of oil from my Stock so that I can convert it from Large ring to small ring, and proceed with my little project as well.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Just make sure your stock color contrasts with the blue and You'll be fine. A redder finish like a Winchester Red (look at Turnbull Restorations work) would contrast nicely with the blue.

I would leave the trigger and the bolt unfinished. Finishing the barrel in a black I think would look better than blue as I think you would end up with "Too much Blue" A little of that goes a long way, by the same token leaving it unfinished would contrast nicely with the action and stock, but you would have to deal with rust issues unless you kept the gun coated with oil.

Look at it this way.. What looks good on a car probably will also look good on a gun. If you go to a Big National Match shoot you will see many variations and color combinations. Enough so you should be able to decide what will look good and what is gross..

Avoid the Fuschia and Chartruese shades.

You're doin' good, and we can't wait to see the done pics.

Randy

[d4xycrq]

Grey, Randy,

Thanks for the feedback.

Good luck on that stock, Grey... I have never heard of converting a stock from Large to Small ring. Using a filler?

Meanwhile, here are some photos in the sun (rather than the wicked flash)







Finish is truly hard - but I will stay away from it for the next several days.

Ray