Turn down 7mm Mauser bolt handle

[TaylorS]

So I have a sportered 7mm Spanish Mauser that has the straight handle. I would like to turn it down so I won’t have to use one of the odd long eye relief scopes and mounts. I have a Mosin nagant that I had replaced the rear sight with one of those scope mounts and scopes it for the long eye relief. Hate the set up. Haven’t done anything quite like this but I think I can pull it off. I think stripping the bolt then leveling it in the vice applying heat and slowly bending it down. I’m not sure weather to heat treat the steel after getting it in place or just to let it cool. Any advice would be welcome


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[Rojelio]

You really need a bolt bending jig to do it properly. If you're not familiar with the operation, it would probably be better to form it out.

Also, letting it cool slowly will get you a soft cocking cam and you'll end up with galling. They make a heat sink that screws into the back of the bolt to absorb some of the heat. Heat control paste also helps.

[pietro]

.

Unless your Spanish Mauser is a cock-on-opening Model 98 pattern, there is no cocking cam at the rear of the bolt.

The forward portion of a cock-on-closing Model 93/95 Spanish Mauser needs to be wrapped tightly with a good heat sink (like a strip of lead) to avoid effecting the hardness of the locking lugs.

Model 98 pattern Mauser's will also need a heat sink at the rear, as mentioned above.



When the bolt handle is simply bent down, that in itself can create other issues, like:

1) The bolt handle will be effectively shorter

2) The stock will need to be inletted for the root section of the handle, as well as the section of the tang under the bolt handle root

When I do one, I've always just cut off the old bolt handle, leaving about 1/4" of the root, then welded on a commercial or handmade replacement handle.

IME, most times, especially with fat military stocks, the inletting for bolt handle clearance will still need to be done, in order for the bolt to close/lock fully.


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[HABCAN]

Cut it and weld it. BTDT.

[LAGS]

I have done over 100 bolt handles on 93/95's and 98's
I have done them with a Heat sink and a Mapp Gas torch.
I also have the forging blocks to do the sporterized handles for my custom Mausers with a welding torch .
To turn a handle down, it is not a major problem.
Forging or welding takes a little more time, and you have to watch your heat on the bolt body.
For forging, you should use a heat sink and heat stop paste.
For bending a a 93/95 bolt down , You can get away with a bolt wrapped in a wet rag and a pair of channel locks or a pair of vise grips and a bench vise.

[Texas by God]

Cut it and weld it. BTDT.

^^^This by far^^^^
I have done it all methods and welding on an aftermarket handle is best. A welding jig is indispensable.

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[John Taylor]

Many times a handle can be cut off and welded back on but it usually is a bit short. If your good at black smithing it can be stretched out before welding. Also the frame will need to relieved a bit as well as the stock inletted. Then you will need to change the safety. The bolt also can be forged out with the proper tools but I find it takes longer to do a good looking job. Most of the time I go with a new handle and weld it on.

[Texas by God]

Midway/Wheeler had those nice weld on handles years ago but I don't know about now. I saw on some site where a guy welds real hardware store bolts on. Oh the shame!

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[Tackleberry41]

Would have thought all the Spanish rifles had bent bolts. 3 I have are all bent, 2 7mm, 1 308. But I guess not an actual bent bolt, one came with a scope set up, it has to be pretty high off the receiver for the handle to clear a scope.

[Uncle Grinch]

A new welded on handle is what you really want. No comparison... Your best bet is to have it done professionally, unless you are capable of . Check out this guy, he does good work and has quick turn around.
http://www.accu-tig.com

You also need to modify the safety for scope clearance with either a Buhler Mark II type or a side swing 2 or 3 position type.

[Texas by God]

Welded on handle.

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[bstarling]

I have done a few using this method. It works well and is easy.

https://goo.gl/images/4JAP6D

[Red Elk]

I agree with the welded crowd. For me, it has produced the best results. Forging has difficulties, bending has more problems. Welding is quick, easy, and produces the best results. The bolt welding jig is great. They can be made pretty easy if you are the least bit financially challenged and/or talented. You can use several welding methods, they all work well if used properly. Make sure you use a heat sink, heat paste, and keep and eye on the heat of the bolt. You can make a bolt handle if you have time and/or incentive. They are not very much to buy.
I would go welded.
re

[nekshot]

Welded on handle.

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That gun looks happy. Is that your 30-30?

[Texas by God]

It is, Nekshot. However I did not do the handle on it. I usually don't sweep them but I like this one.

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[Clark]

I am 66.
When I was in grade school, another little boy told me about bending bolts on Mausers.
Since then I have forged over a lot of bolts.... but that leaves them short.
Cutting them and welding them leaves them short.
Forging over and then cutting and welding an extension or cutting and then welding an extension are the ways to go.

Here you can see some VZ24 bolt handles we just forged over with acetylene and Brownells forging blocks [too short] and you can see some 1903 Turkish Mauser bolt handles that were cut and welded with extensions [nice and long].

[Texas by God]

And that is how it's done. Once they are polished and blue they will look like they grew there.

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