Bolt handle replacement

[corbinace]

I have an old decrepit Remington 514 that is missing the bolt handle.

The square block where the handle attaches is present. The hole in the square bolt handle block is 0.253" in diameter. I will not likely be able to find a bolt or bolt handle in the price range that this rifle warrants so what options have you seen in the past.

How is the handle normally held in the bolt? Is it pressed, soldered or something else?

I am not refurbishing this inexpensive single shot rifle, rather just getting it to be able to go bang and make a hole in paper or a tin can. That said, do not hesitate to give your wildest "bubba" suggestions.

With the exception of the safety/bolt cap, this rifle has not one spec of finish left anywhere. It appears to have been left in the cow barn for it's whole life. No, not leaned up against the wall but laying on the ground. The only saving grace is that the bore is surprisingly nice. So, it is worth a bit of effort, to me, to get it going again.

Thanks, Tim.

[pietro]

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I would suggest that you epoxy a machine screw, which threaded section will just slip into the lug recess (maybe with a little persuasion), then heat/bend/shape the machine screw shaft & hexagon head to your druthers. (most good/real hardware stores should have a wide selection to choose from)


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[John Taylor]

New made at $61.75 http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/1370260.htm If you know someone that has a lathe a new bolt handle can be turned out of mild steel and silver soldered in place.

[corbinace]

Hey John, thanks for the parts lookup. I guess I never thought that an entire new bolt housing would be available. The bad part is that this bolt is worth about three times as much as the rifle. That coupled with the waiting period of several years of the bolt laying in the grass in the front yard to get it to match the rest of the rifle means this probably will not be the first line of attack.

The fastener idea that Pietro mentions may be the way I go. I could use a either a 1/4" or 5/16" bolt turned down and then cut the threads to be only .5" long and screw a threaded ball onto the end. Epoxies today are pretty impressive and may indeed work to hold the fastener into the attaching block.

Thank you gentlemen for your input.

[LAGS]

Just drill the hole and tap it for a 5/16-24 Bolt.
Thread the bolt in, then heat the bolt up with a Propane torch and bend it the angle you want.
You can Heat the bolt head cherry red and hammer it into a more pleasing shape then file it to the desired final shape.
If you use a 5/16-24 Black Socket head machine screw, the head can be almost be made into a ball before you put it onto the bolt body, then bent with heat.
The Black Machine screw, will also be able to be Cold Blued. Cad plated or Galvanized wont be able to be Blued.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I would trust either soft solder or one of the slow grades of epoxy for that joint. 1/4in. rod should be fine, but 6.5mm. is .254in. and the F number drill size is .257in. Either of those, if filed to fit, could be a tight drive fit in the hole and yet would retain epoxy in the joint. But don't use hardened tool steel rod, as it can't be bend after assembly, or threaded any time.

These balls are about the right size, but black plastic:
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Machine-Ball-Handle-Knob-HOO-38-3-8-/171065569206?hash=item27d44d6fb6:g:ZqAAAOxyE-dRyiYW

These are steel and too big, but could be reduced to oval if you have an electric drill to chuck it in, and a grinder or belt sander to spin it against:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ten-1-threaded-blind-tapped-1-4-20-UNC-steel-ball-knobs-/381271006909?hash=item58c585debd:g:KSwAAOSwstxVYcW L

These are brass, but threaded only 6-32, and other sizes I have found are either too large or in large quantities, which would cost about as much as a Brownells bolt handle.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Three-5-8-dia-threaded-6-32-brass-balls-drilled-tapped-/310389896377?hash=item4844adf4b9:g:UXUAAOxyiRlScbM A

[EDG]

I have seen a lot of bubba repairs on these rifles. They usually just torch braze the handle to the block.


You can buy a plastic handle ball from a small mechanical parts house with a 1/4-20 thread insert. Then get someone to turn the stem and install with silver bearing soft solder.

[JesterGrin_1]

As mentioned I would probably just get a piece of mild steel round stock from your local home supply store in the hardware department. Then simply file down the end to the correct size needed to thread it to whatever size and thread you decide to use on the block. Then screw it into the block pretty snug and mark what side is up to give you the center line to bend from. Then make your preferred bend. Then simply put threads on the other end of the arm. Then you can make your own ball from aluminum or brass to the shape you like. Then use loc-tite and assemble. Wala you have your own custom designed handle. :)