To make a 'sniper style' bolt handle:First of all 'thank you' to GSWagner for his excellent tutorials for Mauser and Mosin. If you haven't seen his site check it out here: figured out that silver solder can be used to attach sporter bolt handles which is easier for those of us that don't have a welder and results in a nicer looking bolt.Anyway, I ordered a 'Sniper style' bolt modification for $30 from an eBay seller, his work was top notch but after examining it I decided it would be very easy to do.
We offer a 'sniper' bolt that is made in the same style as the original sniper bolts used on the Mosin Nagant, as well as making a more sporty swept type bolt for hunters and shooters. Both are strong, well made, and have been widely praised by collectors, shooters, and hunters alike. Welcome to Rock Solid Industries home of the finest Mosin Nagant and K31 scope mounts available. All of our mounts are made right here in the United States. Items sold by Rock Solid Industries are Patented or Patent Pending. Scout Mount PART# (P-MN-54), This is the least desireable but easiest way to mount a scope on the Mosin Nagant Rifles. This mount replaces the rear sight leaf and does not require any permanent modifications, drilling or tapping of the receiver.
So I gave it a try myself - Below are my findings.Dissasemble the bolt, chuck the bolt body in a vise, and with a reciprocating saw remove bolt handlet.Then chuck the handle into the vise and remove the ball.Choose a 1/4' or 5/16' bolt, chuck it in the vise, and remove the head, then flip it over and remove the threaded portion. Note: the threads can be used to attach a ball that Wagner sells (but you will still have to remove some) here:(for 5/16') 1/4') ltkit.htmlWhat we have now is a bolt body and ball without handle, and a 5/16' bolt without threads or a head (which will be the new handle).I decided it's safe to drill slightly less than 1/2' into the bolt body without going through.I transferred that measurement to the new handle.Chucked it in the vise at the markand using a rubber mallet I pounded the handle to bend it. Using a 'true angle' for measuring I bent it until it read '110'. A is vertical to the vise, B is aligned with the bent handle.Now we have the bolt body and ball without handle, and the new handle with the correct bend.Next I transferred the safe depth to the drill press, and drilled the holes in the bolt body and ball to accomodate the new handle. Using step drilling I started with 1/8' and worked my way up to 5/16'Then silver solder it and you're done.
Bending Bolt Mosin Nagant
Steve wagner has some pages about silver solder:that's how they make them! You can do it too:)Note, this handle will not clear the ATI scope mount. It is a replica of the sniper bolt handle.I have no pics of the silver soldering process because I did not silver solder the 'sniper style' bolt handle. The one pictured was purchased.I instead made a very low profile handle to clear the ATI mount. Difficult to see in this fuzzy pic - I used a grinder to make the bolt body flat after I drilled it, and used a dremmel with cutting disk to extend the hole into a channel. Then cut the new handle right at the bend so it would clear the ATI mount.Pictured below is the rear of the barelled reciver, the ATI mount, and the bolt body with new handle 'test fitting' to see if it clears the ATI mountHowever, in hind sight, I think the 'sniper style' bolt handle could clear the ATI mount if the mount was cut after the 3rd cross.
Pictured below is the crosses numbered, and the red line where it could be cut.Here is the Mosin 91/30 with that bolt, after lots of grinding and attaching a plastic knob with JB Weld.The knob is only $7 here: got a vintage Japanese manufactured Tasco 4X scope, circa 1970, and Leupold vertical rings. The scope mount is reinforced with JB Weld and very rigid.The Blackhawk cheek pad works great and can be made very rigid if you tie it once around the butt and tighten it all around with pliers. Usb double shock controller driver. It gives the stock a cheek height similar to sporter stocks.Making a bolt handle that will fit around the ATI mount and rear-most ring-base is tricky, the space is tight.
This is our new generation bent bolt - milled from a whole piece of stainless steel.Three step installation:1. Cut the ball2. Thread the shank3. Loctite the bolt handle and tighten set screwsThree major advantages comparing to other solutions:1.
The bolt handle is perfectly vertical to the bolt itself, so you don't need to worry about the drilling angle.2. The bolt handle shank is 10mm in diameter, which provides a stronger platform than the drill-and-tap method.3. Because the M10 threading provides a much larger surface, once loctited, it is very solid and be able to handle the hardest recoil.