Bolt handle work
I have a Type 99 Arisaka that I picked up for $35.00. Chrome bore, no mum. Airplane sights, but last-ditch safety knob (since replaced) Stock is trashed. So I put a Boyd's stock on it and find out that, with handloads, I can get 2-1/2 inch groups with original sights. Since I'm already hosed for restoring it, I'd like to scope it. So, can any competent welder reconfigure the bolt handle, or are there tricks that require a gunsmith's attention? I ask because two of my neighbors are experienced welders and would do the job if I asked them. But neither has done anything like this and wanted me to find out more before they undertook the job.
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"
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Their are several ways to alter a bolt for low scope clearance. You can bend and forge the old one, you can cut it off and weld a new one in sporter configuration ,available from Brownells,Midway and others, you can cut off and reweld the old one. Any certified welder could do the welding if he is shown what to do. the hardest part comes aftr the welding in cleaning up ,contouring and polishing. the bottom has to be fitted to the reciever to close properly,it has to be inletted into the stock properly .
There is far more to it than knowing how to weld. If you have never done this ,it would much better to take it to a gunsmith and get it done correctly. Otherwise you may end up with a real "Bubba" job.0 -
You'll need some sort of heat sink to prevent the temper of the bolt from being changed. Haven't seen a reworked bolt handle done on an Arisaka, should be unique[;)]
Love them Beavers
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I have done several bolt handles on rifles other than the Jap. The locking lugs have to be protected from heat. I would put forward end of bolt into a can of water and pack inside of bolt with soaked rags. I then sawed 3/4 of the way thru bolt handle about 3/8" out from bolt body and heated with torch. Using a monkey wrench applied pressure to bend sawed area down opening a V notch in the cut area. This notch was filled in with weld. Then using a very small ball peen hammer start tapping and flattening the handle(not the knob) and shaping the curve that clears the scope. Use light taps and a VERY small hammer. The handle will begin to curve upward and widen. The excess width is ground off and the whole thing allowed to cool slowly. Using this method the handle is never totally cut off the bolt body. You could also use Brownell's Heat Stop Paste on the bolt body above where it goes into the water. My father-in-law made a heat sink by splitting a piece of pipe and clamping around bolt body on the ones he did. A good polish job and the job is done. We never had a problem with any that we did by this method.
Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN0 -
Er... um... I've already bent it and don't get near the clearance. I've seen a couple of really nice jobs here on GunBroker, so, with D.S.Cole's advice burned into my retina, I think I'll take to a gunsmith. There's a pretty good one over in Morgan County (about 45 minutes from here). There are a couple of other things I'd like done to it cosmetically to make it a classic, 1950's-era sporterized warhorse. The thing just shoots so nice and I've got so little money into it (the Boyd's was a "second" and cost $45.00 delivered) that I can't really go too wrong with it. It'll look real nice next to the basket case model-67 that I've now got nearly $300.00 into.
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0 -
quote:Originally posted by GaBob
I have done several bolt handles on rifles other than the Jap. The locking lugs have to be protected from heat. I would put forward end of bolt into a can of water and pack inside of bolt with soaked rags. I then sawed 3/4 of the way thru bolt handle about 3/8" out from bolt body and heated with torch. Using a monkey wrench applied pressure to bend sawed area down opening a V notch in the cut area. This notch was filled in with weld. Then using a very small ball peen hammer start tapping and flattening the handle(not the knob) and shaping the curve that clears the scope. Use light taps and a VERY small hammer. The handle will begin to curve upward and widen. The excess width is ground off and the whole thing allowed to cool slowly. Using this method the handle is never totally cut off the bolt body. You could also use Brownell's Heat Stop Paste on the bolt body above where it goes into the water. My father-in-law made a heat sink by splitting a piece of pipe and clamping around bolt body on the ones he did. A good polish job and the job is done. We never had a problem with any that we did by this method.
Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN
Now that, on the other hand, sounds downright do-able. I'll print off your instructions and see if either of my buddies want to take a crack at it. By the way, do I need to re-temper the handle?
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0 -
I don't think the handle would be a problem as long as the locking lugs have been kept cool. . It makes a professional looking job with a little shaping and polishing. The hammer I use is a little 4 ounce salesman's sample. I have burned two handles out of it pecking on bolt handles while holding a torch on handle.(also managed to stick the hot ball end in my ear when I went to raise goggles once). You will have to cut a notch in stock for handle to fully close but the receiver should not have to be altered.
Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN0 -
Thank you, gentlemen. Bolts for this particular rifle aren't expensive if I mess this one up, so I think I'll give it a go.
Then I can add "Bolt-Handle Re-shaper" to my resume. [:D]
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0 -
OK, one last question about this rifle. Since the bore is chrome-lined, is there any way to cut the barrel down in front of the front sight? I'd like to get that nasty old front sight off, but the bbl diameter steps down quite a bit. I'm just worried about the chrome chipping or flaking. Guy at the gun shop here has a metal lathe and has cut down other bbls for me, but never one that was chrome lined.
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0 -
Everyone seems to mention the locking lugs (he11 you can do the handle with the lugs in a bucket of water and not even warm them up), but no one has given consideration to the cocking cam. You do any welding on the handle and your going to anneal the cam area.
Just somthing to think about.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
Tailgunner is correct about cocking cam but with bolt body packed with wet cloth it is not a problem. You do have to keep checking cloth so it remains wet.
Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN0 -
as to the chrome lined bore... this should be no problem for your friend with the lathe. the chrome plating the japs used is NOT like a chromed bumper (with a copper base), it is plated directly on the steel and will machine ok. just whack the barrel off with a hack saw and cut an 11 deg. crown (might want to use a carbine cutter). 0 -
Thanks, Mike.
We'll give it a whirl. If I get the bbl cut and re-crowned, it'll improve the looks of the gun hugely. Great advice here, and thanks to everyone for their input. I'll keep ya posted. With a seven-week old baby in the house, most of my project money morphed into formula and diaper money, but I'll keep plugging.
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0
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