greyling22
Member
So I have a mini mauser with a tiny bolt handle has been giving me fits for years. I have some time these days so I though I might try and do something about it. It came from the factory contoured like it should wrap about the bell, but it doesn't. I had to use extra high rings to get the scope to clear, and I still don't get much room.
I know to bend the bolt of an original mauser you need bending blocks, heat sinks, etc to do it right, but all I really want to do is is bend the bolt about 15 degrees about half way down the handle, then relieve the notch in the stock so the new angle still works, and clean it all up nice. Could I get away with just heating the bolt in a vice with a narrow torch, then gently tapping it to the new desired angle without damaging the heat treating of rest of the bolt or the structural strength of the handle steel? There are no rear locking lugs.
(yes, I did grind the top of the bolt off flatter, then cold blued it. Blueing is rubbing off and looks really bad under a flash, no so bad in person. And yes, the gun is backwards, don't judge me, I was born this way.)
I know to bend the bolt of an original mauser you need bending blocks, heat sinks, etc to do it right, but all I really want to do is is bend the bolt about 15 degrees about half way down the handle, then relieve the notch in the stock so the new angle still works, and clean it all up nice. Could I get away with just heating the bolt in a vice with a narrow torch, then gently tapping it to the new desired angle without damaging the heat treating of rest of the bolt or the structural strength of the handle steel? There are no rear locking lugs.
(yes, I did grind the top of the bolt off flatter, then cold blued it. Blueing is rubbing off and looks really bad under a flash, no so bad in person. And yes, the gun is backwards, don't judge me, I was born this way.)