How to Finish Up a Replacement Bolt Handle

There's a lot more to replacing a bolt handle than just simply welding it on, let me show you the rest of the process.

We want the new bolt handle to be swept back and lifted slightly like the handle on this commercial bolt.

An aluminum heatsink and heat control paste will help protect the bolt from heat when using an oxyacetylene torch. When the middle of the bolt turns red, the steel is soft enough to bend.

Now we can use a box-end wrench to bend it slightly in both directions. Once it is cooled down, we can file off the excess weld using a variety of files until it's properly shaped.

The notch in the top of the bolt body must be straight up for the action to work properly, so we'll need to grind a recess in the receiver for the new bolt handle. Remove just enough material to allow the bolt to fully close. A hand grinder works well for this job.

There you have it, those are the last steps in the process of welding on a new bolt handle.

-- Larry Potterfield