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Gunsmithing Broke bolt handle...

Sixfivesavage

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 30, 2013
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Maryland
what can I do? It's a Remington 700 .223ai built by rws, broke right where the threads begin for the knob. I wanted to get the pin bushed as well. Anyone have idea besides aPT&G bolt? I had been referred to accutig in Alaska to repair the handle, just wondering if there's any other ideas.
 
You won't regret dealing with LRI.

I'm sure of that, they were actually my first call last week. I had remembered they posted something a while ago about making bolts now and they can grind the lugs and bolt face to the correct headspace of an existing barrel. Turns out they are not ready for that like I had thought hence why they said to get a PT&G Bolt. Problem is, I can't seem to find one in stock and didn't really want to deal with PT&G directly if I didn't have to.
 
Just get a new handle from PTG, have it timed and tigged and go on with life.....

Casey
 
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A new PTG handle is easy to install. The added benefit it that a good smith will also adjust the extraction timing. I would use a good local smith if you have one. They will have to have your action to adjust timing. They won't have to take it off the barrel.

Handles break when you have to hammer the bolt back. Fix your extraction issues. Extraction timing will help but if your load is too hot, you'll keep having problems.

--Jerry
 
A new PTG handle is easy to install. The added benefit it that a good smith will also adjust the extraction timing. I would use a good local smith if you have one. They will have to have your action to adjust timing. They won't have to take it off the barrel.

Handles break when you have to hammer the bolt back. Fix your extraction issues. Extraction timing will help but if your load is too hot, you'll keep having problems.

--Jerry

Yea, that's what happened. Because of the poor pin fitment and having to have the hole bushed, I crater primers with mild loads on my .223ai and occasionally have mortar it, that's when it happened. Don't have any local smith's to do it and can't find a PT&G Bolt in stock, didn't want to deal with them directly. Guess I'll get a handle and start making some calls.
 
I had the same thing happen a while ago and just milled the bolt handle flat and drilled and tapped it to 8-32(if I remember correctly). I then grabbed a 5/16-24 all thread rod, turned it down and threaded it making a 8-32 to 5/16-24. You can go bigger than 8-32 but not by much. Works well so far

Ryan
 
Look no farther than Nathan at “Straight Shot Gunsmithing”. He usually has PTG handles in stock and can do the tig welding and timing for you.
 
Yea, that's what happened. Because of the poor pin fitment and having to have the hole bushed, I crater primers with mild loads on my .223ai and occasionally have mortar it, that's when it happened. Don't have any local smith's to do it and can't find a PT&G Bolt in stock, didn't want to deal with them directly. Guess I'll get a handle and start making some calls.


I have ptg bolt handles and I can bush your bolt. . PM if I can help. My rates are about average. My guarantee is above average. --Jerry
 
Accu-tig !
Dan will have it turned around in less than 10 days!
With that being said, LRI has done a few for me as well on custom builds.
 
Another for Accu-tig. Any factory Remington actions I work on, I send the bolt to him.
 
Edited- I forgot yours was broken in half, not broken off. Yes, he will retime it. It will be perfect when you get it back. He's definitely an expert in Remington bolts. Call him and get him talking, the amount of time he's spent studying Remington actions will amaze you. I don't know whether he bushes the bolt face or not, though.
 
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That might be what I remembered seeing when LRI posted something a while ago. Assuming it is, LRI said they are not ready yet. Maybe that's why they suggested the PTG route to me.
 
As far as Time/Tig goes:

It does not take much to zap a handle to a bolt. I do however feel that actually fitting the primary extraction cam has more to it. Namely because Remington PE cam surfaces on bolt handles went through a big change (for the worse) when the RR prefix receivers came online. The cam on the bolt is wrong. Take a new RR action and compare it to almost any other of earlier lineage. The cam angle and duration is quite different. That leaves two options: You weld it up, remachine, reinstall, or you replace it with an alternative.

LRI does both. Several years ago I built dedicated fixturing that allows us to restore a current production handle to the proper geometry. To do this it absolutely DOES require that the action be provided because they too have some variance.

edit: x10 if your action has been "tuned", "accurized", "blueprinted", "trued", etc... because machining the lug abutments on the receiver and the bolt changes everything. Understanding this is the difference between an action that runs to standard or one that is both anemic on the PE and short on striker travel.

I have the metrology to prove this. That investment in equipment is what lead me down this path to begin with. It's the genuine attempt to solve the problem. Sticking a handle back on so that the bolt lugs are 6 and 12 is only but a small part of it.

If other shops are going to this length then good on them. If they are not, then you did not get what you think you paid for.

C.
 
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As far as Time/Tig goes:

It does not take much to zap a handle to a bolt. I do however feel that actually fitting the primary extraction cam has more to it. Namely because Remington PE cam surfaces on bolt handles went through a big change (for the worse) when the RR prefix receivers came online. The cam on the bolt is wrong. Take a new RR action and compare it to almost any other of earlier lineage. The cam angle and duration is quite different. That leaves two options: You weld it up, remachine, reinstall, or you replace it with an alternative.

LRI does both. Several years ago I built dedicated fixturing that allows us to restore a current production handle to the proper geometry. To do this it absolutely DOES require that the action be provided because they too have some variance.

edit: x10 if your action has been "tuned", "accurized", "blueprinted", "trued", etc... because machining the lug abutments on the receiver and the bolt changes everything. Understanding this is the difference between an action that runs to standard or one that is both anemic on the PE and short on striker travel.

I have the metrology to prove this. That investment in equipment is what lead me down this path to begin with. It's the genuine attempt to solve the problem. Sticking a handle back on so that the bolt lugs are 6 and 12 is only but a small part of it.

If other shops are going to this length then good on them. If they are not, then you did not get what you think you paid for.

C.

Chad, I haven't committed to anyone else for the work and was really hoping to have you guys do it. Maybe you can help me out, is a new handle something you would have an easier time sourcing than I would? If it's something you have a work around for or can get a handle I'll have the hole thing out to you as soon as you're ready.
 
Chad, I haven't committed to anyone else for the work and was really hoping to have you guys do it. Maybe you can help me out, is a new handle something you would have an easier time sourcing than I would? If it's something you have a work around for or can get a handle I'll have the hole thing out to you as soon as you're ready.

Handles in stock. Just box it, send it, and it'll be back in a few days.