I'm building a 9,3x64, I posted pics of the barrel a few months ago, it's an old half octagon with a full rib. I'm fitting it to a VZ24 action with a rampant lion crest. Hopefully it will be a very nice rifle when completed.

Anyway, I hope to purchase a teardrop bolt handle with the engraved panels from Brownells. So my question is, would it be abnormal to weld the new bolt handle on and leave it sticking straight out? I have no desire to install a scope on this gun and the only reason I've ever bent bolt handles was to clear scopes, so to me bent or straight it's going to be whatever looks best and I like straight bolt handles like on military mausers.

I was just wondering if this is/was ever done on custom guns and how would it look?

I've never seen a straight custom handle on a custom bolt gun but have no doubt it's been done before. I can say with reasonable certainty it wouldn't be something that I would find attractive.

I have seen quite a few done were the handle was bent but in a fashion that didn't require the stock to be inletted. I do like those.

Now, with what was said above, here is the real answer. A fine custom rifle is about you want, if you find that appealing you should go for it.

Terry

P.S. here is a nice alternative to Brownells.
Glimms bolt handles

I've bought from him before and really like them. he usually has them in stock too.

If you're certain you'll never want to scope the rifle, I second Terry's idea for a traditional bolt handle without the stock being inletted. I'd also suggest a smooth (uncheckered) bolt knob. The traditional look is what I'd try to achieve.

Thanks guys, that's exactly the type of answers I was looking for. (I was a little aprehensive to even ask the question.)

Was wondering if you might have any pics of the aforementioned bolt styles?

quote:

I'd also suggest a smooth (uncheckered) bolt knob. The traditional look is what I'd try to achieve.

Would that still be a teardrop style or round?

Build it with the straight handle. If you don't like the end result, change it.

I have to admit I kind of like the straight handle on my military VZ-24 when working the bolt fast, but I have to plan an empty slot next to it in the safe. Also doesn't zip into a soft case as neatly. That said, go for what ever you want, just make sure to post photos!

I haven't seen any replacement bolt handles that are straight...scoped or not. Most replacement bolt handles are straight in the sense that they are done in the Mauser style. Here's mine that was completed last week on a Model 24 FN Mauser.

The straight handle tends to lead to blocking your view of the target when you raise your hand to the top. May only seem significant if you have something big and mean coming at you fast.

I would not go for a straight handle. But that is just my taste.

I think this is the "classic" style I would go for(but I do like them a bit longer):

The straight bolt handle made perfect sense when the original bolt action, a single shot, had to be taken down from the shoulder and reloaded from waist height.

With the advent of the bolt action repeating rifle, it did not take such designers as John and James Paris Lee and Ole Krag long to realize that the magazine rifle could and should be left in the shoulder when operating the bolt, and for this purpose, the turned down bolt handle was best.

Both Great Britain (Lee-Metford)and the United States (Krag-Jorgensen) adopted rifles with turned down bolts as their first magazine rifles. The turned down bolt handle was continued in the British P-14 Enfield and the US Springfield 1903.

Mauser took longer to reach this conclusion, and even after turned down bolts were the norm for Mauser sporting rifles and cavalry carbines. Mauser military rifles continued to feature straight bolt handles.

This changed with the creation of the Karabiner 98 (98k), which combined the features of the infantry rifle and the cavalry carbine and did away with the straight bolt handle on Mauser rifles forever.

I built a .416 Ruger on a Persian action and left the bolt handle sticking straight out.

For a non scoped DG rifle it made perfect sense. I actually believe the function was better this way than welding on a "better looking" handle.

450/400,
Whose safety is on your Venezuelan? I don't think I've ever seen one like that before.

quote:

Originally posted by slancey:
450/400,
Whose safety is on your Venezuelan? I don't think I've ever seen one like that before.

Looks like a Saterlee to me but I could be wrong.

That's a Model 24 made in 1936 by FN for Mexico...the bolt and safety were done by Satterlee