Anyone have any expereince with them?
What's the concensus?

I think they look right lovely, on the right sort of rifle. Are they that much harder to get a hold of?
I'd like to see one with a slightly enlarged tip, a pad I guess, checkered top and bottom, and then twisted counter-clockwise about 30 degrees.
For the sake of discussion, the rifle would be something like a M70 Fthrwt in 280 Rem, 22" bbl.

I guess it all boils down to how fast you want to/ need to be able to cycle the bolt. Any handle with a ball shape on the end will allow for much faster operation of the bolt than the spoon handle. As a ball is for easy pivoting in the palm of the hand. Not so with a spoon.

There are many types of "butterknife" handles, including one called a "butterball" because it has a rounded tip. I'll post some pictures when I have more time.

Keep in mind that the bolt action rifle was designed with the ball handle attached at a 90 degree angle, either straight out or turned down. These designs provide the most leverage for smooth operation.

You can variate from this a little and still have fast operation, but if you stray too much you will have problems. A vertical butterknife (Brno and Mauser) causes no problems, unless the handle is very thin. You can still use the palm of your hand. A swept back butterknife looks nice but does not allow proper cycling of the bolt. You will have to use your fingers for the entire series of motions. This is very awkward. Mannlicher-Schoenauer used it on their later models, but they put the handle in the center of the bolt (which adds leverage) and polished the action to perfection.

If you're looking for one to weld onto a bolt, Brownell's has them and an outfit called Meir Works used to import them.

I have one on a Sauer 200 and consider it a very classy looking handle. They also give good clearance on your scope. The above poster is right though, a ball type is easier to work rapidly. If your not hunting dangerous game, and don`t feel a pressing need for fast follow up shots in your hunting plans, I`d get another with no reservations. With a bit of practice they are fast enough for most circumstances.

I have one on a Mark X. It works about like a regular ball shaped bolt handle. I make the same motions with it that I do with a Rem bolt handle. The rifle also has a manlicher(spl) full length stock so the butterknife kinda adds to the Euro look. Just something a little different.

I have put on several, some homemade, some purchased from Brownells. They are a bit slower than a regular bolt, but, they can look quite classy, and if it's not a DGR...