Hi. I've got a sporterized Mauser that badly needs a new bolt handle welded on. This is one of those Kimber M96s from a few years back and they simply cut the straight bolt and welded it back on at an angle. There is just a stub of a bolt handle left and it won't let my hand clear a scope. I called a local smith and he quoted me a price of $120.00 to fit a new handle. That sounded high to say the least. Midway lists bolt handles at less than ten dollars apiece. Is there that much labor involved? Is this smith's price way out of line or is this just an expensive job?

$120 sounds a bit high to me. Where are you located? Send me a PM and I'll give you a link that will probably save you 60 bucks. I've had them do a bunch of bolts for me and all turned out very nice. They will forge yours or weld on a new one.

I bend Mauser bolts myself, but for 91/30 Mosin Nagants, M44s, M39s, etc, I take them to Lynwood Guns here in WA state.

His email is Captain Midnight <rketchum@hotmail.com>







Here is a picture of a Bolt he welded for me



I took a whole bag of 91/30 bolt bodies to him, and for $15 each he:

1) Cut off bolt handle

2) TIG weld steel extension on bolt handle

3) Chuck bolt handle in lathe and dress weld

4) Bend bolt handle

5) TIG weld the now long and bent bolt handle back to bolt body

6) Shape bolt handle with die grinder



If his shop time is $40/hour, then he must be taking 3 minutes and 45 seconds per step.



Those welds are strong too. When I overload and get a bolt stuck, I jump on bolt handle with my right foot like I am kick starting a Harley.