I have an old BRNO in 7x57, the rifle is superbly executed throughout except one item. It's the bolt knob, it was welded and polished right, but the checkering was cut very course and it looks like was done with a pipe thread cutter. Every time I look at it bugs me, the threads are deep, I have had several smiths look at, it is salvagable barely, problem is its hollow, and the threads are real deep, not through, and there is minimal metal to work with, grinding a flat and then recheckering is the best option.

Now the funny part, I know this rifle, well, had it apart dozens of times, used it every year at deer seasons for a lot of years. It is built right everthing else was very well thought out including silver inlay, and very expensive metal buttstock.

Every year when I take it out hunting and I am wearing gloves, I am amazed that this ugly checkered handle works so well, I get to thinking was it cut especially for using gloves?

But every year it comes home, gets cleaned up, and I see that ugly checkering, and get the urge to fix it.

I am not sure that I am going to like the fix, if I keep the existing handle, to clean up the old checkering itt needs to be done just so. I have toyed many times with just cutting off the handle and get a new one welded on, knurled in a 3 panel tear drop, with a little engraving.

What do you think? It bugs me, always will, but I have put up with it for 17-18 years. Fix it,,replace it, or forget it?

Sounds to me like you would enjoy a new bolt handle. My vote is cast.

Take a picture and email it to Scrollcutter to see if he can do anything with it. Sometimes there's an artistic answer just in front of our noses that needs the right eyes to be seen.

Can you post a close up photo of the bolt?

I'll be home on Wednesday, I will work on getting some pics posted then.

Get a new one if thats what you want lifes to short to go without something like that

If you want a neat fix, you could always braze some brass rod into the grooves and polish it smooth and round.

If you drop it in the bluing tanks, the brass would discolor slightly darker.

You were talking about a silver inlay on another part of your gun, so why not a brass 'inlay' on your knob?

-Spencer

I don't suppose there's any way to make a second bolt fit the existing headspace on the gun so you could interchange two blots?
One for show and the pimple for hunting, especially if it works so well.

Just cut it off and replace it...Have it tigged on...Apparantly its not a Bron m-21 0r 22 or it would have had a manlicher bolt. if it is then its been replaced...

Post a picture of the bolt knob and show the checkering. I have made many bolt knobs and cut all the panels as a customer desired. It may be possible to recut the checkering by engraving tools and make it into a fine line pattern. I wish more people would learn to use the engraving tools. I can post pictures of the tools needed to do this work. I had a guy come into my shop and asked if I could cut checkering on the front of the trigger guard of a S & W 29. No one could get into the area with files, but it was a simple job with the engraving tools. He was so happen that he insisted that I take a $20 tip. Have someone make the knob with your ideas for panels and then have it welded onto the bolt. We used gas welding for this work.

I would just weld the groves shut and have it recut how you want it.