Building a 700. I would like to change out the bolt handle and maybe flute the bolt. How is the handle attached to the bolt? Is it simply silver soldered? Also, when fluting the bolt. How deep can I go? I am thinking a 1/8 ball mill about .06 deep with 6 cuts. Anything I should consider or look out for?
Remington 700 bolt handle
- Thread starter BoogieMan
- Start date
It's only .120 dp if I use an even number of divisions. I can always go with 5 or 7 divisions so it doesn't line up. Or I can use a different style cutter and go shallower. I guess my question is if there is any issue with weakening the bolt body behind the lugs. Everything is contained in front of the lugs except the tension of striker spring. In that case we are looking at minimal force.
Let's get some definitions since it has always caused problems .
There is a 'silver solder ' that melts at about 400 F. That is a "SOLDER "
There is a 'silver solder 'which is a misnomer as it should be called "BRAZE". This melts at anywhere from about 900 F to1300 F !
The silver solder is much lower strength than silver braze !
If the Remington bolt looks like copper it's a braze .
I'm not being picky about this , it's caused lots of problems for us metallurgists !!
There is a 'silver solder ' that melts at about 400 F. That is a "SOLDER "
There is a 'silver solder 'which is a misnomer as it should be called "BRAZE". This melts at anywhere from about 900 F to1300 F !
The silver solder is much lower strength than silver braze !
If the Remington bolt looks like copper it's a braze .
I'm not being picky about this , it's caused lots of problems for us metallurgists !!
To me it appears to be more of a brass color than a silver color. So I am going with it being a brass/bronze braze. My problem is that the only way I have to remove it is by O/A torch. I dont want to heat it to that point with a torch. My other option is to position it in a vise and circular interpolate the current handle then thread mill it. Then I can simply create a custom handle in lathe and screw it on. I was considering going a little more "trick" and creating a full handle from billet and soldering it back to the bolt body.
Generally, the term "solder" is used when the joining metal is a lead-tin alloy, with a melting point at or under about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Silver solder is a silver-tin alloy with a higher melting point; it makes a stronger joint, but is generally used in applications like fresh water plumbing, where the use of lead would be hazardous to persons drinking the water.
While the term brazing is sometimes used to include silver solder, the word itself comes from the use of brass and it is usually used when the bonding metal is brass or copper.
In the case of the Remington bolt not only is the handle held on by induction brazing, the front of the bolt is a separate part with both locking lugs and it is held into the bolt body by induction brazing. (NOTE: I did NOT say the bolt lugs are brazed on; that silly story was circulated by competitors when Remington first made built-up bolts. The whole front of the bolt, a part that includes the bolt face and both lugs, is inserted into the bolt body and brazed in.)
The brazing is done by electric induction; the copper is inserted between the parts, then the bolt put inside an electric coil that melts the copper and bonds the parts. The bolt handle is then tested in a machine and a punch mark used to indicate that it passed the test.
Have any Remington bolt handles ever come off? Probably there have been some, at least at first. But like many other stories, sensationalism will usually spread faster than truth. Like S&W internal locks (millions died when their guns locked up!!), M1 rifle operating rods (tens of thousands of GI's killed!!), Colt Single Actions (blew up by the thousands!!), P.38's (made of cheap stamped tin!!), such nonsense is best ignored.
Jim
While the term brazing is sometimes used to include silver solder, the word itself comes from the use of brass and it is usually used when the bonding metal is brass or copper.
In the case of the Remington bolt not only is the handle held on by induction brazing, the front of the bolt is a separate part with both locking lugs and it is held into the bolt body by induction brazing. (NOTE: I did NOT say the bolt lugs are brazed on; that silly story was circulated by competitors when Remington first made built-up bolts. The whole front of the bolt, a part that includes the bolt face and both lugs, is inserted into the bolt body and brazed in.)
The brazing is done by electric induction; the copper is inserted between the parts, then the bolt put inside an electric coil that melts the copper and bonds the parts. The bolt handle is then tested in a machine and a punch mark used to indicate that it passed the test.
Have any Remington bolt handles ever come off? Probably there have been some, at least at first. But like many other stories, sensationalism will usually spread faster than truth. Like S&W internal locks (millions died when their guns locked up!!), M1 rifle operating rods (tens of thousands of GI's killed!!), Colt Single Actions (blew up by the thousands!!), P.38's (made of cheap stamped tin!!), such nonsense is best ignored.
Jim
Toney- Have your grandson check out Pacific Gage and Tool. They sell complete bolts that he can purchase and easily install. This is assuming he has the skill to headspace the rifle. Also can send the whole rifle back to remington or most any gunsmith.
For my project I dont see it as practicable to remove the bolt handle and install a newly manufactured one. Brazing with torch is going to create a mess of the bolt and or handle.
For my project I dont see it as practicable to remove the bolt handle and install a newly manufactured one. Brazing with torch is going to create a mess of the bolt and or handle.
The 700 and 721-722 actions are not really the best design for building unless it's free and practice for some kid to learn smith work.
They are just push feed's with brazed on bolt handles and lack decent safeties that don't control the firing pin.
Look at the mauser or Winchester M70's.
They are just push feed's with brazed on bolt handles and lack decent safeties that don't control the firing pin.
Look at the mauser or Winchester M70's.