How to weld on a bolt handle

Welding on a new bolt handle can be a tricky job if you don't have the right tools. Larry Potterfield, CEO and Founder of MidwayUSA, demonstrates to the proper tools and set-up for welding on a new bolt handle in this GunTec presentation. He starts by securing the new bolt handle and bolt body in a bolt welding fixture made by Wheeler Engineering. This fixture holds the two parts in perfect alignment. Once the fixture is properly set up, a heat sink and heat control paste is added to the bolt. This pulls the damaging heat away from critical areas of the bolt to prevent damaging the heat treatment. All that's left is to weld in on and dress it down.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• MidwayUSA
• Larry
• Potterfield
• gunsmith
• guntec
• firearm
• Mauser
• gun
• shooting
• gun-repair
• sporterize
• weld

[abdur88]

thats the way the cookie crumbles:P XD

[banjonesy]

cool...thanks

[dahondaguy]

dont even attempt oxy/acet. welding unless you are an old school pro, or very experienced.

and definitly dont forget the heat putty/paste! you will make the bolt brittle if not.

[CoolStoryBro69me]

you know what it is, black and yellow.

[hpcrewsmith22]

Larry Potterfield is a boss. Fact.

[9x19mmProductions]

@biggarlo

probably cheaper and better just to buy a new rifle.

[30calSOULREAPER]

@Mauser2012 why does taking an old military bolt action that has a million brothers and making it into something new bother people. there are tons of old vz24 or just low quality mausers out ther that need rebareleing anyways. now i respect you wanting to keep with military authinticity but some riffles would be better of as a sporterized version. ( just so you know im not saying i wouldnt slap somebody doing this to an original 1903 or german mauser with the markings intact)

[Mauser2012]

please dont sporterize old bolt action rifles! It makes me cringe! all original!

[MapleSephiroth]

I don't know why, but these videos really made my day.

[biggarlo]

its actually for an old mossberg .22LR, snapped the bolt handle when i was duck shooting with it as a kid, (tired extractors), as you could imagine it hasn't seen much action in the past decade and a bit, iv got a stick and a mig but i think its a job for the oxy because it is defiantly cast, most likely an aftermarket bolt, probably why it broke :P.....but now iv got the inspiration from mr Potterfield im gunna sport the old girl up, >silencer, new scope, new mag, semi pistol grip,

[jeepcreep927]

@biggarlo - On some newer commercial rifles they are cast (Savage and Ruger), but the old Mausers are not. I used a mig with solid core wire and argon shielding gas and it turned out fine. I suppose any clean rod would work with arc but you might get small cosmetic voids from the flux I would think. Good luck.

[biggarlo]

would you need special rods for an arc welder? bolt handle material is cast isnt it?