does anyone still do butterknife bolt handles?

T

tahunua001

New member
hello all,
I'm just curious if there are still manufacturers out there that still make bolt action rifles with the flat style bolt handles.
 
This is the first one that comes to mind for me. This Henry Mini Bolt .22 has a real interesting feel to the handle. I've seen others very occasionally but none others come to mind and I've never had occasion to feel any besides the Henry.

Looks like it would be a fun gunsmithing project though. Might have enough material on an existing bolt to heat it and draw it out.
 
That Henry Mini-bolt really feels like a quality piece: I tried one about a year ago, as a gun for my daughter, and would have picked it up, except wife and daughter nixed the idea. Bolt handle was very smooth, stock and metal finish top notch, especially given to low cost.
 
I dunno. I have a couple of classic Mauser pattern rifles with them and I think they are cool.

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The only thing I remember as factory were the manlicher sporting rifles. Everything else I rember was custom.
 
I have actually done a few, but for money, not because I like them. They are (IMHO) one of those features that comes along from time to time that looks great and is awful in use. I think Brno might still make them but a custom made one might be cheaper. They can be forged down but today are generally made by cutting off the original bolt handle and replacing it.

The ones by The Bolt Man look good, but are not the original "butter knife" handle that looks (again, MHO) so great.

Jim
 
I made one for a Yugo 98 Mauser that I work on from time to time.

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It's kind of a long-term project.

I bought a piece of 5/8" diameter free-machining steel, then used the lathe and mill to shape it. I used a TIG welder to attach it to the stub left after I cut off the old handle, then used files to clean up the weld.

Now the thing is waiting on a new barrel. Then I have to rust-blue it and sink it into a nice tiger-striped walnut semi-inletted stock I have waiting for it.

Sure hope it shoots OK after I put all of that work into it! - I've been working on it off and on for several years now.

I dunno if the shape is correct... I just made it to suit my fancy.
 
The T/C Icon was the only factory rifle with a butter knife handle that I can remember and it has been discontinued. You might still find a few on GunBroker.
 
I'm sure there are folks out there that can make good butterknife handles , no doubt in my mind but I like the old fashioned ones.
Here's one from the 1800's on my Kar88 .

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So-called because it has the same kind of handle as the old-style butter knife. The butter knife handle was made to keep the knife from turning in the hand while slicing (you guessed it) butter. IMHO, there is a lot less rationale for that shape in a rifle bolt (looks aside).

Turned down and flattened bolt handles were used on cavalry carbines so they would lay flat against the rifle and not catch on things like tree limbs as the trooper rode along.

Jim
 
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