ThePenguinKnight
Member
- Joined
- May 30, 2007
- Messages
- 226
I have a Russian Tula TOZ-99 semi-auto 22lr. It was not very expensive, and some of the machine work is quite rough, but it shoots very well and is a lot of fun.
The only problem I've ever had with it is with the bolt handle. The original broke after a few thousand rounds. The importer sent me a replacement, which broke after a few hundred rounds. I then consulted my local gunsmith, who machined a pair of replacements bolt handles. Being a little apprehensive about it, I rarely shot the rifle after that, but even so both the replacements broke with extremely low round counts-- the only reason I didn't take it back to him is that it took over a year before I shot the gun enough to break the second of his bolt handles (despite only shooting a couple hundred rounds).
Before I continue, please take a look at the pictures below to understand how the breaks are occurring. All four bolt handles broke in exactly the same way.
The bolt is cut with a T shaped slot, into which the end of the bolt handle sits. The walls of the receiver hold the bolt in place during normal operation. The front leg of the bolt handle is the one which always breaks. See the following pics for an abbreviated sequence of field stripping:
The bolt handle in the bottom pic is facing the wrong way. The broken leg of the T is actually from the front.
I want a more permanent solution. The importer is long out of stock of replacement parts, and I don't want to pay for another bolt handle to be made that will likely just break again.
My first thought is to drill and tap for a bolt, but I'm afraid we don't have enough material forward or aft of the T cut in the bolt.
My second thought is to fill in the T cut, then drill and tap directly into the filled-in area. However, I do not have the experience or equipment to weld the bolt, or to weld a nut into the bolt.
Is there a third option? Is there an alternative material or process to welding to fill the T cut, which would be strong enough to drill and tap?
Oh, one last question is whether the bolt is thick enough there to drill and tap anyway. The T cut is only .157 inches deep, and just past that depth is the thin wall of the firing pin channel. That is not much material to work with. The following picture shows my caliper measurement:
Maybe I'm out of luck, but I figured I'd ask. Any ideas? Thanks.
The only problem I've ever had with it is with the bolt handle. The original broke after a few thousand rounds. The importer sent me a replacement, which broke after a few hundred rounds. I then consulted my local gunsmith, who machined a pair of replacements bolt handles. Being a little apprehensive about it, I rarely shot the rifle after that, but even so both the replacements broke with extremely low round counts-- the only reason I didn't take it back to him is that it took over a year before I shot the gun enough to break the second of his bolt handles (despite only shooting a couple hundred rounds).
Before I continue, please take a look at the pictures below to understand how the breaks are occurring. All four bolt handles broke in exactly the same way.
The bolt is cut with a T shaped slot, into which the end of the bolt handle sits. The walls of the receiver hold the bolt in place during normal operation. The front leg of the bolt handle is the one which always breaks. See the following pics for an abbreviated sequence of field stripping:
The bolt handle in the bottom pic is facing the wrong way. The broken leg of the T is actually from the front.
I want a more permanent solution. The importer is long out of stock of replacement parts, and I don't want to pay for another bolt handle to be made that will likely just break again.
My first thought is to drill and tap for a bolt, but I'm afraid we don't have enough material forward or aft of the T cut in the bolt.
My second thought is to fill in the T cut, then drill and tap directly into the filled-in area. However, I do not have the experience or equipment to weld the bolt, or to weld a nut into the bolt.
Is there a third option? Is there an alternative material or process to welding to fill the T cut, which would be strong enough to drill and tap?
Oh, one last question is whether the bolt is thick enough there to drill and tap anyway. The T cut is only .157 inches deep, and just past that depth is the thin wall of the firing pin channel. That is not much material to work with. The following picture shows my caliper measurement:
Maybe I'm out of luck, but I figured I'd ask. Any ideas? Thanks.