Hawkeye African bolt handle question

[RoninPA]

Preface: Customer has a Hawkeye, .375 Ruger, LEFT HANDED model which is scoped. I need to have him tell me if it is an African or the Guide gun. He does not like the size of the ball on the bolt handle and wants to have something a bit bigger to get a positive grip(?) on the bolt handle.

Question, Is there anyone out there that makes a replacement bolt handle for this model that is larger? It can be a bit longer if need be for the scope clearance.

Looking at both of the rifles on the Ruger site, it appears that there just isn't much room to be thinking about cutting the ball off and threading the handle or drilling and inserting a threaded rod in to screw on another type ball. Also, if the handle is cast, that makes it harder to do any drilling/threading. If the handle is not cast, I suppose that you could machine the ball down to a stem and then thread that.

Any ideas??

 

[TBear77]

Ron,
The Hawkeye (like all the M77 variants) has a cast bolt handle. I've not seen any replacement bolt handles for sale.

Ted

 

[Chief 101]

there are smity's out there that mill the handle and thread it for any number of oversized handles. I know they do Rems and Savages, not sure about Rugers tho.

 

[Sugar River]

Ron,
The Hawkeye (like all the M77 variants) has a cast bolt handle. I've not seen any replacement bolt handles for sale.

Ted

Slight correction: the entire bolt is cast as one piece, including the handle.

 

[GAO LLC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1B9l5ohUII&t=91s

 

[bentblade]

Don't know if this would be of any help but I picked a couple of these up on Ebay. I haven't installed them yet I got one fore my GSR and a Tikka. They weren't quite what I expected. I thought they screwed on like the target knob on the Tikka CTR but they don't Best description I can give is like a small super ball with a hole that you slip over the bolt knob. I bought them just before Xmas and promptly lost them in the house so I can't give you a review at this time. The price is right and shipping from Australia was only a couple of weeks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tourbon-Rifle-Rubber-Bolt-Knob-Hunting-Grip-Removable-TIKKA-REMINGTON-RUGER/222543222441?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

This has mixed reviews on Amazon anywhere from 1 star to 5 stars but most are positive. I also saw mention of a Hornady version so I will post a link to that also.

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/28282

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dya2jIKfHWo

 

[RoninPA]

Thanks bentblade, I'll pass the links on to the guy that wanted the bolt handle worked on.

 

[bentblade]

I tried this on my Tikka and it did not work too well how ever my Tikka has a tapered bolt handle like a teardrop sot it tended to slide around. Put on a 22lr with a round know and seemed pretty secure. I didn't have my Ruger there at the time so I wasn't able to try it but Based on how it fit the round knob 22 I think it will be OK. I have heard that if you spray the inside of the rubber know with hair spray it help going on and secures it when the hair spray drys but is not permanent.

 

[RoninPA]

I tried this on my Tikka and it did not work too well how ever my Tikka has a tapered bolt handle like a teardrop sot it tended to slide around. Put on a 22lr with a round know and seemed pretty secure. I didn't have my Ruger there at the time so I wasn't able to try it but Based on how it fit the round knob 22 I think it will be OK. I have heard that if you spray the inside of the rubber know with hair spray it help going on and secures it when the hair spray drys but is not permanent.

Good to know, thank you. My customer is going to go with the ball, he thinks that will do what he is looking for. Once he does it I'll try to remember to report on how it worked and if he likes it.

 

[Rumrunner]

I have tried off and on to find the Hornady ball to no avail. So, I ordered the Tourbon ball for my Ruger Scout rifle. Have not received it yet but will post a review when I do.