After looking around at some aftermarket extended charging handles and seeing some of the obscene prices people are wanting for them, I decided that I would take a few minutes and make my own. There's no way I want to pay $30+ for one. Not when I can make one myself out of $1.50 worth of materials.
So, in about 20 minutes of time behind the lathe turning down and shaping a piece of 6061-T6, and some 5 minute epoxy glue, I have a handle that will likely outlast me. Aside from just using the epoxy, I also blind pinned the new handle through the OEM nub hiding underneath of there with an old drill bit by drilling 90% of the way through and then binding the bit making it snap off in there and then filed the little burr off smooth and it's barely noticeable on the top of the new handle. It's not going anywhere and is absolutely solid. It should become completely invisible once I spray it.
I haven't painted it yet because it was almost dark, and it's supposed to be near 60 tomorrow, so that will be acceptable enough to do some cerakote as long as I heat up the part before airbrushing it.
Anyway, this is the first time I've ever made an extended handle and am pretty happy with the way it turned out. It'll give me more surface area, better grip, and a little more room to work the action once I get the scope mounted on there. It's longer than the OEM handle, but not by a whole lot. I didn't want to go overboard making it too long, or too large of a diameter but the factory handle was just tiny. Especially after I put a scope on there.
I am now planning to make an extended bolt handle on a savage mk2 next that will be similar to the fv-sr handle. But I need to order a 43/64 bit first so I can slide the new one over the old and affix it.
Anyway, I wanted to share some pictures of the extended 10/22 knob. I think it'll do.
And yes, I cut and recrowned and threaded the barrel for one of my cans late last Thursday too. It currently has an A2 flashider on there serving as a thread protector until I get the micro-phantom style, which I think will suit the small taper profile of the 22 barrel better.
So, in about 20 minutes of time behind the lathe turning down and shaping a piece of 6061-T6, and some 5 minute epoxy glue, I have a handle that will likely outlast me. Aside from just using the epoxy, I also blind pinned the new handle through the OEM nub hiding underneath of there with an old drill bit by drilling 90% of the way through and then binding the bit making it snap off in there and then filed the little burr off smooth and it's barely noticeable on the top of the new handle. It's not going anywhere and is absolutely solid. It should become completely invisible once I spray it.
I haven't painted it yet because it was almost dark, and it's supposed to be near 60 tomorrow, so that will be acceptable enough to do some cerakote as long as I heat up the part before airbrushing it.
Anyway, this is the first time I've ever made an extended handle and am pretty happy with the way it turned out. It'll give me more surface area, better grip, and a little more room to work the action once I get the scope mounted on there. It's longer than the OEM handle, but not by a whole lot. I didn't want to go overboard making it too long, or too large of a diameter but the factory handle was just tiny. Especially after I put a scope on there.
I am now planning to make an extended bolt handle on a savage mk2 next that will be similar to the fv-sr handle. But I need to order a 43/64 bit first so I can slide the new one over the old and affix it.
Anyway, I wanted to share some pictures of the extended 10/22 knob. I think it'll do.
And yes, I cut and recrowned and threaded the barrel for one of my cans late last Thursday too. It currently has an A2 flashider on there serving as a thread protector until I get the micro-phantom style, which I think will suit the small taper profile of the 22 barrel better.