Who does Bolt Knobs for CZ's?!!!

1

10fp

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 4, 2006
378
2
Coast Range
#1
Guys need a longer knob for my cz455 as factory one sucks and barely clears the scope.

Lots of smiths do bolt knobs, problem is that half of the knobs are kind of hack-jobs. GAP/TacOps/Karl/RD do a great job on remmy knobs buuuuut what about CZ????

Here is an example of beautiful work; CZ452 Bolt Knob Conversion - Varmint Rifles & Heavy Plinkers - UK Varminting

someone out there must be doing CZ's ??
 
#2
I have done 2 of mine a 452 and a 455. I think the reason that you don't see alot of people doing them is because they are a MAJOR pain to do in my opinion. Metal is pretty hard, burnt up a brand new tool withing a minute and the geometry of the bolt is insane! Never the less I am putting the finishing touches on an updated jig which is sort of how I did my 455. But this jig will be much better.

If you need it done now then I know Hooper here on the Hide will do it. I think GAP may even do it. But if you're willing to wait until I test a few of my buddies knobs to be sure it's going to work, then I'd be glad to do it and make sure you are pleased with it.

If I could find out if CZ sells just the bolt I could have several in stock and just trade them out with the people who want them done and always have plenty of stock and a very quick turn around.

Ben
 
#3
I went the DIY, cheap and simple route of jb weld putty. Not quite as nice as a real knob done correctly but it came out pretty darn good. There is a thread on here somewhere where guys talk about the jb weld bolt.
I'm pretty sure cz sells just the bolts.
 
#6
I am sure Ben has past the learning curve.
my smith did his 1st an last, on mine
ben is right hard hard hard
ben i am sure you have thought of this, grind down the knob 1st to get by surface hardness
then take small cuts (we also burned up a $100.00 bit)
watch out for air pockets, cz is bad for this
also yes you can get spare knobs smith, order 1 but his work turned out great
it took a long time to get spare in , my buddy, took to a different smith to have turned, an he still has not got it done
i will go by an get his , an send to you when you get up an going
also be careful my smith got shit in his eye done this even wearing safty glasses.
the day before a match, i felt bad because we were in a heated battle for 1st place
but no worries he beat me like a dog an took 1st
 
#7
If all goes as planned I hope to up and running in a few weeks. I have a really busy schedule right now, but I really wanna do this! Should get to test the jig either today or tomorrow I hope, I've also gotta get my main cutter resharpened(if it can be done at all).

As far a the air pocket I am thinking of filling it with silver solder, although if anyone has any better ideas about this I'd love to hear them. I am trying to get a couple of the bolts from CZ right now as well.

Ben
 
#9
I'll post pics when I get a one done with one, I posted several pics of the one I had already done on my custom rifle, although you can't see it in detail. It is in the CZ 455 modification thread.

Ben
 
#13
Tag. I need a larger knob on my 455. Thank you for doing this.

Lastly, I do think either the smaller-sized Kampfeld Campfire knobs, or the PT&G Tactical knob are the perfect size. The Badger style is just too much for the scale of the rifle IMO. That said, I'd be interested in buying everything at once if are considering assembling complete bolt handles as well.

Thanks again

P.S. If you need another bolt handle for beta-testing, I'd be happy to volunteer mine.
 
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#14
I will say that the knob that I made on my current 455 is around 0.75" in diameter. I think if it were much bigger in diameter than it would need to be longer to be safe and clear all scopes. I am trying to also design a knob something similar to the APA tactical bolt knob.

Ben
 
#15
Subscribed. I'd be interested in a longer bolt handle/knob. With the high throw on the CZ, it's hard to mount scopes very close to the bore while still leaving room for your hand to work the bolt knob.
 
#16
Ok guys, finally got in touch with CZ and the guy told me he wasn't sure if he could get any 455 bolt handles, he told me to call back next week and he'd know for sure.(He might can order some) So as of now I don't have alot to test things out on. Later this week I am hoping that one of my friends will be willing to let me give it a go on his 455. The tool is at the sharpener being redone. Minor set back, but still planning on trying to move forward and test the fixture out!

Ben
 
#18
glock24 said:
Seriously
Click to expand...

I'll see how the end of this week works, just in case the jig fails.. I'd hate to trash a customers handle because lack of testing on my part. But if it come down to that I'll take you up on that. Even if it didn't work out I'd make it right. I have a feeling it's going to work well this time though! Just need to get all my tooling back and a bit of free time!

Ben
 
#20
ben
good luck, i know when you get it right, you are going to be busy
there seem's to be a big market for tac knob's for cz
just remimber you may get what you ask for(to busy with bolt knob work, to have any play time for yourself),
LOL
keep us posted

ps i dont know this maybe you an others do. but is a 452/453 the same bolt as 455,
i have other shooter's asking about this. that would like to have a tac knob also
 
#23
Hey Ben, how are you buddy? Life treating you and yours well I hope.

She's still in the same configuration as you saw it last so it's mostly cosmetic. I haven't felt a push to get the stock painted due to my inability to find what I felt was good in our neck of the woods but I think I've come up with a pattern to do the job. Just in time too, I got the call from APA and my 260 is in the build process. Words can not describe my feelings about that.

She functions and shoots great so aside from the paint on the stock, work the trigger a bit, and the bolt function a tad, I can't complain. Oh, except for that annoying, piddly, too close to the stock, pathetically angled, factory bolt knob...I'm good. Yes, I've been lurking around waiting for someone to offer their services to all the needy CZ owners. You have my vote if you decide to take on this monumental task.
 
#25
I'm struggling to keep up with demand that's for sure, so good luck to Ben, I know i've mentioned how I do the handles to him before.
They're some hard cast steel which is a chore to grind/linish, and the cavities can play havoc when machining it too, and the threading. I silver solder the cavities and linish it all flush so the thread goes on nicely up to a shoulder.
I have to deal with CZ in Czech-Republic so that's difficult too (CZ-USA does not deal with anyone outside of the US).
 
#27
gafferq2xl said:
Hey Ben, how are you buddy? Life treating you and yours well I hope.

She's still in the same configuration as you saw it last so it's mostly cosmetic. I haven't felt a push to get the stock painted due to my inability to find what I felt was good in our neck of the woods but I think I've come up with a pattern to do the job. Just in time too, I got the call from APA and my 260 is in the build process. Words can not describe my feelings about that.

She functions and shoots great so aside from the paint on the stock, work the trigger a bit, and the bolt function a tad, I can't complain. Oh, except for that annoying, piddly, too close to the stock, pathetically angled, factory bolt knob...I'm good. Yes, I've been lurking around waiting for someone to offer their services to all the needy CZ owners. You have my vote if you decide to take on this monumental task.
Click to expand...

Well I still want to see it all finished up! I am doing great! Stating busy! My CZ build is coming to a close, got a few more guns to work on then I think I'll be getting another CZ to tinker with!

Ben
 
#30
If you guys will start a list for me that'd be great! The guy sharpening my tool is taking his sweet time... Not sure when it'll be done yet. I may have to throw it in the CNC at work and do it that way the first few at least.

Ben
 
#31
I would be interested in threading some CZ bolts myself.

I am finding it hard to find any 453 or 455's to purchase here locally. I did find a 22lr/17hmr combo but the dealer wants $650 and I already have 5 hmr's. Once I get a CZ455 and thread the handle I will post something up, hopefully it's soon.

cannoncrossfire, those handles you have done looks as they are ground to size and threaded with a die? I will either turn them in a lathe or mill and single point thread them if possible. Sounds as if the are harder than normal being casted and all.
 
#32
Hey elgordo2, they're ground down and linished to a rough shaft, I then turn them on a lathe by clamping on the tiny tip of the shaft and coming in with a long enough turning tool to put a shoulder on the shaft, get it the right diameter and true it up.
I then have to fill any cavities with silver solder, linish them flush with a finer belt, then I can run a threading die (M6) over it and up to the shoulder. The knobs are CNC machined where I work out of ally, I then blast, cerakote & bake the handle and knobs and assemble with threadlocker.

They are damn hard.... my hands get pretty hot and sore from holding them against a linishing belt (the coarsest I can find) for a while. They can damage machining inserts/tools too due to the cavities appearing in the metal and bam the insert grabs or cracks/chips.
 
#37
It's done.

Well I found a synthetic 455 .22 LR yesterday and took it to the ranch, disassembled the bolt and made a jig holding fixture last night. The steel is hard, similar to Savage and Winchester bolt knobs but no big deal. I single point threaded 5/16x24 tpi on a lathe. As usual inclusions were present just like any casted knob out there has. I ran out of time today but came up with this.

Pictures soon.

IMG_0132_zps505fd735.jpg


IMG_0143_zps31c49f3c.jpg
 
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#38
el gordo2 said:
Well I found a synthetic 455 .22 LR yesterday and took it to the ranch, disassembled the bolt and made a jig holding fixture last night. The steel is hard, similar to Savage and Winchester bolt knobs but no big deal. I single point threaded 5/16x24 tpi on a lathe. As usual inclusions were present just like any casted knob out there has. I ran out of time today but came up with this.

Pictures soon.

IMG_0132_zps505fd735.jpg


IMG_0143_zps31c49f3c.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks good! I'm impressed with your jig for the lathe, did it work well? I thought and thought and thought on how to get a fixture for the lathe. If this one for the mill doesn't work I may have to come up with one fore the lathe.

Ben
 
#40
Looks good, el gordo2. I left a .400 shoulder on the one I did for the knob to butt up against. The funny angles on that handle are somewhat of a guessing game. My lathe jig is similar to one used for a Rem 700.

 
#42
51ap3s.jpg


Here is mine up close. Isn't perfectly flush because my previous jig failed in the middle of machining. This new one is much beefier and should hold up to the forces of machining much better!

Ben
 
#44
I'm trying to figure out how to get this rolling much quicker guys, if you want me to do it bear with me a little longer. I am doing all I can. If you want it done now looks like there is plenty of talent here! I'm working hard at figuring it out!

Ben
 
#47
mscott said:
Looks good, el gordo2. I left a .400 shoulder on the one I did for the knob to butt up against. The funny angles on that handle are somewhat of a guessing game. My lathe jig is similar to one used for a Rem 700.
Click to expand...


Thanks, that was the first one. I am following the swept back lines of the handle and keeping everything centerline with the axis of the handle and not the knob. The problem comes from the handle where it meets the knob is that it fairly small in diameter. The other problem if it is one, is the knob is irregular shaped and not centered. Not planning to having to refinish the handle as it only increases time and cost. The knob pictured is a PTG I had on hand and doesn't look bad though I will make some scaled for the diminutive bolt of s .22.
IMG_2020_zps8cf15835.jpg



Here is a pic that illustrates the angle I am maintaining.
CZboltangle_zps77d93ce1.jpg



I will look at leaving a small shoulder on the next one I do in a day or so and see if it's feasible without a whole lot of work. Could go with a smaller tenon to but want to keep it standard.
 
#48
Is you're jig using something like brass tipped screws to hold the bolt in place? Like I said I am very impressed you got it to work in the lathe! Much more machining experience than me I am sure! Looks good!

Guys I'll see what the guy from CZ says about the bolts either Monday or Tuesday and let you guys know!

Ben
 
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