Kimber Montana bolt handle installation

[thinhorn_AK]

Hi everybody,

I thought this would be the place to ask this question. To be clear, I’m not a gunsmith, I can properly I mount and sight in scopes, bed stocks, change glock parts, change out triggers on my rifles etc but none of that makes me a gunsmith, it’s all stuff I learned on forums like this.

Anyways, I got a titanium bolt handle for my Montana, it’s sweet. Now, how do I get the factory bolt off? I tried wrapping the handle in a piece of leather and getting it off with pliers but the pliers actually cut through the leather and scraped up the handle (dosent matter as I’m replacing it). But the thing wouldn’t budge. I do have access to a vice but that’s about it.

How did you get it done?

Thanks!!!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Yeah, a vice is what you’ll need. I just wrapped mine with a piece of rubber, stuck it in a vice, and it came right off. Remember, righty tidy, lefty loosey.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[R H Clark]

I assume the bolt is out of the action. I got mine off with leather and a pair of vice grips. I think you need some thicker leather. Use an old belt if you don't have anything else. You might need a little heat on the handle to loosen the epoxy. A Heat gun or a propane torch will work. Just don't get crazy and get it stupid hot like with a cutting torch or something.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I was thinking of using a blow torch to loosen it up a bit, makes me a bit nervous though. I’ll get it in the vice after work and see what I can do.

As for installing the new handle, blue loctite?

 

[AK Troutbum]

As for installing the new handle, blue loctite?

Yup, that’ll work.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Right on, thanks guys. I’m looking forward to getting this thing together.

 

[R H Clark]

I was thinking of using a blow torch to loosen it up a bit, makes me a bit nervous though. I’ll get it in the vice after work and see what I can do.

As for installing the new handle, blue loctite?

Just apply heat to the old handle only. Take your time and do a little at a time checking to see if it will come off after applying a little heat. Give it time to transfer some heat to the threads before you heat it too much. It will come off without problems. You could even wrap the bolt body in a wet rag to lessen heat there if you want but it isn't necessary as long as you just go slow and don't get carried away.

You can use locktight or even JB Weld. I often use JB weld as locktight on scope bases and remove them with a little heat from a pencil propane torch to the screws. Just clean off any excess with Acetone before it hardens.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just apply heat to the old handle only. Take your time and do a little at a time checking to see if it will come off after applying a little heat. Give it time to transfer some heat to the threads before you heat it too much. It will come off without problems. You could even wrap the bolt body in a wet rag to lessen heat there if you want but it isn't necessary as long as you just go slow and don't get carried away.

You can use locktight or even JB Weld. I often use JB weld as locktight on scope bases and remove them with a little heat from a pencil propane torch to the screws. Just clean off any excess with Acetone before it hardens.

So clamp the bolt head into the vice padding it’s with a piece of leather, apply heat a bit at a time until it can. Real free, then just put the new one in?

Thanks again, seems like a simple project, I just never did it before so I want to do it right.

 

[R H Clark]

I clamped the bolt body in the vice with heavy leather on both sides. You don't have to clamp it really tight because the way you are unscrewing the handle it's like you are trying the spread the vice apart rather than spinning the bolt in the vice. I then used a pair of vice grips clamped on the bolt knob with a piece of thick leather as padding.

I didn't have to use heat on mine but heat will help if it won't come off easily and it won't hurt as long as you go slow and don't overheat. You don't need smoking hot to loosen the epoxy. Just a little hotter than the bolt would get if you left it sitting on the dash of your truck locked up in the summer sun all day.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Got it, thanks guys. Took some heat and some elbow grease but popped right off. Going home to loctite the new one on.

Thanks again!!!

 

[R H Clark]

Glad you got it! I was just as cautious taking mine off, then when I got it off ,I realized that it wasn't really that big of a deal.

Just make sure your pliers or vice grips or whatever are well padded and that the padding doesn't slip going back on, so it won't scratch your new handle. You could even wrap the plier jaws with some black electrical tape as extra padding just in case your leather does slip.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I didn’t want to crank down on it while putting the new one on because I didn’t want to crimp the thing.