GUNSMITHING SERVICES: Tactical Bolt Knob installs for various manufacturers

Having a customized bolt knob installed on a bolt action ranks as probably the single most popular way to personalize a rifle.  This upgrade is performed every day by hundreds of smiths all over the country.   The Remington Model 700: Not all installations are created equal.  The traditional process is to fixture the bolt in a lathe and machine the "football" (factory knob) into a cylinder that can be threaded.  The problem lies in the manufacturing of the handle itself. Remington handles are made from cast steel.  Very high quality castings, but cast none the less.  It's well known among smiths that the knob portion of the handle is frequently plagued with casting imperfections. The reason why is due to how the handles are made.   The lost wax casting process is an industry proven way to mass produce parts affordably.  A wax "plug" is cast from an aluminum or steel mold.  From here the plugs are bonded to "trees".  These are then dipped in a porcelain like material over and over agai