Bolt handle hitting scope

[cfortune]

Was hoping someone could help talk me through a little dilemma I have. I bought a Remington 700 off a guy on gunbroker. It has a PTG fluted bolt. I took a SWFA SS 5-20x50 and slapped it on the rifle. With the scope on, the bolt handle (not the knob), hits the ocular tube of the scope, to the point you can't actuate it. These bolts aren't cheap and I hear the wait on them is pretty long. So I don't really want to trash the bolt altogether. It also appears to have the handle welded on, not certain on that though.

I heard bending the handle mentioned in my preliminary searching as an option but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that. Higher rings isn't going to do it because it'll just hit the bolt knob.

I do have another R700 and have no trouble actuating it's bolt in this rifle. The handle is almost flat and bends at a sharp angle where the PTG handle is more of a mellow curve and has a flat cutout but is rounded near the knob.

Any ideas?


If this would be better suited for the gunsmithing sub forum, feel free to move it.