I went through the exact same thing with a 77/17 and Leupold FX-II 6x36. I'm a big believer in low mounted scopes which are in natural alignment with your eye as soon as you shoulder the rifle.

My rifle came with the medium rings, so I swapped them for low rings and had a gunsmith grind a scallop into the bolt handle exactly as you are proposing. Have it polished back up and you won't even tell that it didn't come that way from the factory. Cost me about $NZ20 from memory, and has given me zero problems. I would highly recommend this approach - as long as you don't go wild with the grinder and make the bolt handle paper-thin you should have no issue.

Here's a couple of photos of mine:

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(Centre rifle in the above photo)

Another option if you don't want to go this way - I later bought a Leupold VX-II 3-9x33AO EFR (Extended focus range) for another rifle. This particular scope has a very small diameter ocular - much smaller than the 6x36. This scope clears the bolt without issue, but I also have trouble moving it far enough back in the rings to suit me. The 6x36 has much longer eye relief.

Hope this helps.