It’s actually a chore to shoot a lot on the range, Especially when it’s 100*.
So far everything is holding up well, I’m at close to 200rds on that bolt head.
- Thread starter trophyhunter
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So far everything is holding up well, I’m at close to 200rds on that bolt head.
The mk2 showed up, I figured it would shoot ok, especially for no more than what I gave for it. It seems to like cheap ppu, hate to pull this bart off, but science requires it, lol.
Try 147gr or 155gr and see if you get better results.
I dont reload 308, just had some factory ppu 168 and nexus 168 laying around for a m1a. I've got a 20" proof steel 6.5creed barrel that rides on my at when the 243 bart isnt on it. I'm going to put proof barrel on mk2, after bolt is bushed at lri, and sell this 308 bart barrel. Hopefully the bushed ae bolt wont be a problem for trophy hunter to open up face?
@trophyhunter Thinking in terms of the 223 kit .. I have a spare AX SA LFP bolt assembly that could be used as a donor when these become available. Are we going to ship you parts, or will this be a Lego like assembly getting it all together?
That depends, can you unbond the bolt head, and do you have a small or bushed firing pin. The current bolt head (223) will work with small pins and most turned down pins. The barrel designs while being drop in like AI has special cuts. After final info on meeting if you do the barrel yourself you’ll need to ensure it headspaces correctly and has the needed cuts. Then the mag will need to be modded for feeding, from us they will be drop-in. If you choose to buy from elsewhere, it’s a rather simple mod, but vital.
But, yes, we’ll be able to utilize your existing bolt body as part of the kit when we’re ready.
hope that was clear as mud ?
It’s a Large firing pin factory bolt that came with the gun. I replaced it with a small firing pin assembly that way I could shoot 6x47L. So the large firing pin sits in a gun case and see no action. Would like to use that for this project as the donor, and rely on you guys or the resellers to build it properly for me rather than a DIY. I’m capable, but time is limited and I don’t want to fuck it up real nice ?
In other words. If it’s possible to buy direct, and have you do the assembly, thats what I’m looking for as an option.
Yes we are planning on shipping drop in kits, barrel, mags, complete bolt body
You can swap your small pin assembly over easy. Another idea is purchase a small firing pin to swap onto the large firing pin assembly to ideally have 2 complete bolt assemblies.
I misspoke earlier, both bolts are complete bolt assemblies. Looking to put the unused large firing pin the work, even if that means sending to LRI for bushing if you don’t want to take that on - cool either way.
Just happy someone finally put 223 into an AI rifle
Just happy someone finally put 223 into an AI rifle
I understood, I’d personally take the large firing pin assembly, leave as is for now, swap over to small pin, install 223 head on that.
have 2 complete assemblies that both firing pin assemblies can interchange
Just a quick update:
I just got one of the “demo” conversions. By demo I mean one of the early hand cut bolt heads and such. I paid for this conversion before anyone wonders if my opinion is biased.
I had 3 accurate mags tuned along with it. I loaded them all up with some random 62gr duty ammo I have laying around.
All 3 fees perfectly without hiccup.
I’ll post more once I have some range time. But I can tell you I’ve had issues with things like Valkyrie in a bolt rifle that didn’t feel good or feed well.
This is not the issue here. Feeds lawlessly so far.
I just got one of the “demo” conversions. By demo I mean one of the early hand cut bolt heads and such. I paid for this conversion before anyone wonders if my opinion is biased.
I had 3 accurate mags tuned along with it. I loaded them all up with some random 62gr duty ammo I have laying around.
All 3 fees perfectly without hiccup.
I’ll post more once I have some range time. But I can tell you I’ve had issues with things like Valkyrie in a bolt rifle that didn’t feel good or feed well.
This is not the issue here. Feeds lawlessly so far.
Also, this is just cool as shit that I can run .223 in my AI.
It is really remarkable. Been talked about and desired for years and basically dismissed as not feasible. Then some Texans came along and just fucking got it done! Great time to be an AI fan.
Update/range report:
Only put about 60rnds through it as I spent all day working on a new dasher barrel.
All 3 mags fed perfectly without any hiccups. Loaded to max 10rnd and anything in between.
Also. One of the most awesome things is you can just toss a round in on top of the mag and chamber it (like an AI is known for). Usually single loading isn’t that easy with a .223.
Here is a typical group I was getting with factory 77gr fgmm ammo. The grids are 1/4” and distance is 100yds. This was after shooting groups all day for dasher load development. So I’m not sure if I was tired or if I was in tune (so can’t tell you if this is a good or bad group for the rifle). I consider myself a .3 or .4moa shooter on my best days.
(Disclaimer: @trophyhunter is a buddy of mine. However we regularly tell the other if we thing an idea is stupid or something is a piece of shit. I also paid either retail or very close to retail for this. Nothing was given to me)
Only put about 60rnds through it as I spent all day working on a new dasher barrel.
All 3 mags fed perfectly without any hiccups. Loaded to max 10rnd and anything in between.
Also. One of the most awesome things is you can just toss a round in on top of the mag and chamber it (like an AI is known for). Usually single loading isn’t that easy with a .223.
Here is a typical group I was getting with factory 77gr fgmm ammo. The grids are 1/4” and distance is 100yds. This was after shooting groups all day for dasher load development. So I’m not sure if I was tired or if I was in tune (so can’t tell you if this is a good or bad group for the rifle). I consider myself a .3 or .4moa shooter on my best days.
(Disclaimer: @trophyhunter is a buddy of mine. However we regularly tell the other if we thing an idea is stupid or something is a piece of shit. I also paid either retail or very close to retail for this. Nothing was given to me)
.40 moa seems to be about the common group size with factory ammo out of brand new barrel.
I’m sure handload will hammer in this thing
I’m sure handload will hammer in this thing
I’m just amazed David hasn’t fucked this conversion up. He can mess up a ball bearing. I’ve seen him destroy lots of things.
good shooting David
good shooting David
Give me about a week. I was kicking the rifle and throwing it around on ground today getting dirt in it.
Still running so far.
I’ll get some pics. But it’s accurate mag .223 mag just slightly shaved down I believe.
@trophyhunter can probably describe them better. But they aren’t very heavily modified as far as I can tell.
Gilbert: is that trigger drop safe
Me: throws rifle across shop
Also me: ......apparently not. Coincidentally I need some work done to rifle now
Is it bad that I can see this happening and can't help but laugh... Nice work guys
Also, all I did was give him money.
Gilbert and Enrique did all the work. Apparently all those years of people saying it wouldn’t work, weren’t trying hard enough.
PRC/WSM are a byproduct of the 223
currently haven’t fiddled with the extractor. Mine works perfect, but it’s not fool proof, it’s not something I want to ship out yet.
And haven’t made a jig to tweak the extractor just yet.
I have everything ready, unfortunately pending still 1 small item out of my control
once we have that, it’s blastoff
Hi. I’m not proposing to divert attention from the great job being done for the AXSA .223REM conversion, but I’m wondering if there is any update on the possible AXMC .223REM conversion?
(Trying to decide if I should get an AXSA or AXMC. Prices for AXMC is very attractive at the moment but if there is no .223 conversion for the AXMC then AXSA it is.)
Thanks.
Bolt & firing pin assembly $784 as on Euro
223 Bartlein barrel $800
Mag $40-60
223 bolt head $400
Complete drop in kit is going to be real close to $2000
I don’t have an AXMC to even start measuring. When I talked to one of the Team AI shooters we were discussing this. The biggest concern with sight unseen and from what I remember when I owned one, is the adapter. It puts the mag further back and thus the bullet has more to jump. And the bigger barrel creates a somewhat bigger area to raise the bullet to go into the hole. Measure a 223 layin flat, measure the center of the bullet, it’s lower then the lower half of the barrel tenon. Not sayin it’s not possible, but we haven’t even looked at it.
other then that I’m sure we can figure out something, but until I get a rifle to test I have no clue.
what I would really love to do is get the ASR to see if that was possible to convert.
How fucking dare you.. when are you up in DFW?! I got what you seek
Not very often, 8hr drive for me
Thanks for the update. Just focus on AXSA .223 conversion kit!!
Just let us know what you find out on the AXMC and/or AXSR at a later date.
Please keep up the good work. Thanks!!!
PRC/WSM is a down, just have to figure out the permanent solution to extractor
before 223 rolls out we’ll have a jig to tweak the PRC extractors
Haven’t even started on it, don’t have a loaner rifle to try anything.
How about the short action axmc 223 conversion: We're you able to get it all dialed in? When do you expect to start selling it?
I’m sorry, you mean the AX/AT 223 conversion?
still have the beta testers running it in rifles to ensure no problems and that it’s drop in.
Other then that it’s rolling, CNC is up to spec, hardening & corrosión resistance is good. Just ensuring life of springs & extractors or ejectors are up to our standards.
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yes but for $2k you get an AI .223. Otherwise you would spend more then this building a .223 up from a Remington action, chassis, machine work, scope, Mount, bipod, trigger.
I just got a steal from apo for a factory Remington in one of their stocks and am pushing close to 2k now without any smithing.
id rather fork out 2k for one of these kits then starting over on a whole new set up. But that’s just me.
I have one I could be without depending on how long you would need it.
I might take you up on that after I iron the short action conversion
How long do you think you'd need a loaner rifle? I have a spare .300WM bolt body that I damaged one of the lugs on; I intend on picking up a sm pin bolt assembly for .25 creed...
where to begin, so the conversion has been working great in most of the demo rifles. Except Morgans rifle, Selena, shes been fighting up the entire way. We now have the CNC bolts up and running, the other demos all used handturned bolt heads and have been performing flawlessly. Well the CNC is turning so bolts are identical, faster and just look pretty. But we found out that not all rifles are identical, Selena being on one of the spectrum, Feeding was perfect with her, you could hardly tell you were feeding a round, but extraction was finicky. Also on cam to close was tight. The bolt would start to cam before the plunger on rear of firing pin housing was fully depressed so it would sometimes have a small catch. Tweaked the camming to be in the center instead of on the tight end and that fixed that issue. Then a different brand/style/thickness of extractor was made to fix the extraction. Ran around 200rds of random 223 on the range last week, then this past sunday ran Selena at the Sotex match, she was perfect in every way as witnessed by David, Morgan, Larry & myself, we all stamped it as good to go.
While i was testing extraction on my conversion I decided to test proof loads to ensure the hardness and tolerances of the metal. We're using hardened 4140 then sending it for hardening and corrosion resistance gets to mid 60's. 5 proof loads were shot and opening, extraction were as normal with slight heavier on initial lift. Primers were way over flattened and cases were almost split. Measured the bolt lugs and no noticeable setback up to .0000". Ran 10 factory loaded rounds then measured shoulders to see if anything changed pre proof and post proof. Could not pick up a difference as best i could measure with my mitutoyo caliper and hornady gauges, caliper measures +-.0005". So i labeled that as a good.
I have another conversion with a member of team Ai to test & evaluate. We tweaked a few minor things to ensure drop-in and compatibility across all AT & AX's. He states feeding is smooth af, extraction is working and is going to run tac class in a few of next years PRS matches.
Still havent gotten a blessing from a certain individual at a certain company so planning on calling monday to open a dialogue in hopes that I can source 1 item i will need for the conversion.
I hope to release some more conversions before the new year then full ramp up of production in early 2020.
Almost forgot to add, PRC/WSM conversion is working excellent, 300WSM will be my primary hunting caliber during this season. Magazine feeds excellent, extraction is perfect and holy hell does it pack a punch in such a small case.
Will try to update sooner, just got tied up with other headaches and testing.
Gilbert
While i was testing extraction on my conversion I decided to test proof loads to ensure the hardness and tolerances of the metal. We're using hardened 4140 then sending it for hardening and corrosion resistance gets to mid 60's. 5 proof loads were shot and opening, extraction were as normal with slight heavier on initial lift. Primers were way over flattened and cases were almost split. Measured the bolt lugs and no noticeable setback up to .0000". Ran 10 factory loaded rounds then measured shoulders to see if anything changed pre proof and post proof. Could not pick up a difference as best i could measure with my mitutoyo caliper and hornady gauges, caliper measures +-.0005". So i labeled that as a good.
I have another conversion with a member of team Ai to test & evaluate. We tweaked a few minor things to ensure drop-in and compatibility across all AT & AX's. He states feeding is smooth af, extraction is working and is going to run tac class in a few of next years PRS matches.
Still havent gotten a blessing from a certain individual at a certain company so planning on calling monday to open a dialogue in hopes that I can source 1 item i will need for the conversion.
I hope to release some more conversions before the new year then full ramp up of production in early 2020.
Almost forgot to add, PRC/WSM conversion is working excellent, 300WSM will be my primary hunting caliber during this season. Magazine feeds excellent, extraction is perfect and holy hell does it pack a punch in such a small case.
Will try to update sooner, just got tied up with other headaches and testing.
Gilbert
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