AI AE Modification - Loosing Weight

[adamwade]

Just thinking about how take weight off an AE (I don't own one, but looking hard). Since the chassis block comes off, could you CNC a bunch of aluminum out of the fore end making it a skeletonized design (keeping the threads in tact for the skins)? You could always reorder the front chassis block for later resale value I would guess.

From what I keep reading it would be nice to shave off about 2 lbs.

Any Thoughts ?

 

[bh-ltr]

I wonder how bad that would screw up the balance by taking all the weight off one end.

~Brett

 

[SSG3K]

Buy non folder shit can the barrel for light palma use non steel rings remove front spigot and use harris adaptor only like ae1. Or just man up and carry as is. I own a bunch of ai rifles and they are all heavy as hell.

Rich

 

[bh-ltr]

I love my AICS and honestly wish it was a tad lighter but I don't want ANYTHING else about it to change. I'm using the spigot too so I don't even want to give that up for weight savings. Already went the non steel ring route too. But the S&B 5-25 isn't saving me any weight either.

~Brett

 

[300sniper]

you can, but you aren't going to save much weight for the investment.

 

[XOR]

you can, but you aren't going to save much weight for the investment.

How much weight was lost doing this? I weighed my AW action recently after pulling the barrel and it was between 6-7 lbs. without scope and magazine. So half the weight is just the barrel. I was thinking of a much lighter barrel profile to start, but would like to know what taking that much meat off the chassis would do.

 

[Jrb572]

Why screw up an investment. AWs cost to much. Sell it off and buy something else.

 

[tylerw02]

My advice:

100 pushups 5 nights a week and drop 20 lbs yourself if you have it to lose.

If it still feels sluggish, cut the barrel down to 18" and add a Surefire brake.

 

[XOR]

I suspect the milling on the chassis is not worth the weight savings. Most of the weight is going to be in the barrel and steel action that cannot be easily altered. But I want to know what weight was saved by doing this mod. I don't buy rifles thinking about what the next guy that owns it wants, I bought it for me. I'd be far more likely to put a 22-24" sporter weight barrel on the rifle and much lighter scope to save weight than mill out the chassis. But if this mod took off considerable weight, I'd consider doing it.

 

[300sniper]

All that work for what'd I'd guess was about 1/2 lb of weight savings.

 

[XOR]

All that work for what'd I'd guess was about 1/2 lb of weight savings.

Ok that's what I was thinking. After weighing the AW action without barrel I am thinking the best way to reduce weight is going to be in the barrel, bipod, rings, etc. The chassis and action is not worth the hassle/risk.

Very cool experiment though. Thanks for posting.

 

[adamwade]

XOR, that's pretty much what I had in mind. After all the posts, I'm wondering where in the AE is it 2lbs heavier than a Sako TRG ? I would think the barrel profiles are pretty close. Maybe more metal around the trigger and grip ? The Sako front end doesn't extend as far either. I'm still flip flopping between the TRG and AE and the weight difference is always pointed out in user reviews.

 

[XOR]

The trg stock is much lighter than the AI chassis with skins. The trg action bolts into the composite stock. So it's much lighter, but maybe not as rugged. I am probably going to put a thinner sporter contour weight on the AW and I'm estimating it could take off a couple pounds if I use a 20-22" barrel. If I'm not shooting long strings (like hunting) it shouldn't matter. On the AI it is very simple to swap barrels so that is an advantage.

As for the AI chassis, it is what it is for now. A lighter weight scope and rings would also help. Between the barrel and scope maybe you'd get it down to 12lbs., but that's just a guess. My current AI config with 26" barrel and NF scope is around 15lbs. with no bipod, about 17 with. Unfortunately it seems the trend on precision rifles is to make them heavier now. I handled a couple recently that were easily 25lbs all up which makes my AW seem like a featherweight.

 

[Victor Co Heather]

I've messed around with lightening one of my AICSs and trashed it by losing too much weight. I wouldn't mess around with an AE.. it's way too nice.

 

[adamwade]

Sounds good guys. I appreciate all your thoughts. I've been going back and forth over getting my first precision rifle for about 5 years now, but finally "started" the buying process with a Steiner 5-25 scope last month. I figured get the painful part out of the way ! Now for the rifle...........

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Go to the gym and don't be a puss.

 

[vtb]

Replace chassis with the lightweight stock. You'll save around 3-3.5lbs.

Well here we come to the interesting question - we can make 1:1 copy of AI chassis from carbon (I.e. it'll replace the internals but will use original plastic panels).

Question is - will you buy it?

 

[Arbiter]

If you handle a stripped AICS, you'll realize that it really doesn't weight very much to begin with.

Compare a TRG barrel and an AE/AW barrel, and the difference is visible.

To get a truly lightweight AI build, milling out the chassis sections would save a few ounces, but you're going to want to use lightweight rings, skip extra chassis sections that you don't need (sling points, the bipod spigot mount, etc), stick with a lighter-weight scope...and then get on to the real weight-saving step of buying a carbon-fiber barrel. Between a normal 20" or 24" stainless tube and a carbon-fiber replacement barrel, I'm guessing you'd see a savings of at least a pound or two, and most of that from the most noticeable area of the rifle up in front.