Now that the ATX is sporting a non-bonded action... Any chance we might see stock makers like Manners actually tackle this one?
AI ATX action and composite stocks
- Thread starter dms416
- Start date
Hoping and praying this day comes!
GAP Camo Manners T2A with ATX switch barrel Action. .223, 6br and 6.5saum barrels and bolts is the dream rifle for me! Someone will eventually do it. It must be done
GAP Camo Manners T2A with ATX switch barrel Action. .223, 6br and 6.5saum barrels and bolts is the dream rifle for me! Someone will eventually do it. It must be done
This doesn’t really change anything. It’s always been possible to do custom inletting and it’s always been possible to debond AIs. And I don’t think enough people would be interested that you’d see many stock pre-inletted for AI.
Easy enough to buy a flat-top manners and send it with your action to get 3D inletting at LRI.
Agreed. If someone really wanted to, they could buy a stock without an inlet from manners then send the action and stock to Long Rifles Inc and have Chad work his magic.
$4000 rifle in a $400 stock, that'd be beautiful to behold.
Exactly my thoughts, I would be all in! The AI action and magazine with a TRG feeling chassis would be the best of both worlds.
I’ve been telling people for years, all this would take is money. And de-bonding a used AT would certainly be a more cost efficient way of doing it than buying a new atx anyway.
Agreed! I have seen ATs sell for 3100-3200 lately.
People have been debonding these for the AO chassis and MPA chassis.
Are you able to shoot the AT/AX debonded, I notice on your AO chassis thread you always rebond the action.
Is there something special about the ATX design that negates the need to bond it or is it safe to assume any AT/ATX/AX can be shot without epoxy.
That’s a great question. In my testing, I was unsatisfied with the impact resistance of a non-bonded AT/AX action in any chassis. I could install it, lay down and shoot some great groups. But when the hammer came out and started hitting the barrel, things would be less consistent.
I don’t know for sure with the atx, but upon looking at the pictures of the inlet, it doesn’t look any different from an AX or Obsession inlet. I don’t know what they could have done to make the flat bottom action more resistant to shifting upon receiving a lateral impact to the barrel, but they are claiming it’s as good as bonded.
Whenever anyone asks, I say it’s free to test yourself without bonding it. If it meets your requirements then by all means leave it unbonded. For decades factory AIs were bonded, I’m ok with continuing to do so since the performance is known.
Only concern id have thought is the recoil lug (not owning an AI) based on your pictures it looks like there is space around the lug to take epoxy?
Is that the case or does it fit hard up like other recoil lugs?
To each his own, bub. I happen to really like both the traditional AT thumbhole chassis skins and the Bravo. Having the ability to throw the action in a much lighter, much less expensive getup for beating around the bush would be nice, yes. Coupled with a PROOF carbon barrel, you could have AI performance in a rifle weighing several pounds less. If you don’t like the Bravo, nobody’s making you use it. But if I had the scratch for an AT-X, sure, I’d buy a Bravo for it if they made one. But I don’t, and they don’t, so it doesn’t matter.
The recoil lug will make contact with the chassis even if there is no epoxy, assuming you install the action with the standard method of buttstock down muzzle up then tighten action screws. There will still be clearance for epoxy should you decide to bond it together.
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