AI AX Short Action & Short Magnums

[nn8734]

I am wondering if anyone has ever set up a short action AI AX in a short mag caliber such as the 300 WSM...Been searching high and low all over the net, including this forum for info and/or applicable threads but nothing has come up.

Does anyone know of this being done and if so by whom? Barrel should be easy enough to spin up but the bolt face and action itself (can it take magnum pressures) is the unknown. Wonder if its even worth it but may be able to get 3000 FPS using a 175 smk or equivalent Berger bullet.

Any thoughts?

 

[PBWalsh]

The action can surely take a magnum pressure as seem in the AXMC. The problem lies in the fact that AI does not make a magnum faced short action bolt. Could they make one? Absolutely and it’d probably sell well here in America. Don’t know how well the global market would adopt a short magnum. AI is a global rifle company, they don’t just cater to the US market like a lot of companies do. I am sure that and other economical theories give pause for a .223 or magnum bolt face. Most contracts for these rifles are (presumably) going .308/.300WM/.338LM, not a nitch caliber.

Personally, I’d like to see a .223 BF and I’m sure I could find work for a 300 WSM bolt for the AT and AX (same bolt). I just don’t see AI actually doing it.

 

[nn8734]

You raise some good points. I also imagine some percentage of the market for their AXMC would buy the short action instead of SA magnums were available. Not sure how AI would feel about that, lol. More bolt face options would be nice but it’s an awesome system as is so I can’t complain too much

 

[jbuck88]

So how hard would it be to buy a spare bolt and open the face up? Or just bush it down to a 223?

I wouldn’t mind buying a spare bolt to build a wsm or saum.

 

[FUNCTIONAL]

The problem with the 223 isnt so much bushing down a bolt face but the length the bullet has to go before it gets into the chamber. You would likely find a lot of hang ups in feeding. The next problem is the mag holding 223 rounds. Could probably be solved with an insert but now you are looking at 2-3 pieces of the rifle that need reengineering. Ive got a few ideas for them but i need to get my hands on a 3d printer to proof it out. Even if what i have in mind works its going to take quite a bit of work convincing someone with cnc to put it into live pieces.

Not sure why a standard bolt couldnt be opened up to a magnum though.

 

[jbuck88]

I’m confident it could be made to work. The same way the axmc works with the short action conversion.

I just wish I had a machine shop to play in.

 

[nn8734]

Yea, no reason to think modifying a short action bolt to accept a larger head case size would be difficult for an experienced machinist and gunsmith. Making the boltface smaller for 5.56 seems a bit more complex.

I have a couple local experienced gunsmiths I can talk to to see if it’s possible and will post back once I chat with them.