AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

[ANGLICOMarine]

This rifle has been a little bit of an odyssey, it started life in a McMillan A-5, then a Mc Crees Precision, then back to the McMillan and now finally the AICS AX. My goal is to completely do away with bedding. I’ve included pictures, hopefully to answer any questions about dimensions and set-up. I had the bolt handle area relieved by a competent machinist, no other machining was necessary. It looks as if I could’ve gone with the Badger High rings (1.125). Feel free to ask questions if you have any, hopefully I can streamline your process.
Stats
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor (Sierras shoot better in mine than do the Hornadys)
Action: Surgeon
Barrel: Lilja HV
Smith: Alan Warner
Rings: Badger Ultra-High (1.40)
Trigger: Remington
Scope: Nightforce NXS 5-22x56

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Ok, so how many rounds do you have through the current setup and your thoughts on the AI AX?

I had the luxury of trying one last weekend, and while I like it better than the AICS's I've had, I still think the Manners MiniChassis system in your choice of Manners stock is the best chassis I've found so far.

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

I don't have any yet, I just got the rings today. I'm currious about the pistol grip...I shoot a Tubb 2000 for long range, so I am sort of used to them. I've also given serious thought to the mini chasis as well...

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

I find the space fromt eh web of thumb to trigger to be too short for my taste. I like how the AX feels positionally, but I can't get used to their grip.

 

[cox308]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

DROOL!!! Damn thats nice! Please post some pics of the groups once you've figured out some good loads and also some pics showing the whole gun. Whats the length and contour of your barrel. Looks nice and heavy! Its also hard to teel from the glare if the barrel is black or SS

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cox380</div><div class="ubbcode-body">DROOL!!! Damn thats nice! Please post some pics of the groups once you've figured out some good loads and also some pics showing the whole gun. Whats the length and contour of your barrel. Looks nice and heavy! Its also hard to teel from the glare if the barrel is black or SS </div></div>

I'm planning on heading to the range this weekend and will be able to speak to the ergonomics. The barrel is stainless steel, heavy varmint finished at 26".

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Just got back from the range...I was able to test all of my loads against the factory 140 A Max.

140 gr SMK
41.5 gr H4350
Fed 210M
Chrono results:
Max: 2733
Min: 2714
ES: 19
Mn: 2721
SD: 7

140 gr A Max (reload)
41.5 gr H4350
Fed 210M
Chrono results:
Max: 2728
Min: 2717
ES: 11
Mn: 2722
SD: 4

140 gr A Max (Factory)
41.5 gr H4350
Fed 210M
Chrono results:
Max: 2693
Min: 2653
ES: 40
Mn: 2669
SD: 15

142 gr SMK
41.0 gr H4350
Fed 210M
Chrono results:
Max: 2656
Min: 2642
ES: 14
Mn: 2646
SD: 5

 

[cox308]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Nice group! So you like the ergonomics?

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

I do...I was a little concerned considering how the older AICS seemed to be a love hate thing, but since I've "grown up" shooting pistol grip guns I was very pleasantly surprised. LOP was good...everything felt pretty natural.

 

[lencomatt]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Can you take a pic of the barrel out of the tube? I really like the 20" barrel in mine but I think I'm going to go to 24" when I rebarrel it but if 26 doesn't look too long I might do that.

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lencomatt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can you take a pic of the barrel out of the tube? I really like the 20" barrel in mine but I think I'm going to go to 24" when I rebarrel it but if 26 doesn't look too long I might do that. </div></div>

Here you go man...

As you can see I decided to give it another try...

 

[lencomatt]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

That doesn't look too long, I do really like the way they look with only a 20" coming out the end. But to shoot out 1200 yards I think I need the extra barrel length. You wouldn't want to sell the rail with the flush cup would you? Here's mine, AX with a 700 SPS 308-

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lencomatt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That doesn't look too long, I do really like the way they look with only a 20" coming out the end. But to shoot out 1200 yards I think I need the extra barrel length. You wouldn't want to sell the rail with the flush cup would you? Here's mine, AX with a 700 SPS 308-

</div></div>

Looks good brother! I don't think I'm selling anything anytime soon...gotta figure this thing out first.

 

[BentheBoss]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Nice Dude!

 

[MSS]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Nice I just got this stock, Im selling it, but in debate on whether or not to keep it. Nice setups.

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bulamike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice I just got this stock, Im selling it, but in debate on whether or not to keep it. Nice setups. </div></div>

I had one and sold it to "lencomatt" in the pic below mine. I initially didn't like to ergonomics but decided to give it another try. My crusade in life is to get away from bedding. I love how it feels now....though it is a little heavy, I also like the barrel shroud. It's a beast though. My indecision cost me some serious coin...

 

[zklug]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

Is the pistol grip backstrap replaceable? Been dwelling on buying the AX instead of another 2.0, not sure if I will be able to find someone who is running one in AZ though.

Thanks

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: zklug</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is the pistol grip backstrap replaceable? Been dwelling on buying the AX instead of another 2.0, not sure if I will be able to find someone who is running one in AZ though.

Thanks </div></div>

You can take it off....infact, you have to take it off to get the skins off. I don't think they make backstraps in a different profile though.

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

This past weekend I shot a two day mid-range (600 yds) F-class event here in SoCal with great results. The ammo/stock combination held 10/x-ring, as most points lost were 9's at 9 and 3 o'clock due to missed wind calls. I shot both, 140gr AMax and Sierra Match Kings and did not noticed any difference in performance. As I've mentioned my goal in life is to get away from bedding and find a stock that is ergonomically correct for me, stable and something I can bolt in and go. I've always shot custom bedded rifles and was concerned that a massed produced aluminum stock would have variances in the manufacturing process that would impact accuracy at longer ranges. My fears have been relieved...I think I will purchase another AICS AX for my other Surgeon action in order to make a back-up gun. I hope this helps anyone thinking about buying this fine product.

 

[The Zebra]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

I have an AX on the way for my SPS Tactical and from the pics here, I can't wait to actually see mine together. Any info on what size rings to use for a NF 5.5-22x56?

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

In an effort to document the journey with this rifle I'll post a couple of pics of a target I shot a couple of weeks ago at an F-Class match.

This rifle is really a hammer (thank you Allen Warner): as I posted above (way above), I wanted to drop the rifle into a chassis system in order to eliminate bedding per se. What I wanted was a solid and ACCURATE bedding system that would be impervious to hummidity, outright moisture (rain) and solvents.

I was also looking for a solid load, as I believe that the factory load while acceptable accurate (FOR ME) seemed to be running slower than advertised. I also suspect that the match load had more to do with minimizing liability than for absolute accuracy...which I completely understand and would probably do myself.

I found that 42.5 grains of H4350 with a 140gr SMK seem to work for me. I also use a bench source annealer in an effort to uniform neck tension...this appears to have all but eliminated verticle stinging/unexplained verticle flyers. The target I'm posting pics of wasn't even the best of the day. This was a 192-4X...my puller (my sister) didn't know I was shooting on my best target of the day so she didn't think to keep the target for me. The rifle/load held (vertical):
16/23 X-ring
6/23 10-ring
1/23 9-ring (couldn't explain this one)

The good vertical is telling me that the action is firmly mounted in the chassis and that the velocity is not varying much from round to round. The winds weren't crazy, but they were a little switchy as we literally shoot down a Canyon at Burbank Rifle and Revolver Club.

Front:

Back/analysis:

My setup is totally practical (as in practical presion)...rifle is in an AIAX Chassis, one of my old military socks filled with rice in a plastic bag for a rear bag and Harris bipods...exactly how I would shoot it in the field or practical rifle comp.

 

[regatoni5]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

good choice on the AX! my custom .300 build in an AX shot one hole @150 with 220gr smk @ 2950fps. no bedding, just torqued to 65inlbs!

 

[jeffersonv]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sobrbiker883</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, so how many rounds do you have through the current setup and your thoughts on the AI AX?

I had the luxury of trying one last weekend, and while I like it better than the AICS's I've had, I still think the Manners MiniChassis system in your choice of Manners stock is the best chassis I've found so far.
</div></div>

Best in what way? Compared to the Rock Solid stock? Last I read you liked that one pretty much.

thanks soberbiker.

 

[ANGLICOMarine]

Re: AICS AX 6.5 Creedmoor

I thought about the mini chassis and then realized that the chassis is bedded in the stock; my goal was NO bedding. The nice thing about a chassis system (AI systems...not familiar with others) is that you're actually shooting the chassis with skins covering it.

I think I have between 2000-2500 rds through it now (lost my gun book during a move). Checked the throat with a scope two weeks ago...I'm probably in the later stages of accuracy with this barrel.