AJ Brown builds a great rifle!

[Phylodog]

It's here!!!! Alan did a fantastic job and I can't wait to shoot it next week.

My .223AI bolt gun is complete and is on it's way to me. I love this part but hate it. I do pretty well during the build process and manage to pretty much forget about it but as soon as I get word that it's complete I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve. Can't sleep, can't wait, can't stop thinkin about it. This is likely my last build for quite some time so I'm trying to savor it. What I've got coming:

Trued Rem700 S/A
McMillan HTG
Badger M5 DBM
22" Krieger 8 twist truck axle barrel
SAS 5.56 suppressor
Seekins Rings & 20MOA Base
NF 5.5-22x50NP-R1
Harris SBRM with PodLoc

All metalwork coated in FDE KG Gun Kote. The stock is currently black but I'll be putting a camo job on it. I'm hoping to make this my new range toy/coyote rifle. There's a couple members close by who've been talking the .223AI up quite a bit. I'm hoping to see similar results! I've got close to 500 rounds of XM193 w/LC brass that I'm going to use to fireform and I've got a set of Redding Competition dies ready to go. 100 count box of 75gr Amax bullets on hand and a lb of Reloder 15 ready to go, all I need are some primers and I'll be ready to start load development. As soon as it gets here....

 

[223ai]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

I understand completely. My gunsmith has had all of my 223ai parts ready to go since the end of October, all we are waiting on is the Rock 8 twist barrel....4 months now, and the wait is killing me. Should be fun once I have it to play with.

 

[ddubas]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

My next project will be a .223 or .223 AI. Other than the version of .223 I'm going with I haven't made up my mind on barrel lenght. Wondering how fast you can push the 75 gr. bullets out of a 22in barrel.

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

I should be able to tell you soon

 

[7mmRM]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

Phylo,

I hear pretty good things about those 223AIs.......(grin)

 

[Hunt]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

I've got a .223AI on a Borden Alpine waiting to be delivered any day. Just waiting on Glen to get a Seekins base built for Borden receiver.

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 7mmRM</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Phylo,

I hear pretty good things about those 223AIs.......(grin)
</div></div>

Hmmm, .223AI, McMillan stock, Badger M5, NF scope, now where on earth might I have gotten such an idea?!?!?

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

BTT with delivery!

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

Took her out to fire form some brass this morning and this rifle hates XM193 ammo. I mean hates it.

Fortunately one of my coworkers had a box of Federal GMM 69gr ammo on hand and let me have it. I fired four groups of five rounds and came up with the following measured center to center:

.817"
.635"
.512"
.505"

That gives me an average of .617", I'll take that any day. Had an extremely heavy mirage today which interfered with how well I could shoot so I suspect it's capable of better. I'm anxious to start load development and see what this thing will do.

Very pleased with the job AJ Brown did on this rifle!

 

[seven mm]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

Very nice rig.

Not sure if you have a cover for your can, such as a tab cover, if not you'll need to get one or you'll have a very heavy mirage everytime you go shooting.

 

[Noneya]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

Phyl has some of the best toys! I aspire to have half the NFA fun you have posted

!

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: seven mm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Very nice rig.

Not sure if you have a cover for your can, such as a tab cover, if not you'll need to get one or you'll have a very heavy mirage everytime you go shooting.

</div></div>

I have a TAB gear cover for my .30 cal suppressor and I shot a hole through the end of it about a month ago. I was having a bad day gear wise and it was completely my fault. Tony posted in my thread and offered to send me another for free so I asked if he would make it for my 5.56 suppressor instead. He told me that he would so I'm just waiting for it to arrive. Definitely going to need one on this setup, the mirage was present before I fired the first round and only got worse after that.

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Final countdown, I love/hate/love this part

MBandy13 came over last night and helped me put together a couple of fireforming loads. I loaded up 50 rounds and brought her back out this afternoon. Mirage was killer again today but she shot pretty well anyway. All groups were 5 rounds and I started out with two groups using Black Hills blue box 75gr to get it zeroed and warmed up. All groups measured outside edge to outside edge and bullet diameter subtracted:

BH 75gr
.836"
.959"

Hornady 75gr BTHP / 25gr RE15 / 205M / LC Brass
.465"
.844"
.655"
.999"
.33"

Hornady 75gr AMAX / 25gr RE15 / 205M / LC Brass
.626"
.679"
.886"
.476"
.539"

Overall average for the day came in at .691". With the mirage and the fact that I'm still getting comfortable with a different style of stock than I'm used to I'm very, very pleased with this build so far. She should be a real tac driver once I get a chrono out and start working on loads!