Gunsmithing Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

[gregt]

I started designing this a while back and had the solid model sitting on the computer. My CNC packed it in a couple of weeks back and I got all the new parts for it late last week. I wanted to run something through the mill to test it all out before I did some customers jobs just in case something went haywire so I CAM-ed up the model I had drawn for chassis to fit a Savage into AICS skins and chopped it out of some acetal yesterday to see how it would all work.

It's looking quite do-able. The skins need to be opened up in the magwell area but this should fit into some long action skins. The area around the bolt handle is a bit tricky, the bolt release lever makes the action as wide as the chassis in that area so I'm extending the cutout in the right skin so the chassis will fit around the bolt release and will look factory when it's done. It will just mean the cutout in the right skin will need to be made a little longer to suit.

I'll knock up a proper one out of aluminium in the next couple of weeks and might do a program to cut out a set of viperskins to suit. I reckon it'll make for a pretty cool rifle.

Some photos of yesterday's fiddling around. Bear in mind this is pretty rough, it was more of a "proof of concept" thing to see how it would work. I thought I'd go for a 3D machined round inlet rather than a v-block. Any thoughts on it?

 

[slowyellow]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

It'll be interesting to see how the finished product operates/looks. Could have yourself some busy times ahead if you make it work!

 

[SPfeiffer]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

If you can make a Savage 110 338 LM fit in a AI chassis I am in!

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

What's the action screw spacing on those?

 

[BenY 2013]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Thats awesome! Now I want one!

 

[SFC Carpentier jr]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

An AICS for a Savage? It is a LONG time coming. Like was posted if one is made and offered, I am sure they will sell.

 

[EricF517]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

I know they will sell because I would be wanting one.

 

[TacT-MecH]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Very nice indeed...

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Tom Irwin of Accuracy International said on the Hide this psat spring that Savage AICS were supposed to start shipping in late September.

...crickets, crickets we be hearing...

 

[jsimonh]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Thats a very slick setup. I've never held an AI stock, but always wanted one.

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

I ordered a new set of viperskins to get underway properly with doing this, hopefully a couple of weeks and I'll have something a bit more concrete to show. I'll post up some photos when I get somewhere with it.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Almost there, the skins on this are a bit rough around the bolt release block because I just buzzed them with the die grinder to see how it would all fit together, it came up pretty good:

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

well well well. you sir, have done it. congrats. offer the 4.41" spacing and you will have a host of customers

 

[SPfeiffer]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

won't the lawyers at AI go bat shit crazy? You might be able to make one for yourself but sell one on the open market and you might be fukked,,, hard!

 

[blksno]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SASSdriver</div><div class="ubbcode-body">won't the lawyers at AI go bat shit crazy? You might be able to make one for yourself but sell one on the open market and you might be fukked,,, hard! </div></div>


How would making a completely new, from scratch chassis that accepts their skins, be any different than making skins to fit their chassis?

For that matter, how would this be any different than building an engine that drops into a Mustang...or molding body kits to replace factory parts.

If he tore down a chassis, and just copied it for a Rem or made no attempt to alter the design. That would be a serious problem. I don't see this being an issue.
When one company is unwilling or unable to provide a product that a customer wants...reverse engineering is a viable option.

I've contemplated this EXACT method for building a 2.0 chassis for an M70 LA. However, I don't have the resources to make it happen.

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AXEMAN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well well well. you sir, have done it. congrats. offer the 4.41" spacing and you will have a host of customers </div></div>

Hey Axeman, this is 4.4" bolt spacing, it's a Stevens action. I would have done it to suit both but wasn't 100% sure if it's only the front bolt placement that's different. The bolt release is a pain in the arse because it sits out past the chassis width and means it needs the longer stepped out bit instead of one that would fit into an AICS or viperskin. It would have been really simple without having to fit that in.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SASSdriver</div><div class="ubbcode-body">won't the lawyers at AI go bat shit crazy? You might be able to make one for yourself but sell one on the open market and you might be fukked,,, hard! </div></div>

I can't see why AI would be too worried, it's not like I can buy an AICS stock for a Savage, or for the Howa or Sako ones I've made. This isn't even a v-block chassis like the Rem 700 one. I'm going to use Viperskins on this one eventually, I just wanted to wait and see if I can get them without a bolt cutout so I can make a jig and machine them in the cnc to suit. These are an old set of AW skins at the moment.

I just think it's an interesting engineering job to design and make something that isn't available. It took me 3 days from start to finish drawing it up after dinner and machining it on a little mill. If AI were really keen to make one I'd say they'd have it on the market by now. I didn't really make this to sell but I have a few people that want them so I might do a run on my big mill early next year.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[SPfeiffer]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: c_bass16</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SASSdriver</div><div class="ubbcode-body">won't the lawyers at AI go bat shit crazy? You might be able to make one for yourself but sell one on the open market and you might be fukked,,, hard! </div></div>


How would making a completely new, from scratch chassis that accepts their skins, be any different than making skins to fit their chassis?

For that matter, how would this be any different than building an engine that drops into a Mustang...or molding body kits to replace factory parts.

If he tore down a chassis, and just copied it for a Rem or made no attempt to alter the design. That would be a serious problem. I don't see this being an issue.
When one company is unwilling or unable to provide a product that a customer wants...reverse engineering is a viable option.

I've contemplated this EXACT method for building a 2.0 chassis for an M70 LA. However, I don't have the resources to make it happen.</div></div>

Hey I was just asking a question.. I think its badass

if you see the skins EVERYONE says ahh thats an AI... well now thats not the case. Patent infringement?

Anyone else mass producing a chassis that excepts the skins?

 

[MarinePMI]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gregt</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AXEMAN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well well well. you sir, have done it. congrats. offer the 4.41" spacing and you will have a host of customers </div></div>

Hey Axeman, this is 4.4" bolt spacing, it's a Stevens action. I would have done it to suit both but wasn't 100% sure if it's only the front bolt placement that's different. The bolt release is a pain in the arse because it sits out past the chassis width and means it needs the longer stepped out bit instead of one that would fit into an AICS or viperskin. It would have been really simple without having to fit that in.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SASSdriver</div><div class="ubbcode-body">won't the lawyers at AI go bat shit crazy? You might be able to make one for yourself but sell one on the open market and you might be fukked,,, hard! </div></div>

I can't see why AI would be too worried, it's not like I can buy an AICS stock for a Savage, or for the Howa or Sako ones I've made. This isn't even a v-block chassis like the Rem 700 one. I'm going to use Viperskins on this one eventually, I just wanted to wait and see if I can get them without a bolt cutout so I can make a jig and machine them in the cnc to suit. These are an old set of AW skins at the moment.

I just think it's an interesting engineering job to design and make something that isn't available. It took me 3 days from start to finish drawing it up after dinner and machining it on a little mill. If AI were really keen to make one I'd say they'd have it on the market by now. I didn't really make this to sell but I have a few people that want them so I might do a run on my big mill early next year.

Cheers,
Greg </div></div>

Pretty sure it's just the front screw hole that moves. That's what Kyle did for my XLR stock (it's actually a slot to allow either action length). The only other thing is the bolt stop (the bolt baffle actually) that has to be ground down to allow the bolt to come back far enough to feed from the mag. Easy enough on a grinder to take roughly 1/4" off the baffle to allow it to function correctly.

Nice work BTW. Wish I had a mill big enough to handle this sort of thing, because I'd be doing exactly what you are.

 

[gregt]

Re: Savage chassis for AICS/Viperskins

Ok, boxing day was nice and quiet and gave me some time on the mill and with the spraygun. All finished, cerakoted and ready to have a shoot. I didn't have a scope rail so I machined one up from a piece of EGW picatinny blank. It's got 20MOA cant on it and is 3d profiled to fit the action properly, it came up pretty good. The chassis is midnight blue cerakote (like blued steel and close to black anodising) and the barreled action is OD green cerakote. The skins are OD fleck viperskins.

Seeing how it's a Savage, I gave the wombat logo a couple of feathers..

What do you reckon? I've still got to microslick the bolt and might do the bolt lift mod on it. I was going to put a bolt knob on it but it feels pretty good like it is, I'll have a shoot first then make a decision.