AICS 1.5 conversion ASAP

B

bh-ltr

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 10, 2007
645
1
44
Eugene, OR
#1
Ok lemme preface this by simply stipulating that I'm a moron and I shouldn't do this. ;) I don't care. Ok now onto the fun part.

I've got a class that I'm going to be going to the weekend of the 15th. Just to be spontaneous and fun I've decided to change my rifle drastically right before going to class. ;)

I just got done shooting a class at this school a little over 2 weeks ago and it's pretty laid back but a challenging bit of targets.

Anyway. I've ordered an AICS 1.5 stock and the thumb screws from EuroOptic. These should arrive late this week. That should give me enough time to get them mounted and tried out next week (unfortunately I'll be out of town this weekend).

I'd thought about ordering the Viper Skins stock sides, grippy cheekrest, and the Accushot mono pod as well. Not sure if I'm going to be able to get them in time but here's hoping!

I'd like to get some risers for the cheek rest at the same time but I have no idea how much space I'll need. The scope I'll be running is a S&B PMII 56mm obj in 1" rings on a 20MOA base. Anyone have an idea of about how much I might need? I was thinking about ordering 3 7mm's 1 6mm and 1 2.5mm. Am I way off in left field or does that show a possible promise of finding a happy solution?

Also I'm probably going to want a sling of some sort. I'm considering going with the biathalon type sling. TAB Gear has one for $110 or Euro Optic has one from AICS for $73. Perhaps I should just call Euro Optic in the morning and add that to the order. That would save me another expedited shipping cost.

I'm planning on just using my harris bipod on this from my current setup. Unfortunately there is no rear sling stud so I can't use my current accushot monopod.

Is there anything I'm missing?

Ok now off to the garage to get some ammo loaded! Wish me luck!
 
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#2
When I added the grippy cheekrest to my AICS I needed to pull a spacer out, it sits taller than the regular AICS cheek piece. Order more than you need, you can always make do with less.
 
#4
Order an assortment of risers. They're not expensive and you can stack 'em to your liking. There's just no way telling you what you need.
I find myself adding and removing depending on my shooting position.

For a sling I have the Tactical Intervention Mike Miller sling. A versatile piece of kit.
image07.jpg


Goodluck and enjoy your class.
 
#7
With 1" height rings I was squashing my face into the aics cheek piece just to get a proper image, I just recently upgraded to 1.25" seekins rings and it feels much better I only slightly adjust the cheek piece up. Maybe I just have a fat face :)
 
#8
ArinX said:
With 1" height rings I was squashing my face into the aics cheek piece just to get a proper image, I just recently upgraded to 1.25" seekins rings and it feels much better I only slightly adjust the cheek piece up. Maybe I just have a fat face :)
Click to expand...

Huh maybe the comb on an AICS is a lot higher out of the box that i'm used to. I have to have 3/4" of closed foam padding under my eagle stock pack on my LTR stock to get into the exit pupil on my current 1" rings.

~Brett
 
#9
#10
Well I'd been considering getting a set of Seekins rings to replace the badgers to save on weight. But now that I've gone with the AICS I'm even more in need of shaving weight. ;)

Boy you've got me a tad worried now! But this is EXACTLY the reason I posted this thread. Well I guess I'll have the stock here later this week. Then we'll slap it in there and see if I'm going to need to quick order some rings. I'm running 1" rings now so I may be at the absolute bottom of what I can be. Which would be cool cause it sucks having to add all sorts of crap to get up high enough. Well this should be a learning experience.

Thanks very much for putting together the links ArinX! Very much appreciated!

Now back out to go get the brass out of the tumbler and do the rest of the resizing and get it all trimmed. Thank god for the Giraud trimmer!

~Brett
 
#11
Ok so how about another way of looking at this... If you drop the comb all the way down and then put your hand on her flat and head toward the action do your fingers fall just about centered to just above centered on the firing pin? That is about where I end up falling on my current platform. If thats where the AICS falls (which looks about close to me from pictures I've seen online) I think I'll be ok with my current 1" badger rings.

~Brett
 
#12
Got a phone call into Euro Optic and the stock is in stock and going to head out today 2nd day air. Placed an order for the Viper Skins with both rears and a grippy cheek piece. Going to get some sleep now. In the "morning" I'll wake up and get the monopod and sling ordered. I'm thinking I'm going to go with the TAB Gear Biathalon and a sling thing. I was not really digging that I was going to lose my allen wrench and spare battery for scope adjustment without having my eagle stock pack. This will give me a spot to make sure I always have those things.

Accushot monopod is on order as well. Should be delivered Friday.

Ok yea this is the point where I start to get excited.

Thank you for bearing with me gentlemen. ;)

~Brett
 
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#13
bh-ltr said:
Got a phone call into Euro Optic and the stock is in stock and going to head out today 2nd day air. Placed an order for the Viper Skins with both rears and a grippy cheek piece. Going to get some sleep now. In the "morning" I'll wake up and get the monopod and sling ordered. I'm thinking I'm going to go with the TAB Gear Biathalon and a sling thing. I was not really digging that I was going to lose my allen wrench and spare battery for scope adjustment without having my eagle stock pack. This will give me a spot to make sure I always have those things.

Accushot monopod is on order as well. Should be delivered Friday.

Ok yea this is the point where I start to get excited.

Thank you for bearing with me gentlemen. ;)



~Brett
Click to expand...

Did you ask if the 1.5 chassis you ordered has the square bolt cut out (older version) or the new chassis which has no cut out, much like the AE model? If you have the newer chassis with no square bolt cutout, the viperskins will not work as they are set up currently only for a chassis with the square bolt cutout.

Also, the AE viperskins won't work without some modification. From the viper skins website:

"NOTE THE AE VIPERSKINS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE "NEW" SMALL BOLT CUT ON THE AICS. THE BOLT HANDLE WILL IMPACT THE SKINS."


Currently, there are no viperskins for the 1.5 chassis with the new small bot cut frame. AI supposedly is coming out with a pistol grip retro-version for the new chassis's in july.
 
#14
Well crap... That puts two flies in the ointment. After reading about it for a bit it appears that both the viperskins won't fit and the accushot monopod won't fit without modification on the new rears. I'm hoping that just drilling a hole in the rears will solve the monopod not fitting issue. I've also asked to see if they have some slightly beat up viperskins that I could try out with a slightly ugly cut out around the bolt if I promised to show the setup to others in the class. ;) We shall see how this pans out.

Again thanks much for sharing all your experience and advice gentlemen!
 
#16
I recall reading here on the hide that the guys at Mile high installed an AE set on a new chassis and while the bolt handle hits the skin, a small amount of dremel action can fix that issue if you don't mind having to cut on your new skins. The same goes for the mono pod mounting...nothing a dremel can't fix in a few minutes. Give the guys at Mile High a call and see what they have to say about it as I am only repeating what I recall reading here about it.

I am in the same boat, I have a 1.5 chassis and want to convert it to a pistol grip version. Viperskins says they are working on a new skin for this issue but I have no idea when they will be ready. AI has said here on the Hide that the retro kits will be available in July. I'm just waiting to see who comes out with it first. If it takes too long, I may just go with an AE set and do some garage modifications myself.
 
#17
Sorry to thread jack, but I have a set of FDE 1.5 AI pistol grips with the large bolt cutout listed for trade for FDE thumb holes if you're interested...

If you're not, disregard :)

Again, sorry to thread jack.
 
#19
Papa Zero Three said:
I recall reading here on the hide that the guys at Mile high installed an AE set on a new chassis and while the bolt handle hits the skin, a small amount of dremel action can fix that issue if you don't mind having to cut on your new skins. The same goes for the mono pod mounting...nothing a dremel can't fix in a few minutes. Give the guys at Mile High a call and see what they have to say about it as I am only repeating what I recall reading here about it.

I am in the same boat, I have a 1.5 chassis and want to convert it to a pistol grip version. Viperskins says they are working on a new skin for this issue but I have no idea when they will be ready. AI has said here on the Hide that the retro kits will be available in July. I'm just waiting to see who comes out with it first. If it takes too long, I may just go with an AE set and do some garage modifications myself.
Click to expand...

I've just received an email from Michael Victor himself that says that slight modification to the AE skins will allow you to have a working solution. He told me to look at an attached picture but there wasn't a picture attached. Hopefully he'll get my response and send it soon.

~Brett
 
#20
bh-ltr said:
I've just received an email from Michael Victor himself that says that slight modification to the AE skins will allow you to have a working solution. He told me to look at an attached picture but there wasn't a picture attached. Hopefully he'll get my response and send it soon.

~Brett
Click to expand...


Please post it when you get it as I'm curious to see how much modification is actually needed to make it work.
 
#21
Holy crap I'm sold!!! Just talked with Michael Victor and he's allowed me to share this picture. Here is all the modification that you have to do in order to use the AE skins.
 

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#22
bh-ltr said:
Holy crap I'm sold!!! Just talked with Michael Victor and he's allowed me to share this picture. Here is all the modification that you have to do in order to use the AE skins.
Click to expand...

Seriously? Thats nothing. It looks like running the bolt handle up and down a few times would wear that down in no time. Looks like I'll be picking up a set of AE viperskins here shortly as I'm getting my gun back from Phoenix Custom Rifles here in a day or two.
 
#25
tomirwin said:
AI already have pistol grip stock sides. Try our distributors or AINA.
Tom Irwin
Accuracy International
Click to expand...

I'd thought that I might have seen these somewhere but now can't seem to find them. However if I can get the AE Viperskins with the V2 rear to fit with minor modification for the bolt and then I don't have to do a huge cut for the Accushot monopod that sounds like a decent sweet spot.

I gotta admit for a guy who is trying to get into this AICS platform because of its modularity and how interchangeable things are its not really all that convenient as the things that manufacturers depend on keep getting changed and then things get all mucked up. I don't see a place to order skins at all on EuroOptic...

I did finally find them on mile high but there aren't any decent pictures showing it assembled or telling me much about it. Also no information on how the accushot monopod will fit and what not. Honestly these types of questions should be things that are answered and known. Perhaps a table explaining interoperability. I know these aren't all AI products but a big portion of what draws people to AI stuff is the modularity, consistency, and plethora of accessory support. Perhaps I'm wrong in my opinion of what brought me to AI.

My main reason for trying the AICS stuff is to find out if I want to buy an AW. So far its harder than it seems like it should be.
 
#26
Finally found a picture of the AICS pistol grip assembled:
http://www.accuracyinternational.co...with-new-stock-sides-pistol-grip-version1.jpg

Also found this:
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...3778-2-0-skins-aics-pistol-grip-vs-viper.html

I still think that the Viper skins seem to look a little less 2x4ish in the front. I think I'm going to continue down the road with my viper skins order and also got the grippy cheek rest from them. Michael Victor did a great job supporting me on this stuff and explained things quite well. My call into AI today resulted in a person telling me that they were new and they'd get back to me, but didn't.

~Brett
 
#27
EuroOptic has done a fantastic job and they got the stock out the same day I placed the order. Its already under way and should arrive Friday as planned.

Michael Victor and Victor Company has done a good job supporting the AICS platform and their products and they've already provided me with tracking information on the order that should go out today. I'll probably see that Monday but we'll see.

BT Industries should be shipping my order today again we shall see.

TAB Gear has gotten me an invoice but we're still waiting for a ship notification. We shall see how that pans out.

All the case prep is done for the ammo needed for the class and some extra to wring out the new platform. This evening I should be able to get priming done this later this evening. Then charging and bullet seating can get done in a night. Unfortunately I'm busy this entire weekend as usually figures. You're weekends are never yours when you need them. ;)

~Brett
 
#29
Got the stock in today. All mounted up and torqued properly. Now I've gotta wait till Monday for the Viperskins.

~Brett
 

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#31
Nice looking gun you have there. Just got mine back from Phoenix Custom Rifles today as well. I don't want to hijack your thread so I'll do a write up on it in its own thread. I am looking forward to hearing how the AE skins work for you seeing how we have the same chassis.

image.jpg
 
#34
Ok so we're both running 20" tubes. Very nice. I think I'd prefer a few extra inches (like maybe 4) but it makes it nice to have it short when I take off the brake and install the suppressor.
 
#35
Very impressed with B&T industries. They didn't send an email with tracking as requested but they met the deadline that they promised even when I didn't think it was going to be possible for them. I'm much more impressed with the AI Accushot monopod over that of the stud mount version. The quick release fold up/down is much better than the locking nut version I have my my LTR stock at the moment.

Viper stocksides, 10 Round Accu Mag and TAB gear biathalon sling should arrive tomorrow or I guess today since its 2AM.

Turns out that the Accushot monopod requires another piece to be mounted with the new AI stock sides. You not only have to have this additional piece you also have to permanently modify your monopod AND your stock sides. That is to say that once you use the adapter from B&T to mount the rear monopod with the new AI skins you cannot easily put it back into its stock condition for mounting it with the Viper V2 rear skins.

I'm trying to come up with my preferred plan for the course. I'm going to either mount the Viper Skins with the V2 rears and use the accushot monopod in its default configuration; or I'm going to use the stock thumb hole AI skins with a rear bag to give it a chance and use it that way to get used to it.

Tomorrow I'll install the Viper skins and perhaps that will help make the decision easier. Not going to make it to the range tomorrow so I'll spend a bit more time at the reloading bench after getting the Viper skins mounted up and get a bit of dry fire practice. Also going to need to do some bolt cycle drills and will combine that with function testing of the 10 round magazine.

Hopefully the fit of the AIAE viper skins goes smoothly and doesn't require a lot of modification. Pics soon gentlemen.

~Brett

Last but not least... I am able to see through the scope with the 1" badger rings I had but I'm 100% bottomed out on the cheek piece and if there is much height added when I go to the grippy model it's going to be a problem. Based on time frame I've ordered a set of 1.25" Seekins Precision rings from SWFA to be shipped USPS express today (monday). One more piece to worry about as far as shipping and one more device that must be waited for before the final zeroing. Not my favorite but its gotta be done right and on time.
 
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#36
Ok Viper Skins are fully installed and I did about 200 dry fire routines on it to give it the same fair shake that I did the thumbhole AICS skins and the viper skins are going to stay.

So first off. I got the AE Viper Skins installed and found that they did allow me to close the bolt with a bit of damage to the plastic and I was able to pull the trigger and get the pin to fire. Just pressing the bolt hard into the skins gave about as much dent as was sent to me in the picture posted above. Even with this much dent in place the bolt still wasn't FULLY closing. I wanted it to have a very consistent closure point for accuracy and to have the lugs fully engaged for safety. So we took the Dremel to it. I let my wife do this one since she's a mechanical engineer and has spent many an hour sculpting plastic with a Dremel.

So first off we masked off the area to prevent dust from getting into the rifle. If you look close you can see the dent that the bolt made:
2013-06-03%2018.51.37.jpg


In order to get the bolt FULLY closed we had to take off quite a lot of material. Took us a good long time cause we kept taking off a little bit at a time. But in the end this is where we ended up:
2013-06-03%2020.28.37.jpg


This is right before she did her final clean up:
2013-06-03%2020.29.42.jpg


Then finally over view shots of the finished product with the TAB gear biathalon sling and the Accushot mono pod installed:
2013-06-03%2020.33.58.jpg

2013-06-03%2020.34.43.jpg


Hopefully some of this helps someone else. All in all the AI AE Viperskins are a really great feel! The pistol grip allows me to get back into position more quickly than the thumbhole. Perhaps they could approach the same amount of time with more practice but the Viperskins got faster quicker so I believe it just fits my ergonomics better. I found that I was able to get zero movement upon trigger break during dry fire with both platforms but its easier to get a perfect squeeze with the Viperskins. I also like that if you're really trying to get quick follow up shots on target that the thumb indentation works quite well. Rather than reaching your thumb around you can just bring it down into the dent and it gives you a good solid consistent grip for getting off quick follow up shots. Any little aids to help one maintain consistency is always appreciated.

Then last but not least when I just bend down to pick the rifle up I usually grab just forward of the magazine and pick it up with one hand. This always worked great with my HS Precision stock and I always felt like I had really good control over the platform. With the AICS thumbhole skins the platform seemed a lot harder to hold onto because it not only weighed more than the HS stock but it also was very smooth sided there and it felt like it was going to slip out of my hands. I believe this was a combination of the fact that its heavier, combined with the fact that its wider there (harder to grip), and the side walls are straight. The HS precision stock had a rounded profile and it was narrower. This allowed my fingers to get some purchase on it and it was a very solid grip. With the AICS platform you have to have things wider there in order to allow for the magazine. However in the Viper system there is a really nice indentation there that gives you a place to get fingers into. This small change makes holding the rifle in this manner immensely more secure. If you look at the pictures the indentation I'm talking about is just below the front of the ejection port.

Sorry for the rambling nature of these comments but I wanted to get them and the pictures posted as quick as I could while at work being that I promised I would... ;)

~Brett
 
#37
Thanks for posting the pictures. That's quiet a lot of skins material that had to be removed, almost the same size as the old style skins with the square cut out. Not sure i like having to remove that much material to make it work.your skins are black as is the metal underneath so it's not as apparent but I think with another color skin it might be more apparent.Im going to have to think on this now.
 
#38
I just talked to Michael Victor and he mentioned that the picture was just to show the bolt impact. It was my misunderstanding that that was the entire modification involved. However at the moment its on there and isn't looking too bad at all. I vastly prefer the ergonomics and feel of the new skins.

~Brett
 
#43
Papa Zero Three said:
I think what I'll end up doing is using the AI skins as a template to determine how much and where to trim back the viperskins so as not to remove too much material.
Click to expand...

Yea you can do it by removing less material but I wanted to have the shape of the cut out look decent that was the only reason that we kept the shape consistent. I figured that some day these skins might go onto an AE and this way these skins will look fine either way. Plus you're right black on black makes it less of a sin.

~Brett
 
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#44
I should also add (after doing a few hundred more dry fire routines) that the soft touch rubber on the pistol grip of the Viper Skins is really nice! I just hope that it holds up over time. I think that the monopod on this setup is a bit shorter than I was on the other rifle. I think that I'm going to have to use my hand to raise things up a bit more here and there. Going to have to make sure I remember to bring the leather glove as a long day of shooting while grabbing the mono pod to adjust height gets old fast. ;)
 
#45
Got my Seekins X-High 34mm rings from SWFA. Man 34mm rings look HUGE when there isn't a scope in them. Been a while since I got my scope mounted up on that rifle and these rings look enormous compared to my Badgers. Love how light they are though!
 
#48
Capt Academy said:
So, if I have the older square bolt cut out on the 1.5 AIC Chassis on the Rem 700 the Viper Skins will bolt on without any cutting of the skins?
Click to expand...

Yes as P03 mentioned you would be 100% good to go with the current AICS viperskins. And based on my practice with the platform so far I believe you'll be very happy with the choice. Its a great feeling platform.

One other note that isn't a deal breaker but it should be mentioned.... The viperskins don't have holes to allow access to the action screws. So if you ever want to pull the action you have to first pull the skins. To me its still totally worth it. The pistol grip and the soft touch overmolds are very nice. Make sure you check out the grippy cheek rest while you're placing an order from Victor Company.

~Brett
 
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