Accuracy International 223 conversion working

Now just waiting on the AXMC conversion kit as I'd love my AXMC to be able to also shoot .223
One thing that could be interesting would be that it would let you shoot the heavy long projectiles that really stretch the .223 out, as well as the standard bulk stuff.

Then of course there will be the need to make a .224V.....
 
Not sure if this was mentioned previously but will replacement barrels be drop in like a typical AI barrel?

Excellent work by they way! I had always assumed it would be too difficult to do this practically. I’ll gladly eat my words on this. ?
 
Probably ble because Morgan beats the crap,out of his rifle....Will the 6.5 prc and 300 wsm be the same except for the barrel, will it be interchangeable
He definitely test his equipment, hence why I am pleased to have him giving me feedback on it. What’s funny when we ran that rifle prior to turning it in, IT WORKED. But he knows his rifle better then we do. Found a flaw so we started searching, found the issue and fix it going forward.

yes it’s the same bolt for both PRC & WSM. The kit is drop in also as a complete unit.
 
Good update Gilbert.

Does the manufacture year of the AX provide any evidence of which Rifles might be finicky with the 223 conversion?

Think I’ll have to have both conversions ?
No, all AX’s were fine to date, but only tested 3, all different years, not by intention just luck. If it’s a 6 lug AI, the conversion will work. We think some of the issue with Selena (AT) was usage overall. With enough rounds the breech ring has to move ever so much, well apparently .002-.003” was just enough to cause a rub that Morgan nor we wanted.
 
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Now just waiting on the AXMC conversion kit as I'd love my AXMC to be able to also shoot .223
One thing that could be interesting would be that it would let you shoot the heavy long projectiles that really stretch the .223 out, as well as the standard bulk stuff.

Then of course there will be the need to make a .224V.....
With the current mags I’m at max length, you can’t pull 80.5’s out anymore or the bullet will fall out. Haven’t measured 85.5’s but they’re close on length. Current 80.5’s base is at the shoulder neck junction. Chamber is extended .100”
 
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Not sure if this was mentioned previously but will replacement barrels be drop in like a typical AI barrel?

Excellent work by they way! I had always assumed it would be too difficult to do this practically. I’ll gladly eat my words on this. ?
Drop in as in typical screw in and torque the quick screw ? Yes

with 3 bolts, in 223, 308, 300wsm it takes me 1-2mins to change calibers. Typical AI
 
More along the lines of; i can order a barrel without needing to send the rifle in to the smith.
I suppose I could have worded my original post better.
In a way yes, their drop in, but it’s not a typical AI barrel if that makes sense.

my current barrel with any of the bolt heads that are out and about will interchange no problem in their rifles.
 
I may have missed it as I scanned through this thread but what is a realistic release time frame? It sounds like the 223 kit is close. I am ready to move on from my SRS and have been eying the AI AT, but have been hesitant because of the lack of magnum bolt face. This thread makes me want an AI now!
 
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I may have missed it as I scanned through this thread but what is a realistic release time frame? It sounds like the 223 kit is close. I am ready to move on from my SRS and have been eying the AI AT, but have been hesitant because of the lack of magnum bolt face. This thread makes me want an AI now!
I’m hoping to release some more conversions before the new year then full ramp up of production in early 2020.
Pending 1 key part for mass release, the part can be sourced by the individual, but looking at bigger volume.
 
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I may have missed it as I scanned through this thread but what is a realistic release time frame? It sounds like the 223 kit is close. I am ready to move on from my SRS and have been eying the AI AT, but have been hesitant because of the lack of magnum bolt face. This thread makes me want an AI now!

I have it from the U.K. Accuracy International service centre that AI mags converted with the Various branded 6mmbr kits on the market work with the Valkyrie.
 
Lol, Not as much as the ax308 want a hunting round. Either a 300wsm or a 6.5prc please.
Already on this one, while the 223 has been out in testing I’ve been tweaking this in 300wsm. Feeding is great, mags need minimal work from factory, extraction & ejection are perfect.

ejecting a loaded round is trickier, weight & ejection port opening
 
Already on this one, while the 223 has been out in testing I’ve been tweaking this in 300wsm. Feeding is great, mags need minimal work from factory, extraction & ejection are perfect.

ejecting a loaded round is trickier, weight & ejection port opening


I would be willing to accept dropping the mag to extract a loaded round. If I'm unloading I'm clearing mybrifle for the day to get back in my truck to head home. If it drops the loaded round down the mag well it's no big deal.
 
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I would be willing to accept dropping the mag to extract a loaded round. If I'm unloading I'm clearing mybrifle for the day to get back in my truck to head home. If it drops the loaded round down the mag well it's no big deal.
It clears, but if you try to extract to fast it’ll scratch the inside breech ring and may cause it drop off extractor. I’ll try to get a video tomorrow of it freeing & extraction
 
Hopefully these launch soon. Any updates?
Pretty much got the kit ready, it’s ready to drop in. Now the next dilema is out to public, ordering, marketing and just getting it out in general.
Gotta figure out how to take orders, payments and get everything organized so we don’t have the typical late delivery the gun world is use to.

I guess best answer is we’re tackling the business end.
 
Pretty much got the kit ready, it’s ready to drop in. Now the next dilema is out to public, ordering, marketing and just getting it out in general.
Gotta figure out how to take orders, payments and get everything organized so we don’t have the typical late delivery the gun world is use to.

I guess best answer is we’re tackling the business end.
Fantastic. I'm itching to get one.
 
How about the AXMC? it seemed like a couple of fellows were willing to loan you one to develop and test a conversion. Did that come to fruition?

Ya it was more of a formality. Parts on our end are ready, just have to source a few parts to get everything together.
I can buy the needed parts but with that being a bulk of the kit it puts a big financial on me. Hence tryin to figure out best and easiest way to cover and start pushing them out.
 
well much needed update, been swamped with year end matches, SHOT show and just a long lengthy process. So one of the biggest holdups has been hoping that AI would want to either agree or be accepting of me doing the 223 conversion. As i and most have told me they don't like when you mod their stuff. I get it, if something goes wrong the ball gets thrown back into their court, or so most think. I spoke to them at SHOT, told them where we were going and it was a kind friendly " have fun, good luck" type goodbye. With that as Frank mentioned in his podcast I can't source bolt assemblies from them. That is a problem for me making a drop in kit. As the kit sits I make a new 223 faced head that is pinned on like the original, utilizing the existing firing pin assembly. The barrel is modded a touch to allow better feeding and of course the mags are modded to again allow better feeding. So going back, since I as a person can't source bolt bodies the customers that I've already completed the 223 kit had to source themselves. Its not a problem but it takes the "kit" out of a kit when I don't have all the parts.

With this dilemma came a solution from SHOT. Another company approached me (they can comment if they'd like) that they would like to make a bolt assembly for the conversion. We are moving forward with that and going to make a 1 piece bolt & head assembly to eliminate the 2 piece & rollpin design. But this is going to add time to the entire equation. I do have a few customers that didn't want to wait and elected to have a bolt assembly, they sourced, modded to our existing 223 bolt heads we already have in stock. For now we know the kit is "drop in" as it has on several rifles, but we are still playing with tolerances from new to very well used rifles that we prefer to have the rifles in shop to test & tune. On a new rifle tolerances & wear are minimal and easy to cookie cutter, but on a decent used or abused rifles either headspace needs to be adjusted or extractor amount needs to be tweaked. It's not hard but difficult to have the end user do.

Spoke to Frank at SHOT, had the 224 Valkrye head along with a 223 conversion that I'll be running in the Brawl. We are going to do a conversion for him in 224V. With his podcast I got a landslide of calls & PM's on the conversion asking questions. This pretty much lays it out.

1. We are offering the modification as a service, not so much as a drop in kit, I'll need your rifle.
2. bolt assemblies need to be source by the customer, a few vendors have them.
3. going forward we are having a new 1 piece bolt body/head made, won't be till later, hoping before summer.

The kit is working great, the conversions out there are working as they should. I will be shooting the Rifles Only Brawl with either a 223AI or 223wylde. Still pending some dies from SAC that will determine what i'm going to shoot.

Any questions, ask here or PM me

Gilbert
 
Very good news you are going get one piece bolts made from another vendor... Getting spares from AI is often a lengthy process, and as much as I hate to say it, it's a good thing they won't be in your supply chain.

For my situation, I happen to have a spare bolt body with a 308 LFP bolt head that's sitting in the safe I'd want to use for the conversion if you are going to offer both bolt heads for existing AI bolt bodies as well as offering the new single piece bolt, but I understand if you only want to produce one part to simplify things.

Have a price nailed down yet, or still too early for that?