-
Having trouble using the site?
Contact support
Accuracy International 223 conversion working
- Thread starter trophyhunter
- Start date
Actually yes, that’s been thought of, just this weekend I picked up a 30cal barrel that’ll be used for testing 300wsm. 6.5prc is longer, might have issues out of a short mag unless you handload. Even then the 6.5prc does nothing a 6.5creed can’t do in a 27” barrel under handloads.
223 is working great, no issues, having a couple testers being sent out to ensure longevity of springs are what I want.
Short mag should start rolling out with the first rounds being fired hopefully in a couple of weeks.
Not talkin about you but the moment I talked about 223 the first response was, what about 224Valk. Then I mentioned 224Valk and had someone ask what about 6.5prc.
Overall this has taken well more then I imagined to get it worked out. 223 is final phase of tweaks for bolt head. Testers are gonna run it to see flaws or issues. 300wsm is an idea that’ll hopefully get up and going, but mags are gonna be the issue. I don’t want to design a mag system, that’s more then I’d like to handle. Gonna toy with what mags are available to see where this goes, but 223 is where most of my time is being invested. Next is machining of bolt head in higher volumes and sources other parts for the 223.
Overall this has taken well more then I imagined to get it worked out. 223 is final phase of tweaks for bolt head. Testers are gonna run it to see flaws or issues. 300wsm is an idea that’ll hopefully get up and going, but mags are gonna be the issue. I don’t want to design a mag system, that’s more then I’d like to handle. Gonna toy with what mags are available to see where this goes, but 223 is where most of my time is being invested. Next is machining of bolt head in higher volumes and sources other parts for the 223.
When they’re ready to roll out I’ll keep you posted
Plug for us left handed shooters
But I know the answer
But I know the answer
Plug for us left handed shooters
But I know the answer
Pssssh we can’t even get factory bolts for AXMCs
For us varmint guys I am betting that .20 Practical will work also. An AX308 with .20 Practical, .223 Rem, 6.5CM and .308 Win, this would be a neat Short Action System for fixed position.
Take My Money
Take My Money
Ya the 20-223 is a cool little wildcat. The other I liked is 6-223, but my all time favorite is 223AI, you can get those bullets really fast.
Once I’m happy with how everything is I’ll recut this barrel once it’s worn into a 223AI.
Damn for lefties only being 10% of the world y’all sure are vocal.
Lefty is still not in the works.
On another note, it really is fun just picking up a can of 223 ammo for cheap then blasting away. Ran 120rds of ammo today super slow & as fast as I could rack the bolt. Not a single flaw or issue. Bolt looks good, extractor & ejector are doing well. Checked all 6 lugs and everything is perfect so hardening is good.
Lefty is still not in the works.
On another note, it really is fun just picking up a can of 223 ammo for cheap then blasting away. Ran 120rds of ammo today super slow & as fast as I could rack the bolt. Not a single flaw or issue. Bolt looks good, extractor & ejector are doing well. Checked all 6 lugs and everything is perfect so hardening is good.
I’m almost positive but haven’t measured the heads are really similar. At least everything ejects in the correct side.
Next I would need to see that a mag snaps in, and if the mag adapter would cause any issues with feeding the tiny 223.
If anyone has an AXMC & AX if they could snap me a pic of the bolts to see how similar they are and if stuff can line up. I use to have an AXMC but sold cause I couldn’t get barrel blanks fast enough.
Does anyone know if their AXMC will feed 6BR well ? Reason I ask is cause of length of BR is similar to 223. If BR has issues, 223 might.
The bad part is I would need an AXMC for testing
I know 308 bolt bodies are hard to come by, which would cause other delays.
I know 308 bolt bodies are hard to come by, which would cause other delays.
The mag adapter shouldn't cause you any special issues, it simply seats the magazine nice and centered of the slightly larger hole.
If you get around to seriously working on it for the AXMC, let me know, I'm over in DFW and have the 308 bolt body
It’s further away from the barrel, maybe causing it to hit the breech ring, maybe, or allowing the round to fall to the side with the bigger tenon. That bigger tenon is definitely going to be an issue, now the round has to go higher to get in chamber. I don’t recall if 308 mags sit lower in the AXMC adapter then an AX, if they do that would pose another issue. This is all off memory, but I won’t say it’s not possible, we get really bored at the shop ?.
We're the top 10%. If you get the lefty pattern down early, you can scale it for other calibers.
It’s a little harder then just cutting the bolt face, feeding, ejection, and extraction timing all come into play.
Then like I mentioned with AXMC, I don’t have a tester so trial & error phase would take longer.
I kinda wanted to do a poll on how many AI owners where AT/AX, AXMC, AT/AX Left & AXMC left just out of curiosity. Then maybe ask for poll options on bolt faces, 223 fam, 224Valk fam, 300WSM fam, to see what direction to go in.
Can a poll be added mid thread or would it need its own ?
I’ll second this. I would say there’s more interest in a short mag than 224 in an AI
Agreed, let's keep this the AI AT/AX 223 conversion thread and create a new one for input on other calibers/projects.
300wsm bolt face, I’d bet money would be your next more popular project
After a 223 conversion, that’s the next thing I would buy if it were available.
I'd do a .20 Practical so fast too. But I'd like to see how a .204 Ruger feeds. I could ditch some rifles for sure with one of these bolt heads.
Luckily I have a spare 308 barrel ?
I like the idea of 224VALK but can’t see it being that much more beneficial over a 223 hand loaded.
On another note, 2nd 223 AI being run currently at Foxtrot match today.
If the .223 is running perfectly, I agree.
If some hiccups develop that can’t be ironed out, .224 is the likely answer.
For sure for an actual match round. But for overall usage I think it’s almost a wash between PRC/ShortMag Vs Valk
Other then Valk what others use the .422 bolt face, 6.8SPC, 30remington ? I’m sure a few others, but I can’t see that many more in a precision rifle.
223 bolt is the most versatile as a trainer or overall high volume calibers in my opinion.
I’m sure 223 is more popular to shoot then 224. Given the choice, I don’t know which I would pick. I can see the advantages of both.
I think the point of this was to be able to use cheap .223 training ammo as well as the very common military .223 ammo.
In an AI bolt gun if you were going to worry about .224V you might just save the trouble and shoot something like 6CM instead and not bother with needing a special bolt / magazine and all that stuff.
Last edited:
Having a great training caliber would be ideal and probably most beneficial. Having a caliber that I can shoot all day with regular ammo just to pull the trigger...priceless. The longevity of the smaller stuff is beneficial as well. Similar to 308 lifespan but cheaper. I’m sure if you hotrod a 223, life diminishes but it can’t be at the speed of 6creed or the others.
I also like the idea that 223 can be used in “tactical” matches. 224V puts you in open and it’s not ideal when up against the fast 6 & 6.5’s. I could be wrong but not many are winning or choosing 224V over lots of the other calibers. Maybe it’s still new, but a 223 handloaded Can get real close or similar speeds with the same bullets, for cheaper.
For me a big factor is cost when I shoot, wether it’s on the range or at a match. Granted at a match I will definitely spend more, but honestly I cringe at shooting 100rds of 6BRA in one casual afternoon. But shooting 100rds of XM193 is way easier on the pocketbook.
Yea if I had to pick this very second I would rather have a 223 option for my AI. Cheap fun shooting all day long is great.
.223 Rem, cheap brass, cheap reloads, more trigger time and I can hand load some Lapua brass for precision fun.
Performed a test this weekend, the ease of dropping in a kit into another rifle. It was last minute but had to be done to make sure this kit could be sent across the world.
Had a really good buddy and fantastic shooter take this kit last minute to the Foxtrot match in Pearsall, Tx. Rifle fed flawlessly during the match. That video of my gunsmith running the bolt fast is no match for Larry. On a stage Larry had to light up the bolt, during that ultra fast firing he had a spent case fall on the mag, quick tilt of the rifle cleared and he continued, not sure if it caught a finger or was just a fluke but it happened. Other then that all match it ran flawless. Still gonna tweak the ejection just a tad to ensure that won’t happen. Here are 2 videos of it at the match. He was using MDT mags, still testing different mags to see what runs best & longevity.
Had a really good buddy and fantastic shooter take this kit last minute to the Foxtrot match in Pearsall, Tx. Rifle fed flawlessly during the match. That video of my gunsmith running the bolt fast is no match for Larry. On a stage Larry had to light up the bolt, during that ultra fast firing he had a spent case fall on the mag, quick tilt of the rifle cleared and he continued, not sure if it caught a finger or was just a fluke but it happened. Other then that all match it ran flawless. Still gonna tweak the ejection just a tad to ensure that won’t happen. Here are 2 videos of it at the match. He was using MDT mags, still testing different mags to see what runs best & longevity.
Pretty damn slick my man. Glad to see this project rounding out nicely.
amazing stuff. excited to get on the list when these come out.
Larry’s gun ran really well at the match. I couldn’t believe it when he said he was shooting .223. I thought he was joking til I saw a loaded mag. Good work.
It was a last minute thing, he went with ammo from another rifle, no dope, zeroed in the morning and only hoped it ran.
Super happy with the results.
No kidding? That was the first match I’ve attended & when he initially said he was shooting .223 I thought he was joking. Then I saw a loaded mag & realized he was serious. I wouldn’t have guessed that ammo was loaded for another gun. He shot well, - especially for a .223. I was shooting a 308 & at one point I was holding at times 2 MIL. The wind blowing pretty good around noon.
Last edited:
Larry is great with 223, but that ammo came from his other rifle, no load development just grabbed it and headed to the match. I’ve shot it in the Sotex matches with 223, wind really beats it up good. Currently having a big thunderstorm so I broke out the Kestrel to capture winds, 43mph gust would be brutal. Luckily for us it’s usually only 20-25mph ?.
Similar threads
