Bunch of places make top-notch barrels for the AT-XC. Manzella, and Matt Stewart are my top two...but that doesn't mean that they are the only two. Whichever of those two dudes though that can get you a barrel faster is the way I'd probably go.
Accuracy International AT-XC
- Thread starter R.Walters
- Start date
Bunch of places make top-notch barrels for the AT-XC. Manzella, and Matt Stewart are my top two...but that doesn't mean that they are the only two. Whichever of those two dudes though that can get you a barrel faster is the way I'd probably go.
+1 for Manzella
Was only a couple weeks for my 260 barrel. I bought the blank from him as well
One of the biggest benefits to the AI system is a plethora of smiths who can spin up prefits with a great reputation
Manzella and Black Canyon are my current go to
Bugholes is another I wouldn’t hesitate to try
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You're about to get dogpiled with answers, but I had Hawk Hill do mine (a 6mm Wildcat). Came out beautifully
@diggler1833 yes my atx is gen1, folder, long bridge, high rail, gcp shoe.
Black Canyon Customs
Manzella Precision
Black Canyon Customs
I’m starting to think that AI bolt lift effort might be an individual gun variation thing. I guess I’ve noticed the same thing on R700 actions, but not Tikkas. I’m not sure how much of round-count plays into this.
I say this because I’ve read of fairly wide discrepancies in bolt lift effort between AI’s, and I’m not counting the new AT-XC action.
My new 2023 AT had a heavier lift than my bought-new 2021 AX, but not by too much. The AX had sub-1000 rounds through it. Sold the AX so I can’t compare it now that I have ~550 rds on the AT.
It’s probably all in my head lol
TL;DR
Don’t buy an AI if bolt lift effort is important.
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Checkmate lol damn you!
But I appreciate the correction.
The fuck I know man. Maybe it’s the 2003 bolt lugs causing near-immeasurable friction on an AI?
I wish I was an engineer.I totally forgot the TRG was 60°. Huh. It’s a lot lighter lift, I take it? How’s it compare to a Zeus?
I played with a used TRG-22 about 5-7 yrs ago at, of all places, Cabelas. That was before I got an AI and I don’t remember the bolt lift.
All I know is going by the two samples I have owned plus reader reports is AI = heavy bolt lift.
Going by the 4 AI’s I’ve owned (2-AT, ATX and AXMC) the ATX was noticeably worse. That was the only one with a comp trigger so maybe that had something to do with it. Maybe they had to make a few things stiffer to make the comp trigger safe?? Where the XC action could be redesigned for the trigger vs the other way aroundCheckmate lol damn you!
But I appreciate the correction.
The fuck I know man. Maybe it’s the 2003 bolt lugs causing near-immeasurable friction on an AI?
I totally forgot the TRG was 60°. Huh. It’s a lot lighter lift, I take it? How’s it compare to a Zeus?
I played with a used TRG-22 about 5-7 yrs ago at, of all places, Cabelas. That was before I got an AI and I don’t remember the bolt lift.
All I know is going by the two samples I have owned plus reader reports is AI = heavy bolt lift.
The AXSR has a decent trigger but I believe it’s its own design.
I never dug into why it was so much different although it’s the same action in previous AT and AX models
In general AI are heavier. More than my tikka ctr. But less than my wife’s savage.
But there’s AI heavy then there’s heavy for an AI heavy
For fun, I just measured my AX and my AX50 with a digital trigger pull gauge (measured from right in front of the ball, so subtract a pound or two for actual required required force): The AX measured a consistent 10lbs, and the AX50 came in at a consistent 12.1lbs. I have no problems whatsoever operating the AX, but recall the TRG(42) being a little more fiddly (probably because the rear of that rifle was way, way lighter than the AIs). The AX50 requires noticeable effort, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sounds about right. I taped a paracord to the bolt knob. My AT’s are 8-9lbs and my ATX topped out a 12lbs trigger scale and still didn’t budge. I say it’s around 12 lbs but I’d estimate it was closer to probably 14lbs
With the AI being 60 degree bolt lift and if you want to maintain a normal amount of firing pin travel for a centerfire action, there's only so much you can do to lighten the bolt lift-- X distance of spring compression must be applied to a spring of Y spring rate over Z degrees of bolt rotation.
Surface finishes and lubrication can certainly help, along with cocking piece and cocking ramp geometry, as well as the bolt lug camming/ramp surfaces (since the AI has some cocking on close, smoother chamfers/radii on the bolt lugs would help smooth the bolt closing as it compresses the firing pin spring when closing the bolt) but there's only so much you can do trying to do the same amount of work when compressing the firing pin spring in 60 degrees of bolt rotation.
If the action stays 60 degrees and you wanted to lighten the bolt opening effort you could decrease the amount of cocking on open and increase the cocking on close which would make for a rougher and higher effort bolt closing, reduce the amount of degrees devoted to the extraction cam in order to spread out the cocking ramp over a few extra degrees of bolt opening rotation which means the bolt lift may be lighter but now you may have to give the bolt handle a firm upwards smack in the event of a stuck case since you'll now have less of an extraction cam and less primary extraction force, or reduce the firing pin travel or reduce the firing pin spring rate at the expense of less energy delivered to the firing pin and primer. You could also narrow the cocking piece so more of the bolt rotation could be used for a shallower cocking ramp, but now you're concentrating the spring pressure on a narrower contact patch on the cocking piece and cocking ramp and that same force concentrated on a smaller surface area may have more friction. You could try combinations of all of the above, and probably some other things I missed, trying to lighten and smooth the bolt lift and close.
And there's the easy way out-- leave things as they are and lengthen the bolt handle to provide additional leverage to reduce the "perceived" bolt lift effort.
I keep wondering how much you could reduce the firing pin spring rate on an AI before reliability is adversely affected... The AI firing pin spring is pretty hefty for maximum reliability, but I'm sure some people would be willing to risk it not always going bang when the action is filthy to have a lighter and smoother bolt lift in normal use. A few years ago I measured the firing pin spring on my AT and I think it was somewhere about 26# when compressed to the fully cocked position. I have a hunch you could probably drop it down to 18-20ish pounds and substantially lighten the bolt lift and still have it ignite primers reliably unless the action was really dirty.
Surface finishes and lubrication can certainly help, along with cocking piece and cocking ramp geometry, as well as the bolt lug camming/ramp surfaces (since the AI has some cocking on close, smoother chamfers/radii on the bolt lugs would help smooth the bolt closing as it compresses the firing pin spring when closing the bolt) but there's only so much you can do trying to do the same amount of work when compressing the firing pin spring in 60 degrees of bolt rotation.
If the action stays 60 degrees and you wanted to lighten the bolt opening effort you could decrease the amount of cocking on open and increase the cocking on close which would make for a rougher and higher effort bolt closing, reduce the amount of degrees devoted to the extraction cam in order to spread out the cocking ramp over a few extra degrees of bolt opening rotation which means the bolt lift may be lighter but now you may have to give the bolt handle a firm upwards smack in the event of a stuck case since you'll now have less of an extraction cam and less primary extraction force, or reduce the firing pin travel or reduce the firing pin spring rate at the expense of less energy delivered to the firing pin and primer. You could also narrow the cocking piece so more of the bolt rotation could be used for a shallower cocking ramp, but now you're concentrating the spring pressure on a narrower contact patch on the cocking piece and cocking ramp and that same force concentrated on a smaller surface area may have more friction. You could try combinations of all of the above, and probably some other things I missed, trying to lighten and smooth the bolt lift and close.
And there's the easy way out-- leave things as they are and lengthen the bolt handle to provide additional leverage to reduce the "perceived" bolt lift effort.
I keep wondering how much you could reduce the firing pin spring rate on an AI before reliability is adversely affected... The AI firing pin spring is pretty hefty for maximum reliability, but I'm sure some people would be willing to risk it not always going bang when the action is filthy to have a lighter and smoother bolt lift in normal use. A few years ago I measured the firing pin spring on my AT and I think it was somewhere about 26# when compressed to the fully cocked position. I have a hunch you could probably drop it down to 18-20ish pounds and substantially lighten the bolt lift and still have it ignite primers reliably unless the action was really dirty.
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