AI AT in .223

[Bisley94]

Is there any way to convert my AI AT to .223? Just hoping to reduce my training costs a little.

 

[Nik H]

This is a topic that pops up occasionally as there are a lot of interested parties. The answer is always no for a variety of reasons.

I would be one of the first to buy the conversion kit if ever offered.

 

[jim10801]

Me too.

 

[morganlamprecht]

it can be done...the problem is making it easily done by the user without major mods/smith work...

 

[hamstur]

Mark Gordon chimed in back on Scout and said due to the AI bolt head design, it would be extremely difficult and something SAC will not pursue. And that's to say if someone were to chase it and make it, it would probably be Mark!

 

[Jeremy45]

Ya, I would buy one in a heartbeat if available. I've been looking at it a bit and it's not an easy task.

I'm not sure you would be able to make them and sell them at a low enough price to sell enough to pay for the work that went into them.

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[redneckbmxer24]

223 isn't going to happen but you can do 22-250. It won't have quite the barrel life of 223 or the dirt cheap brass, but you can still use the same bullets. As long as you don't push it really hard it will still get way better barrel life than typical comp rounds do, and you won't have the added cost of a bolt and mags. You can also push 90's pretty hard and make it an extremely effective long range round. Just a thought.

 

[Terryw123]

Call Josh at PVA he would be another smith that might be interested in the project.


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[Bisley94]

Thanks for the replies. I figured it might not be easy or there would have already been a dozen threads on the best way to go about it. The 22-250 is a nice idea, but the whole point of my endeavour was to use all the .223 cases and data I already have from wearing out the barrel on my Tikka. I already have a 6.5x47 and .308 barrel for the AI and just wanted to consolidate.

Again thanks.

Steve

 

[scudzuki]

You'd have to come up with magazines to work with the smaller .223 case as well.
AI mags are pretty expensive to be experimenting on IMHO

 

[Bisley94]

It wouldn't be a cheap project, but when you consider the price of a second high end optic, chassis and new barrel for my Tikka, a few days custom work by a gunsmith to modify a few mags and a new bolt would be money well spent.

 

[morganlamprecht]

You'd have to come up with magazines to work with the smaller .223 case as well.
AI mags are pretty expensive to be experimenting on IMHO

(most) any of your standard ACIS pattern 223 mags will work, just have to remove a small amount from the latch nub so it sits a few thousandths lower to clear the bolt...i modded a plastic AI mag and it fed, took about 3 minutes with a razor blade

 

[Sethshaun]

22br and 6br mag kit

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Thanks for the replies. I figured it might not be easy or there would have already been a dozen threads on the best way to go about it. The 22-250 is a nice idea, but the whole point of my endeavour was to use all the .223 cases and data I already have from wearing out the barrel on my Tikka. I already have a 6.5x47 and .308 barrel for the AI and just wanted to consolidate.

Again thanks.

Steve

I don't understand the cases and data aspect. 223 cases are cheap and almost disposable, why not just use them in an AR or something? As far as the data, you're going to have to do load development anyway and the chance of a completely different high end barrel vs your factory tikka liking the same load is slim. Not to mention the premium barrel is most likely going to give significantly better velocity with the same length barrel and powder charge, so it's not like any of your dope is going to match up.

There are benefits to running 223 like dirt cheap brass, very high barrel life, and very low powder consumption, but your reasonings here don't make a significant argument to run it.

It wouldn't be a cheap project, but when you consider the price of a second high end optic, chassis and new barrel for my Tikka, a few days custom work by a gunsmith to modify a few mags and a new bolt would be money well spent.

A little higher cost in barrel life and component cost is also much cheaper than setting up a second rifle which has completely different ergonomics from your AI. 308 gives just as good barrel life as 223 and all things considered 6.5x47 isn't bad. It would take a lot of shooting to justify a complete rifle vs a little higher component cost. You also mentioned that one of your reasons to do a 223 is to consolidate, yet you'd be adding a third option to this rifle that currently has two and that's the opposite of consolidating.

Unless you shoot 20K rounds a year, I'd stick with what you've got.

 

[scudzuki]

(most) any of your standard ACIS pattern 223 mags will work, just have to remove a small amount from the latch nub so it sits a few thousandths lower to clear the bolt...i modded a plastic AI mag and it fed, took about 3 minutes with a razor blade

I had no idea AICS mags will fit an AI, I thought they were only for the chassis.

 

[MarinePMI]

They fit; just won't latch. BTW, never pack mags in the dark...or you find out that AICS fit an AI rifle, but won't latch.

 

[morganlamprecht]

I had no idea AICS mags will fit an AI, I thought they were only for the chassis.

metal AICS and plastic both fit and latch in my AT...they wont with the bolt forward tho...the feed lips hit the bolt body.

so with the bolt back you can latch them, but then the bolt body hits the lips and stops when you try to run it...trim the match catch a little bit and it drops the lips down just far enough for the bolt to clear

 

[jlow]

I went through this whole thing for the last 6 months, waited a whole bunch of time for the AICS chassis for Tikka vaporware and finally gave up on the whole idea.

Ended up with the Tikka .223 Varmint in a MPA BA Lite chassis folder and could not be happier. This setup is like 3 plus pound lighter, better ergonomics in terms of LOP adjustment than an AT AICS, and the MDT polymer mags that cost round $30 feeds properly. Oh yea, the Tikka barrel shoots as good as my Bartlein barrels in my AT and the whole package only cost around $1,600... - Blasphemy I know but true.

 

[Holland375]

Is there any way to convert my AI AT to .223? Just hoping to reduce my training costs a little.

I know this is an old thread and there is a new one Gilbert started, but wanted to renew this thread to.
The 223 conversion for AI is not only working but almost in full production. We have 2 running, a third one almost delivered and a couple more testers. They are getting QPQ now. We have the cad drawings and testing cnc production. Making them one at time does take a bit of time and I have other ideas that I need to start working on.
O and, I almost forgot, we have a 6.5 prc working to. The 300 WSM will be Gilberts hunting rig this year with the 6.5, I just have to rechamber his 308 and yes for the AI.
The 223 is so neat, you can just dump a round in the chamber and close the bolt. No guiding of the round into the chamber like a Remington and other customs, just dump and close. You will like it. It took some figuring out but it really works that good.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

I know this is an old thread and there is a new one Gilbert started, but wanted to renew this thread to.
The 223 conversion for AI is not only working but almost in full production. We have 2 running, a third one almost delivered and a couple more testers. They are getting QPQ now. We have the cad drawings and testing cnc production. Making them one at time does take a bit of time and I have other ideas that I need to start working on.
O and, I almost forgot, we have a 6.5 prc working to. The 300 WSM will be Gilberts hunting rig this year with the 6.5, I just have to rechamber his 308 and yes for the AI.
The 223 is so neat, you can just dump a round in the chamber and close the bolt. No guiding of the round into the chamber like a Remington and other customs, just dump and close. You will like it. It took some figuring out but it really works that good.

Accuracy International 223 conversion working

I needed a little bit of advice and opinions on this kit. I’ve been getting a few PM’s on the kit since Frank mentioned it. I have a working 223 conversion that we’ve made at the shop. It fed factory ammo really well with a slight stall maybe 4-8% of the time. I can’t get it replicate the issue...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Rec1er]

I know this is an old thread and there is a new one Gilbert started, but wanted to renew this thread to.
The 223 conversion for AI is not only working but almost in full production. We have 2 running, a third one almost delivered and a couple more testers. They are getting QPQ now. We have the cad drawings and testing cnc production. Making them one at time does take a bit of time and I have other ideas that I need to start working on.
O and, I almost forgot, we have a 6.5 prc working to. The 300 WSM will be Gilberts hunting rig this year with the 6.5, I just have to rechamber his 308 and yes for the AI.
The 223 is so neat, you can just dump a round in the chamber and close the bolt. No guiding of the round into the chamber like a Remington and other customs, just dump and close. You will like it. It took some figuring out but it really works that good.

Is there a .223 kit available yet ? website link please .

 

[Holland375]

Is there a .223 kit available yet ? website link please .

Yes there is. At this time we are transitioning to bug holes with Greg. He has a much better infrastructure to support the production of the kits. We can help you get a kit going. It is a process we are learning right now.
The transition I mean, not the conversion. Greg and his team are awesome and we are
working with them to bring you a better flow of these kits. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Thanks,

Enrique Erdmenger

 

[Kiba]

Bugholes is picking up the 223 conversions?

Awesome.

I was pretty sad that by the time the barrel blank arrived from bartlein Gilbert said he couldn't do the conversion for me anymore. With bugholes stepping in, guess that 223 barrel I ordered for my AX won't go to waste after all.

PM sent. Let me know where to send the barrel blank and spare bolt, and let's get this party started...