AW Magazines in AICS?

[NICKNICK]

I see that some people are using AW magazines with custom actions cut out for them (Defiance, Stiller, etc.) What kind of bottom metal is needed to accept an AW magazine?

Will an AW magazine work in an AICS if the action is properly cut for it?

 

[BookHound]

Yes. However, you might (in fact, likely) need to extend the magazine release latch and adjust it to get the magazine seated a little higher in the stock. We laser weld the latches and then fit them as needed. The AWs like to sit a bit closer to the action.

Mark

 

[swhiteh3]

I'm curious about the same thing, and I'm trying to understand this a little better.

I have an AICS stock from a .223 Rem 700 5R that I'm using to build up a 6.5 Creedmoor with a Stiller action. I'm trying to decide whether I should:

(a) Order a Stiller Tac30 for this build, and use standard AICS .308 magazines.

(b) Order a Stiller Tac30 A/W, and try to use the A/W .308 magazines. I'm not sure how much most gunsmiths would charge to fit this action and magazine, or if it's not worth the effort. How much work is involved, and is it bound to be less reliable than just using the AICS parts? I'm *NOT* interested in adding a source of unreliability to the gun.

Thanks in advance for any replies!!!

 

[Captain Kirk]

The AW mags are the same dimension as the standard AI mags in nearly every way. The AW mag is a double stack mag, so your action needs to be designed to run them, but the bottom metal or chassis that accepts AI mags will accept a AW mag as well.

 

[swhiteh3]

Thank you Kirk.

I had been reading this EXCELLENT thread about the differences....
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...ion-rifles/537-aw-ae-aics-mag-diffrences.html

And it seemed like a pretty simple change over if I buy the Tac30AW action and use it in my AICS (formerly .223) stock, until I read this bit above about having to modify the magazine release... That's the part that is confusing me.

 

[Bruno]

I have been wanting to try the same thing in my AICS, just haven't got around to picking up an AW mag. My Defiance is cut for them, but they were pretty hard to come by for a minute. Anyone run AW mags in an AICS without any modification?

 

[Captain Kirk]

Anyone run AW mags in an AICS without any modification?

The AICS does not require any modification to run AW mags, its all about the action

 

[Bruno]

The AICS does not require any modification to run AW mags, its all about the action

Thank you Kirk, but I will disagree slightly. I am aware that the action has to be cut for the AW magazines. There is some work that usually has to be done to make the magazine latch engage the AW magazine to make it work. I am not a smith, and I am sure someone knows the specifics will help me out here. Mark at AO touched on it lightly.

Yes. However, you might (in fact, likely) need to extend the magazine release latch and adjust it to get the magazine seated a little higher in the stock. We laser weld the latches and then fit them as needed. The AWs like to sit a bit closer to the action.

Mark

 

[Captain Kirk]

I had a rifle setup that ran both AI and AW mags, ran them both right out of the box with no mods. I am sure there are (maybe many) exceptions and I may have just got lucky.

 

[cramey74]

No modification is needed to run an AW mag in a AICS chassis. Captain Kirk is correct, it depends on the action only.

 

[poison123]

Not entirely true on out of the box. It might need to be altered to get them to sit at the right height so the action doesn't have issues picking up the rounds etc. Seeing how bookhounds crew builds some great rifles I'd listen to him on this one.

 

[dbateman]

On the subject of Aw mags does anyone know of somewhere to find drawings/specs on what needs to be done to Rem 700 to get it to work with an Aw mag ?

 

[BookHound]

Not entirely true on out of the box. It might need to be altered to get them to sit at the right height so the action doesn't have issues picking up the rounds etc. Seeing how bookhounds crew builds some great rifles I'd listen to him on this one.

I seem to recall even you having an issue with a Defiance action and AW mags a few (just over 3?) years ago. The mags would work most of the time, but sometimes the bolt would fail to pickup a round from the magazine. In fact, I believe it cost you some critical points at a Mammoth Cave match stage. Sucks when something works most of the time because the failure never happens at a convenient time.

Yes, the AW magazines will work sometimes without modifying the latch to get the magazine seated a bit higher. If you want to be 100% confident in feeding, see what your gunsmith thinks when he is putting together your rifle. The latch might need modification or it might be just fine as it is. Also understand modifying the latch might make standard single-feed AI magazines sit slightly too high and in some cases won't lock into place properly. Having a rifle setup to 100% reliably feed from both single-feed and double-feed magazines is sometimes not possible or might be a compromise.

Mark

 

[BookHound]

On the subject of Aw mags does anyone know of somewhere to find drawings/specs on what needs to be done to Rem 700 to get it to work with an Aw mag ?

We've inlet 700s to feed AWs. Don't have drawings though; sorry.

Mark

 

[poison123]

I seem to recall even you having an issue with a Defiance action and AW mags a few (just over 3?) years ago. The mags would work most of the time, but sometimes the bolt would fail to pickup a round from the magazine. In fact, I believe it cost you some critical points at a Mammoth Cave match stage. Sucks when something works most of the time because the failure never happens at a convenient time.

Yes, the AW magazines will work sometimes without modifying the latch to get the magazine seated a bit higher. If you want to be 100% confident in feeding, see what your gunsmith thinks when he is putting together your rifle. The latch might need modification or it might be just fine as it is. Also understand modifying the latch might make standard single-feed AI magazines sit slightly too high and in some cases won't lock into place properly. Having a rifle setup to 100% reliably feed from both single-feed and double-feed magazines is sometimes not possible or might be a compromise.

Mark

Yup...lol that sucked, I'm not going to rule out that the weather had a little bit of responsibility and losing my temper probably didn't help either

People just need to realize the AWs were made to work on a very particular rifle. And thats not the AICS with <insert action here>, a lot of care has to be taken with them. And like bookhound says if you want them to have that true AI reliability then the smith is probably gonna have to modify it parts of the stock to make sure it sits at that "perfect" height.

 

[Niles Coyote]

I recently purchased a Stiller A/W and put it in a new AICS and it feeds perfect with AW mags but just a heads up... with AICS mags the bolt fluting drags on the feed/retaining lips of the mag, enough so that they were binding. When I put just a touch of bedding behind the recoil lug and action screw contact areas this stopped the binding but I still need to check if it will run AW mags 100%. (the bedding was not done for feeding...)

FWIW, the AX has a mag with a front lip this may be the best choice for trouble free feeding if one is agreeable with that style of stock.

 

[dbateman]

We've inlet 700s to feed AWs. Don't have drawings though; sorry.

Mark

Thanks.

I've got a Rem700 I would like to make feed from the Aw mags but I need to find a drawing or spec to show the fellow doing it what needs to be done, he says he hasn't done it before and would like to know whats involved. I don't blame him it's kind of hard to undo it once you start cutting into an action.

 

[lencomatt]

I just put a Badger 2013 into an AX chassis and the AX double stack mags sit a hair too low inbthe back to let it feed both sides. I was thinking about the latch, welding it and then would it work with the single stack mags? So I'm thinking about either putting a little epoxy under the catch on the mag and making it taller so it would work with either mag.

And on a side note Badger inlets the AICS differently depending on which mag you want. It was a height difference but I don't remember how much. They only did one for the AX chassis. This is for their action so maybe it would not apply to a Remington/clone?