Re: Building a custom AICS AX 338 questions need help
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wPAShooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Oh wow ok good to know about CIP i never heard of that before but very good to know thanks.
Will the new High BC bullets not work well with the Surgeon XL action? Right now i have no idea how hard it would be to try and load the gun a single round at a time with the longer rounds. How much longer are the newer rounds and how much of a difference does it make compared to normal Lapua rounda or ammo that i would get reloaded as well? And are the new High BC ammo really worth it? </div></div>
There is nothing wrong with your first question but it does'nt arise directly from what so far has been said. You advise that you want to use an AX stock. AI is a UK company and therefore controlled by CIP. When you mate an XL action to an AI stock you are obliged to use AI magazines that fit the AI AX stock. The expression often used in a rifle build is "the bottom metal". It refers to the fittings needed for the magazine.If for example you were using a McMillan stock which needed machining out to the mag system of your choice then there would be greater variety of what sort of magazine you could go for. With AI you have to use their magazines. CIP will set a "standard length" for a magazine based on the industry standard length associated with Lapua's .338 LM ammo. The round originated again in Europe and is CIP regulated. Think of CIP as similar to the US SAMMI regulations on chamber dimensions/case lengths etc.
The poster above helpfully said that using the new Berger 300g .338 bullet his were seated too far out to fit in the CIP mag AI uses. As technology changes on bullet design and they have a longer OAL this islikely to happen.
As to whether the length of the XL action is long enough for these rounds there is less of an issue here as loading a round which could potentially in it's loaded OAL be longer than the ejection port can still be done if hand loaded. You feed it in tip first then square it up to the bolt. Unloading a round of this length can also be done but requires the bolt release to be clicked to pull the bolt back further so the bullet clears the ejection port. The ejector on the bolt will then ping it slightly at an angle to get easy purchase on the bullet tip. So the length of the XL action won't be a problem save that on many stocks using a cheek piece the extra distance needed to pull the bolt back may need the removal of the cheek piece. The AX stock has quite a good design in this respect as the cheek piece is comparatively small in length compared to many and may have adequate clearance. It is a point well worth checking though as re-setting the cheek piece is a bit of a PITA if it alwas has to be done. Personally I prefer a custom stock which can take a magnetic cheek pice system like that done by Alan Warner. This pulls out easily and when re-fitted retains the height setting. Others have to be manually re-tightened up and unless you tape the pillars of the cheek piece to retain the setting ( an easy fix ) you have to start again setting the height up.
The main stream manufacturer's bullets such as Sierra and Berger are definately "worth it" ... new design's there are likely to be "standard fare" for ELR use. Custom hybrid designs may need a new barrel with a different twist and even then may well be an unknown commodity as to people getting good results. There is a good thread on here regarding testing to check these type of bullets out ... well worth a read.
If I were in your position as being a new comer to all of this I would consider whether the mag feed systems are going to serve you well? You have already heard one poster say the AI .338 mag is a little short for the 300g Bergers in his set up.
As to "difficulty" in single feeding on a mag system ...so long as the mag does'nt have a bolt stop feature it is'nt too bad ... something you can develop a "knack" for. After a while it can work fine ... but it is fiddly and if you develop a load using light neck tension and then get a mis feed you are likely to sink the bullet way back into the case if the tip has snagged due to the mag causing the bullet to point at an unintended angle.
A single feed action lines up the bullet perfectly and is infinitely more reliable.
