My, "I hate chassis" Rant

[Lowlight]

Okay,

Nothing specific here, just more of a general observation, almost across the board with the influx of chassis for our bolt rifles, I am seeing this.

Now, I love a chassis, I am chassis heavy, and have no problem ponying up for the good ones. But give me a break, how about sorting them out so a stock fucking Remington recoil lug isn't my only option.

I have some nice custom sticks, and of course the smith's put a nice big recoil lug in there, and not one of these high end chassis can handle the heavy recoil lugs. I spent all day taking apart rifles trying to find one of my Remingtons that fit in the chassis, and with a few others, I have had to mill on the lug either on the side or whatever to get them in.

When you're paying that much, isn't there a way to cater to the better recoil lugs and let the factory lug add a little Marine Tex to take up the slack ? Seriously, screw a stock Remington lug... make the channel bigger, make them deeper and give me the room to accommodate the width, otherwise, drop the price and cater to the $800 5R crowd, cause they certainly dont' work with the $3000 custom sticks.

I don't want to have to employ a gunsmith because I want to use a chassis with my good rifles. You guys know who you are, and there are more than one of you... wake and smell the coffee.

Rant off,

 

[beenjammin]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

...yea!!

I agree. the short end of the channel for the remington and simply cut a little more into the channel.

Good rant LL. I know you have seen what has to be done for the bighorn to fit a chassis.

AJ made a nice modification to his recoil lug. Simple drill and tap the recoil lug and make some inserts in various sizes that bolt on depending the size of the channel.

This is what was done on my bighorn/AICs and it works perfect.

 

[jasonk]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I've got a Dremel you could borrow.....

The stupid thing is there is no downside to allowing for a larger lug, it's no trouble to have extra room in front and under the smaller lugs since the lug shouldn't be contacting there anyways.

I think AI figured it out as I believe their current AICS and AX can accommodate the Badger sized lugs, can't imagine you need larger than that.

 

[XLR]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

All our chassis will fit a .315" lug or smaller without modification. Want the lug recess larger, just let us know when you order and we will custom cut the chassis for you. Just sayin...

.

-Kyle ~ XLR

 

[Layton]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Do you really need a bigger lug in most chassis systems?

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Layton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you really need a bigger lug in most chassis systems?</div></div>

Ab-so-fucking-lutely !

None of my good rifles fit....

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Kyle, yours will more than likely work, they are .314 and .571 in depth... but also the width has to fit, I have run into a width issue too.

 

[glock24]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Amen.

I remember having this problem with my older AICS and a Stiller lug.

Of course when I asked about opening up the chassis, Stacey came unglued and scolded me publicly for being so stupid.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: beenjammin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...yea!!

I agree. the short end of the channel for the remington and simply cut a little more into the channel.

Good rant LL. I know you have seen what has to be done for the bighorn to fit a chassis.

AJ made a nice modification to his recoil lug. Simple drill and tap the recoil lug and make some inserts in various sizes that bolt on depending the size of the channel.

This is what was done on my bighorn/AICs and it works perfect.

</div></div>

The Bighorn won't fit in the chassis I was playing with today, stock Remington only, I tried the Bighorn first...

The screws don't line up. and the rear tang is too long.

 

[XLR]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I see a lot of this frustration but on my end it is to the action manufacturer. There are tons of action makers that make "700 clones" that are not 700 clones. The Remington action has a diameter of 1.36" and yet a lot of customs do 1.35". Tang dimensions are almost always different. Bolt handle widths and sweeps are another factor. Bolt release locations and depths...

As far as the lug cuts in our chassis, it will handle a lug width that is the same diameter of the action or smaller and a depth of .520" below the action.

-Kyle ~ XLR

 

[OFIS]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Whisky 3 fits a Badger no sweat.

But it is a reason AICS was cut from the running early on, for me.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

and people wonder why I'm a XLR fan....lol

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Who said I was using an AICS ?

Kyle, I need .57 below the action that was one issue, not deep enough.

 

[tmanners]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

On the mini-chassis the first ones came out with a .315 wide x .575deep, but for the last few years they have all been .400 wide x .575 deep. I got tired of recuting.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

and now my other "go to guy" chimes in... starting to really like this thread

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thomas Manners</div><div class="ubbcode-body">On the mini-chassis the first ones came out with a .315 wide x .575deep, but for the last few years they have all been .400 wide x .575 deep. I got tired of recuting.</div></div>

I know your stuff fits Tom, and it's 1/3 the price....

 

[OFIS]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Not inferred, I only mentioned since years ago seeing AICS for sale, some were milled to take aftermarket, others not. I was in need of the former.

This is 'years ago' when AI was the only CS in town.

 

[Guy Montag]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">But give me a break, how about sorting them out so a stock fucking Remington recoil lug isn't my only option.</div></div>

Nailed it!

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

In fact Tom, The Gladius has a smaller lug and I opted to not pull that rifle apart...

My point is, if you are doing all this machining to give us that uber adjustable tacticool stock, how about beefiing it up and accommodating where it counts. Which is not in the hand guards... you have a $1000 worth of options and machining in the rails, and yet, it's only designed for a Stock PSS...

 

[Here2Learn]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Not sure of the exact size but my JP Enterprises chassis fits some big recoil lugs.

 

[762frmafr]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> you have a $1000 worth of options and machining in the rails, and yet, it's only designed for a Stock PSS... </div></div>

Because you can SEE the rails...and a PSS is what 90% of the customers will put in that "badass looking stock".

 

[gme]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

recoil lug? whats that?

I'll grind you a disc any thickness you want

 

[XLR]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Kyle, I need .57 below the action that was one issue, not deep enough. </div></div>

Dang... I AM one of "those" companies

I have never been approached with a depth problem but I guess I will have to make a change.

Thanks

 

[Boss334OP]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XLR</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Kyle, I need .57 below the action that was one issue, not deep enough. </div></div>

Dang... I AM one of "those" companies

I have never been approached with a depth problem but I guess I will have to make a change.

Thanks </div></div>

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! LOL

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Sounds like Tom has it right for us little guys with the high dollar 700s...

.400 width and .575 deep... and please don't forget it has to clear any rails and accessories near the top.

 

[MontanaMarine]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Good to know. I've looked at a couple chassis stocks online, and wondered how much lug they would accomodate.

I don't see any downside to milling out the lug inlet to handle the big lugs. McMillan will do it on their fiberglass stocks and I've done that, and put a factory lug in the stock without any issues.

 

[-=boone=-]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Frank seeing as to how your solving the worlds problems. Tell AI to produce a .223 bolt and barrel swap for the AIAE.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I already have Fiberglas stocks for my rifles, they are bedded and complete, that is not the point, not to mention even with gunsmith work, the fiberglass stocks dont' cost $2000+ like the drop in chassis do. (not talking the AI and XLR, as they are considerably less money)

I am not worried about a "stock" I am ranting about "chassis" designed to drop in 700s that include all the whiz bang shit, that are only built to accept stock rifles.

Boone, get with JasonK,

waiting on AI might take a while.

 

[MontanaMarine]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I get what your saying.

My point is that an oversized lug inlet for an aftermarket lug works fine with a factory lug, so there's really no downside in inletting for the big lugs.

The critical surface of the inlet is the rear surface, and that dimension remains constant regardless of the others.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

That is what I am saying, but yet here we are, and its not done... hence my dilemma.

 

[Massoud]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Our chassis is cut for the largest recoil lug we could find. From the centerline we have a depth of 1.273", from the bottom of the action we have a depth of .593".

The one you have was the second proto I think so it may not have that large of a lug cutout, but all our production stocks do.

As noted, the Bighorn is not a Rem footprint, it's a psuedo Rem footprint. The action mfg's want to get more thread on the tenon, so they push the front end forward which pushes the recoil lug position forward and now everything is out of whack compared to a Rem. Surgeon had the right idea when they did the integral lug and threaded that area, giving them a true Rem clone footprint yet with more tenon length. However, they then went with a straight bolt handle unlike a Rem.

There's a rumor that AJ will start including a little spacer block so that the recoil lug of his action buts up against the lug cutout for a Rem.
Justin

 

[jasonk]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Class action lawsuit against the chassis makers for your pain and suffering?

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Justin

You're chassis dropped right into my heavy lug GAP, there was no issue.

 

[Massoud]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Excellent. I understand where you're coming from. Actually we've had a lot of rants about chassis around here, and ours isn't perfect by any stretch.
Justin

 

[taliv]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: XLR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All our chassis will fit a .315" lug or smaller without modification. Want the lug recess larger, just let us know when you order and we will custom cut the chassis for you. Just sayin...

.

-Kyle ~ XLR</div></div>

not to pick nits, and I certainly appreciate the good work you guys do for a) making a cool product, b) donating it to the prize table so i could win it, and c) answering a bunch of my stupid questions on the phone...

but I just spent 30 hours this weekend with my gunsmith putting a defiance action in my new xlr chassis. The defiance action had a .312 lug and it would not fit. not even tight fit. just would not go into the slot. fortunately, he had a thinner one laying around and we swapped. I would have (should have) milled out the slot and used the bigger one, but I was pressed for time and he would have charged more.

regards,

 

[XLR]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I am thinking that you might have some other issues. The lug cutout should definitely fit a .315 lug.

I will send you a PM.

-Kyle ~ XLR

 

[KYS]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

The McRee Chassis takes about any recoil lug you have....

 

[bward]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

What's the Remington inlet of the Ashbury like? I only have a Surgeon inlet so obviously it is set up for a larger lug.

 

[taliv]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

thanks for the call Kyle!

really looking forward to getting a lot of rounds through this new build!

 

[Guy Montag]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: KYS338</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The McRee Chassis takes about any recoil lug you have.... </div></div>

It won't take a recoil lug like this.

 

[sentry1]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but also the width has to fit, I have run into a width issue too. </div></div>

That's what she said?

...couldn't resist

 

[gugubica]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

The best shooting rifle I have ever had was in an AICS with a huge gap in front of the recoil lug. I figured i would bed it in at some point, but never needed to. Why not just hog em out? The most important surface is the rear of the lug to chassis mating surface.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I hate ice cream! Those friggin' cones are never big enough to get the huge scoops that I like in there.

Dammit!!

 

[Ring]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

ill need to know this.. i just picked on a 700 for 150$, and just put a timney in it, and next will be a rem-age barrel with the heavy savage lug..

i have a mcree now for my custom savage, but not sure if i will get another mcree, or save 200 and get this with a DBM kit

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-108/bell-carlson-adjustable-tactical/Detail

 

[Lowlight]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Why not hog them out, because for the money we are talking I should never have to turn a machine on... drop them in and head on out, this is up to the manufacturer to fix the issue.

If you are gonna charge a premium, make them suited for something more than the lowest common denominator out there, namely stop building them to cater to an $800 PSS because you know the guy who owns it is not gonna spend in excess of $1200 to $2500 for a chassis, example number one is the post above this were the guy can't read english and understand this isn't about a "STOCK" but about machined chassis.

I already have stocks, fitted and bedded stocks, I want to use a chassis, which has nothing do to with a Stock, Right RING you fool, chassis that should be capable of handling a heavy recoil lug like 99% of the custom smiths out there use.

 

[KYS]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Guy Montag</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: KYS338</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The McRee Chassis takes about any recoil lug you have.... </div></div>

It won't take a recoil lug like this.

</div></div>

Ya, and neither would I.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

It's more than just chassis systems.


We rarely can just drop in a "drop-in" part.

Always modifying stocks and chassis alike.


I have a $2700 chassis in shop right now that doesn't fit the action/lug! They swore up and down it would fit.

Laugh out loud.

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

I have a .315 on my 700 and have gods plenty of room in my mcree.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

Since lugs are being mentioned...

We try to stick to .250" lugs.

We'll use .300" or so if thats what the customer wants or it's all we have.

But anything over .300" seems way thicker than needed on most rifles.
Bore diameter for lug thickness seems a decent gauge.




We shorten 'em too

 

[Ring]

Re: My, "I hate chassis" Rant

like i said.. i was thinking between that and a mcree..... last i checked, mcree is a chassis