Gunsmithing Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

[dckoch]

Just bought a 28 MOA one piece mount for An Accuracy International Artic Warfare .338 lapua. Going to mount a S&B 5-25X56mm on it and wondered if the rings needed to be lapped? Any help or recommendations on mounting to this beast would be appreciated.

Thank you,

David

 

[CopperCreekAmmo]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

mount it, shoot it. go on with life. no need to screw with it in any way!

 

[LRI]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

Personally, we lap all our rings. It never hurts. If no other, it ensures 100% surface contact.

 

[BLANKSGUNS]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

Absolutely not, do not lap the AI setup, it will completely void any warranty and it is absolutely not need on any of the Accuracy International mounting solutions. Believe me, I have been running them for years and have yet to date seen or recommended doing anything but install, mounting scope, proper torques applied and shoot. If you have any questions feel free to PM for further assistance.

 

[LRI]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

I stand corrected.

Oops.

 

[Silverbullet2]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

C. Dixon,

I would bank on anything Stacey has to say, have spoken to him, and he's the AI man.

But......
Last year when I bought a mount for my AIAW 338, and it was a 28MOA as well, I lapped it, and it took a bunch to get it 90%. I sleep better at night knowing that my brand spankin' new Nightforce is happy. Just my .02, though. JPG

 

[Supersubes]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

Stacey would know better but I thought they were line bored. I haven't lapped any of mine.

 

[LRI]

Re: Necessary to lap a AI one piece Mount?

All I know is this:

I've only worked on 2 AI rifles. Couldn't tell you the models. First was the one with the receiver glued to the stock.

Second was a round action. With a fat ol lug tha also retains the front guard screw.

In both cases the receiver/barrel thread fit was horrible when pulling the factory barrel. Rattled off like a hardware store nut.

That alone gives me cause to start snooping further.

I know many report great accuracy and love the rifles. Thus far I've yet to feel the affection.

Regarding integrated rings/bases. Unless they are manufactured from certified normalized (stress relieved) stock, my experience as a machinist suggests to me that they are likely not straight. You go chewing on a piece of bar/plate stock that big and it going to try like hell to move on you. Cast AL is fairly dead but it'll move on you too.

Just my 2 bits. Maybe AI has it all figured out. I hope so because a 1500 piece of glass on crooked rings just isn't cool no matter how you slice it.

Good luck.

C.