Short Action Customs: DTA 223 conversion. Updates 2/4/14

[Mgordon]

Shooters,

Just getting some information regarding our 223 Conversion for the Desert Tactical Arms SRS/Covert out to the public. What we are aiming to accomplish is a direct drop in 223 conversion for the SRS/Covert. This conversion will include these components.

SAC 223 bolt head assembly
SAC 223 barrel extension timed, fitted and chambered in a Bartlein 1-7.7" twist barrel. Other barrel twist options will be available at a later date.
SAC 223 magazine assembly.

As you can imagine there are a few obstacles that need to be overcome. The two major problems are...

1. The DTA chassis was designed to support large magnum calibers and the 223 cartridge has too much room and gets into trouble before it makes it in the chamber. Having a 1" diameter of barrel face with a .375"ish chamber opening does not allow the small 223 to easily find its way inside of the chamber mouth upon leaving the magazine.
2. The distance from the chamber mouth to the end of the magazine feed lips is too long. When the magazine lips hand off the case head, the bullet tip is no where near making it into the chamber, this causes jams.

We have overcome these issues with confidence and are finalizing our bolt head and barrel extension design as we speak. Our 223 magazine prototype is a machined aluminum block that works, but is not anywhere near a production model. We are currently getting a few stamped metal prototypes made currently. We are leaning towards a stamped magazine for a multitude of reasons, but its going to take a little time to come up with an acceptable design that is very functional and inexpensive.

Here is a quick video of our conversion that we posted on Youtube.com. I have taken the rifle out and fired it and it works as advertised. We will keep the community posted on the progress. You can email me at Mark@shortactioncustoms if you would like to be placed a list for further updates.

Here is another really amateur video we made last night in the single digit weather of the 223 conversion feeding, firing, extracting and ejecting.

http://youtu.be/sGHnPkctrZk

Mark



MVI 7218 - YouTube

 

[Frankr]

That is awesome!

The innovation in the gun community is awesome for sure.


What is the price point you guys are shooting for?

I am assuming eventually you could do a 300 blk barrel also?

 

[long range newbie]

I was thinking the same

 

[Mgordon]

We are most likely going to be able to run the 300 Blackout no problem with our new magazine design, but it will be available down the road.

We have not settled in on a price at this moment, but we will do our best to make it in line with other conversions available on the market.

Mark

 

[PSYOPS]

Ahhh, man!!!

---gotta have it!

 

[BLDTYLRY]

Will this be in a 223 Wylde Chambering? Wouldn't mind having a magazine block for single-feeding.

 

[Mgordon]

It will be our 223 Match chamber reamer set up for the 75 to 80 range bullets seated close to the lands at our mag length.

We may entertain the idea of supplying a mag block for single feeding considering our working parts minus the magazines are just about ready.

Mark

 

[Whit]

Thats good news, I am wanting to get a DTA early next year.

 

[mouse07410]

Mark, you're great!

 

[Dogtown]

Intriguing

 

[BLDTYLRY]

Mark, any updates on your progress?

Thanks
Bo

 

[biffj]

you say you're doing the bolt head but what about all the guys with gen 1 guns that require a complete bolt?

Frank

 

[flatland1]

Mark, I've got a 223 AI on a M700 that I chambered with a 223 AI reamer from PTG (can't tell you what the freebore is - Dave's never gotten around to sending me a reamer print for it). I used a 26" Krieger 1:7tw sendero contour blank, bedded the bbl'd action in a McM A5 with inlet for B-O M5 DBM, and use AICS magazines. Just so happens that the freebore of my reamer allows seating Berger 90 VLDs or 90 LRBTs to mag length w/o a lot of jump. The little 90VLDs have shot several half-MOA groups at 1000yds out of this rig. Seems like it'd be a great deal if a shooter could shoot mag length 90s in his converted DTA.

 

[cypriss32]

Id really like one of these.

 

[FALex]

very cool. Outstanding!

 

[Mgordon]

you say you're doing the bolt head but what about all the guys with gen 1 guns that require a complete bolt?

Frank

We are currently in the process of converting the older Gen 1/Gen 2 stolid bolt bodies into the new style. So, if a customer wanted a .223 conversion and had an old solid bolt, we can either convert that bolt to be used with our 223 conversion, or the customer can buy a new style bolt body from DTA and our conversion will drop right in.

Mark

 

[Mgordon]

Mark, any updates on your progress?

Thanks
Bo

Bo,

We are waiting for our first batch of stamped magazines to be delivered for testing. There is a good change that we will make a few tweaks and push toward a production model right after testing is complete. We have 8 bolt heads, extensions, firing pins, cross pins, ejector and extractor assemblies in our possession. We have the barrels to make these 8 conversions kits into complete kits once the magazines are done. These 8 kits are the first run of our conversions. We are really happy with the accuracy/functioning of these 8 kits at the current moment and there will not be any ground breaking changes when we have our manufactures push the go button for larger quantities.

The magazine has been the hardest part about this conversion. It would have been too easy if DTA just would have gone with a rectangle style mag box!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark

 

[Mgordon]

Mark, I've got a 223 AI on a M700 that I chambered with a 223 AI reamer from PTG (can't tell you what the freebore is - Dave's never gotten around to sending me a reamer print for it). I used a 26" Krieger 1:7tw sendero contour blank, bedded the bbl'd action in a McM A5 with inlet for B-O M5 DBM, and use AICS magazines. Just so happens that the freebore of my reamer allows seating Berger 90 VLDs or 90 LRBTs to mag length w/o a lot of jump. The little 90VLDs have shot several half-MOA groups at 1000yds out of this rig. Seems like it'd be a great deal if a shooter could shoot mag length 90s in his converted DTA.

Dennis,

We have a similar reamer that has roughly .075" freebore. If anybody has some 90 gr bullets I would be happy to measure the COAL. Our magazine will have a 2.700" internal length. So I would imagine that you can run 90 Gr bullets no problem.

Mark

 

[BLDTYLRY]

2.700" COL...holy crap. I'll take one of the 8 please

 

[goatsie]

Bo,

We are waiting for our first batch of stamped magazines to be delivered for testing. There is a good change that we will make a few tweaks and push toward a production model right after testing is complete. We have 8 bolt heads, extensions, firing pins, cross pins, ejector and extractor assemblies in our possession. We have the barrels to make these 8 conversions kits into complete kits once the magazines are done. These 8 kits are the first run of our conversions. We are really happy with the accuracy/functioning of these 8 kits at the current moment and there will not be any ground breaking changes when we have our manufactures push the go button for larger quantities.

The magazine has been the hardest part about this conversion. It would have been too easy if DTA just would have gone with a rectangle style mag box!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark

Please let me know when my 1/8 will be available! This really opens up a whole new realm with DTA, and has pushed me over to purchasing a DTA!

 

[vman]

Awesome put me down for one

 

[Mgordon]

New updates on the 223 conversion. 2-4-2014.

Shooters,

Here is a quick update with the Short Action Customs 223 conversion fore the Desert Tech. rifle platform. We currently have a few 100% functional prototypes that we are playing around with. The Magazine was the most recent component that has been completed and everything seems to be working very well. Its working so well that we can actually feed empty brass into the chamber because of our feed lip and feed ramp design. This will allow us to make 300 Blackout barrels, originally we did not think it would be possible to make the blackout feed in a platform designed for the 338 Lapua Mag. Our bolt heads and extensions as well as the small parts and pieces are in their final revision and will be going into full production shortly.

The bolt heads will be able to be dropped into factory floating bolts. We have been retrofitting older fixed bolts to accept the new floating bolt head (DT and SAC) but this is not the most cost effective solution. Prices are still pending but we will do our best to keep the cost as low as possible.

Magazines are CNC billet and made from 7075 Aluminum and will be hard coat anodized. The prototype pictured works perfectly and has our own antibind follower design which has worked perfectly.




Here are the differences between our extension and the factory DT extension. Ours has only one set of 3 lugs which allows the chamber mouth to become closer to the magazine which is critical in feeding.







Here are the differences between our bolt head and a factory DT bolt. We also have pictured an older style fixed head bolt that was converted over and Melonited into a working 223 bolt.

 

[flounderv2]

Awesome work Mark!. The video you posted really shows how well it works.

 

[mdmp5]

You forgot the picture of the magazine

 

[Mgordon]

Here are a few pictures of the first 3 barrels we made for testing. We will be able to do any length for the customer, our new barrels will be a slightly smaller contour and will be in the same range as a factory DTA barrel. Different thread pitches will be available for the muzzle on request. Standard twist rate is 1-7.7"








Here is the Short Action Customs 223 magazine made from 7075 Aluminum which will be hard coat anodized. You can see the internal detail of the follower and anti bind rail assembly as well as the feed lip/feed ramp design. You can see also in the picture of the cartridge riding up the feed ramp that the cartridge has plenty of elevation to make it into the chamber. This magazine in conjunction with the shorter bolt head and shorter barrel extension gets the bullet into the chamber before feed lips release the cartridge. This is the biggest problem to overcome (with the exception of designing a magazine that fits into the DT skins!!!).

Shoot us an E-mail at [email protected] or follow this thread for more information and updates. Thanks you!

Mark

 

[Mgordon]

Here is a really bad video of the conversion working perfectly in single digit weather.

16.25" 1/2 x28 barrel 1-7.7" twist, AWC Thundertrap 223 suppressor. Blackhills 77gr Match ammo.

DTA 223 Conversion from Short Action Customs - YouTube

Mark

 

[doctordoctor]

This looks freaking awesome! great work guys!!!

 

[mdmp5]

She really loves walking out in front of the firing line

 

[supratt96]

Awesome work!

I see one of those in my near future. Right after you guys get my .260 conversion done and shipped

 

[Dogtown]

I was initially "meh" about a .223 conversion, but seven conversions later I'm now intrigued.

 

[Whit]

Great job Mark. Will they be available soon?

 

[Mgordon]

Scott,

Pushing to have them ready by Summer time!

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

Exciting to see this project coming to fruition. It's obvious SAC has put a ton of time and effort into this.

Excellent work Mark & Crew!

 

[E. Bryant]

Wow - that's an impressive piece of engineering. Nicely done!

Any chance you'd take upon a similar task in adapting .223-based cartridges for the AI rifles?

 

[vman]

Very impressive guys... good work

I was initially thinking the .223 but recently the .300BLK has really been appealing to me. Will you guys be release the 300BLK conversion at the same time?

 

[mdmp5]

Wow - that's an impressive piece of engineering. Nicely done!

Any chance you'd take upon a similar task in adapting .223-based cartridges for the AI rifles?

One thing at a time homes

 

[rundm]

Would SAC be able to do the 223 ackley improved?

 

[Dogtown]

Why not? The trick here is that they've made a conversion that includes a .223-based bolt face, barrel extension and magazine. Given that initial condition, SAC could chamber the barrel to just about any cartridge derived from .223 such as .300BLK, .223AI, etc

 

[Mgordon]

Shooters,

I think we can get the blackout to work just fine. I cycled a few dummy 220 black out rounds through it and it seemed to work out fine. We will have to make up a barrel and just see. There is no reason why we cant do a 223 AI unless there is some type of feeding issue with the 40 Degree shoulder. We will have to tackle that when we get a barrel made up for testing.

E. Bryant, I'm going to wrap this up first before I start any more projects...its been exhausting and expensive.

Mark

 

[bas402]

Way to go Mark! How many rds do the mags hold, I counted seven in your vid
Sully

 

[coldboremiracle]

Pushing to have them ready by Summer time!

 

[Mgordon]

Shooting for 10!

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mgordon]

Or weeks to a few testers !!

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[Frank Green]

Like it's been said before, "Awesome work Mark!"

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[ssnfa]

Damn....my one gun that was safe from the DTA SRS-A1 Covert (Ruger SR-556) is now in my safe crying.

 

[mefly2]

Anxiously awaiting the announcement of your new baby!

 

[bas402]

Progress report please.....

 

[uafgrad]

Any update on the conversion?

 

[coldboremiracle]

I dont want to put words in Marks mouth, But I have heard from him about the project that they are still working on some components before they are ready to produce. Stand bye... It will be worth it.

 

[Whit]

Can't wait to hear.