Accuracy AX Stocks

[DaveT]

Saw a finished (very sexy!) rifle wearing one of these at Daves (Valkyrie) workshop yesterday ..... it's piqued my imagination about my next project but I wonder what experiences of actually using these any forum members has?

[terryh]

Dave,

 

Heard of them but never seen one in the flesh (Dave - any chance of a photo? ), should not imagine that will be any worse than the AICS, which are not too shabby an upgrade on a std Rem. etc.

 

I've shot an AX rifle and it did feel 'different' to the standard AWM, also had some neat features. Not sure what from the AX rifle will be transferred over to the AX stock?

 

Terry

[baldie]

I did a pretty scathing review on this stock when it arrived a while ago, but removed it when several people quite obviously didn,t want to read a "warts and all " review.

 

The rifle is now finished and i will be taking some finished shots when the customer collects and i fit his S+B on Friday.

 

A barrelled action fitted quite obviously transforms the stock, and it does indeed feel right now. Pity about all the niggles however. Anyway, a full report later in the week.

[garyw]

DAVE your pm box is full [see your business emails]

[TSG]

Have used both but personally prefer the AW stock. I could not get used to the forend. I have seen some new stock sides that will convert aw to ax on a partial basis giving you a few more options but I do not think they are quite ready yet. They did look very good.

[baldie]

Here,s a few pics of the stock when it originall landed. I wasn,t impressed with several features.

 

 

Mags now have a lip at the front which needs to be "rocked and locked " like an AK47. A retrograde step. AI say the old mags wont fit. They will.

 

 

The plastic bolt on panels look, and feel cheap.

 

 

Magwell area. The other side has part of the side removed "to aid mag insertion " How ? Mags still have to be inserted vertically.

 

 

The tube looks like dexion racking. More comments later on this.

 

 

Right. Here is the finished rifle sat in the new stock.

 

Its a long action Valkyrie, with a 20 moa rail fitted, pinned lug and tactical bolt handle.

 

Barrel is a border 5R fluted model, finished at 30" in a T1 profile . Calibre is .300 win mag, and its a 1 in 10" twist.

 

Pepperpot muzzle brake, invisible thread cap, and jet-z moderator fit the front end.

 

 

 

The trigger is a jewel, and the whole barrelled action and accesories are finished in duracoat satin black.

 

The barrelled action is also fully bedded into the new stock.

 

 

 

Scope is an S+B 12-50 x 56 pm11 sat in third eye rings. These will be replaced with a third eye unimount in a couple of weeks.

I ordered in the wrong one.

 

First thing that strikes you is that its a bloody beast of a gun, and good job its sat on a very nice Atlas bipod.

 

The customer also wanted a fitted peli case, so we spent a pleasant hour with the electric carving knife, making it all fit.

 

 

I have to say, the stock on first inspection did not impress me. After building a gun around it, i now quite like it, and would own one myself. It has annoying bits, like the silly shaped holes in the forend, but the screws actually lock into these holes, with no need to poke things down the tube to hold loose nuts. A very simple, but clever system.The sling mounts are unforgivable however. Imagine a sniper crawling along with a slung rifle on his back. Would you want one of those digging in your spine at an inopportune moment ?

 

I also think the stocks with the coloured side panels look better.

 

I have to say, at the end of today, i was sad to see this gun go. I liked it a lot.

[DaveT]

Looked even sexier in the flesh !

[baldie]

It was lovely in the end Dave.

 

Had two more customs ordered, built on the short action stock only this week.

 

Between the AX, and the soon to be imported viperskins, i think the old AICS will suffer sales personally. 50% of people didn't like the AICS because their hands were too big for the thumbhole. This stock, and the skin conversions for the AICS will satisfy the 50% methinks.

[Elwood]

I handled one today, and I have to say it will not be on my wish list and I'm a huge AI biased fan.

 

Although I have no doubt they are a very functional stock they look cheap, almost like a kids toy made in Taiwan or China not that will matter to anyone using them for their intended purpose. On the plus side it was extremely light.

[brown dog]

Dave,

 

How 'solid' did it feel once it was all together? Did it take on the 'girder' feel of an AW and become robust?

 

(That dexion piece, and where it joins the rest of the stock just leaps out as a weak point - does it give that impression in the flesh?)

 

Any feel for the comparative weight naked AICS to naked AX kit?

 

 

 

I'm left with the impression (having handled none of them) that "AW + Viper" gives you an AX rear end with an AW foreend - and I suspect that's likely to be the best combination (?)

[Elwood]

Matt, the stock I handled today had a GBR action in it (no barrel) and I would say that my AICS without action or barrel was heavier by a good margin.

[Ballistol]

Dave,

 

That looks the dog's nadgers mate, a real difference to the look of the stock when the rifle was assembled.

 

I'll bet you had a very happy customer!

[baldie]

Dave,

 

How 'solid' did it feel once it was all together? Did it take on the 'girder' feel of an AW and become robust?

 

(That dexion piece, and where it joins the rest of the stock just leaps out as a weak point - does it give that impression in the flesh?)

 

Any feel for the comparative weight naked AICS to naked AX kit?

 

 

 

I'm left with the impression (having handled none of them) that "AW + Viper" gives you an AX rear end with an AW foreend - and I suspect that's likely to be the best combination (?)

 

You have nailed it there Matt. It did indeed feel like a girder...absolutely rock solid.

 

The joint is super strong. The ali main casting has a spine under there, and the tube is fixed with at least 6, if not 8 threadlocked allen bolts. That bit is not an issue. There is also a slot in piece that goes around the recoil lug area to tidy it up. It wont fit with my extended rail. but thats purely cosmetic.

 

I think the viper combo will be the biggie.

The forend on the ax, whilst looking puny, is actually the point of balance on this gun, and felt just right, but it would be vastly different on a 20" .308.

 

I got exactly the same first impression as Ian, but i have to admit, it did grow on me.

There is only about 6oz difference between the aics and the AX i believe. The rear chassis is the same.

[brown dog]

You have nailed it there Matt. It did indeed feel like a girder...absolutely rock solid.

 

The joint is super strong. The ali main casting has a spine under there, and the tube is fixed with at least 6, if not 8 threadlocked allen bolts. That bit is not an issue. There is also a slot in piece that goes around the recoil lug area to tidy it up. It wont fit with my extended rail. but thats purely cosmetic.

 

I think the viper combo will be the biggie.

The forend on the ax, whilst looking puny, is actually the point of balance on this gun, and felt just right, but it would be vastly different on a 20" .308.

 

I got exactly the same first impression as Ian, but i have to admit, it did grow on me.

There is only about 6oz difference between the aics and the AX i believe. The rear chassis is the same.

 

Thanks Dave, good to hear - looking forward to seeing one of these in the flesh.

[Elwood]

I'm amazed at only 6 oz weight difference!

[Ronin]

The one I handled, (the same one Ian had his mitts on)felt plsticky - and i'm genuinely surprised that the weight difference is so little.

[ChrisF]

I hate the BIG gap between the handguard and action , seems they could reduce that alot , by just making a little top only notch , so it looks more like the AI AX rilfes , if that makes any sense , or fit it as close as possible , allowing up to a 0.300 reciol lug , and make it so the end user can notch out the top himself .

 

Also , disappointed AI did not make a special low CofG bipod for IT , Opps , seems Pete is going to do that .

 

Later Chris

[ds1]

I played with an AI AX earlier this week - not impressed. The pistol grip is kack, you can bend it with little effort and mainly your middle finger sits uncomfortably against the trigger guard. The mag well, although I understand the principle is also naff. For kneeling, sitting and standing shootig the front rail adds weight forward of where you want it and it is not comfortable to shoot.

 

Seems like a negative rendition of the AW rifles.

[DaveT]

I played with an AI AX earlier this week - not impressed. The pistol grip is kack, you can bend it with little effort and mainly your middle finger sits uncomfortably against the trigger guard. The mag well, although I understand the principle is also naff. For kneeling, sitting and standing shootig the front rail adds weight forward of where you want it and it is not comfortable to shoot.

 

Seems like a negative rendition of the AW rifles.

 

 

Hmmm.... weight of opinion seems to be 'anti'....... are there better 'military style' stocks out there?

[ChrisF]

I have a AX rifle , and WHY , because I wanted to try the new AX338 action , which is different to the AW/AWM action , I am not convinced about the cut out on the left hand side mag well or the AK/FAL type mag hookup .

 

I also thought AI would have made special Low CoG bipod to take full advantage of the floating rail .

 

I also thought the 338 CIP mag would have been much longer that approx 2mm .

 

In hind sight , If any one was NOT going to mount NVG/TI forward of the daylight scope , I would reccomend that they donot buy the AX338 , and get the AWSM instead .

 

The short action AX chassis , donot seem to have the same big gap as the long actions ?

 

Later Chris