Guidance on building AICS Classic

[Romeo_alpha01]

[ar15barrels]

Is that a special edition AICS chassis?
I have never run into an AICS chassis that fits a Surgeon XL action.
The Surgeon XL is NOT the same diameter as a 700 that the AICS chassis usually accepts.
That's also why a Surgeon XL came with it's own bottom metal for so many years.
Do they even sell them without a bottom metal?

You want at least a 1.300" breech diameter barrel on the Surgeon XL action as that action uses 1.125" threads instead of 1.062" threads of a 700 action.
A 1.250" breech diameter leaves a very small shoulder when 1.125" threads are cut.

[Romeo_alpha01]

Is that a special edition AICS chassis?
I have never run into an AICS chassis that fits a Surgeon XL action.
The Surgeon XL is NOT the same diameter as a 700 that the AICS chassis usually accepts.
That's also why a Surgeon XL came with it's own bottom metal for so many years.
Do they even sell them without a bottom metal?

You want at least a 1.300" breech diameter barrel on the Surgeon XL action as that action uses 1.125" threads instead of 1.062" threads of a 700 action.
A 1.250" breech diameter leaves a very small shoulder when 1.125" threads are cut.

[ar15barrels]

I guess this was a thing that AI did almost 10 years ago and they just don't pop up often.
I found some discussion about the project from 2009.

AI does currently sell an AX chassis for the XL action.

[Romeo_alpha01]

I guess this was a thing that AI did almost 10 years ago and they just don't pop up often.
I found some discussion about the project from 2009.

AI does currently sell an AX chassis for the XL action.

https://www.armslist.com/posts/77942...urgeon-1581-xl

[ar15barrels]

https://www.armslist.com/posts/77942...urgeon-1581-xl

The bolt release is on the side of the action so all you will need to do is clearance the plastic skin to clear it.

[Romeo_alpha01]

As long as it’s workable I don’t mind. Any possibility I could PM you?

[vintagearms]

MileHigh shooting is the goto for anything AI. I'd ask them.

https://www.milehighshooting.com/

FYI, the stock should already have bottom metal built in.

[Romeo_alpha01]

MileHigh shooting is the goto for anything AI. I'd ask them.

https://www.milehighshooting.com/

FYI, the stock should already have bottom metal built in.

[Rusty_Shackleferd]

Lots of info exists on snipershide. I don't mean to be a dick, but you're not going to find a lot of info here, and googling your questions using key words will produce more comprehensive responses than anything we can spoon feed you.

[Romeo_alpha01]

Lots of info exists on snipershide. I don't mean to be a dick, but you're not going to find a lot of info here, and googling your questions using key words will produce more comprehensive responses than anything we can spoon feed you.

[vintagearms]

No offense taken here. I’m not a member on SH yet so I figure poke around here and see what I find aside from googling. This thread will also serve as a database for any progress I make as the build continues.

Info on this combo of chassis and action is very limited from what I tried to research, so a lot of this is build has a few unknown variables to consider.

2nd on the suggestion on SH. Wealth of info. I have a custom build on an AICS AT but since yours is kinda special, my knowledge is limited. Bartlein does left hand twist gain barrels and there is a thread over there about it.

[ar15barrels]

Most 338's I build have been with 9.3" twist barrels.

[Mute]

Before going any further I'd get info from the horse's mouth and contact Mile High to verify that your AICS is indeed compatible with a Surgeon XL action. I've used AICS in the past but all were short action versions. However, when that chassis was still in production, it was common knowledge that the long action version was not compatible with the Surgeon XL. If they are compatible than bottom metal isn't a necessity as the AICS has that covered, but based on what you've said, it isn't compatible with the AICS so I don't know how you're going to work around that as the magazine well is a part of the chassis on the AI. It's not something that can be replaced.

Regarding barrels, 1:11 seem slow for a 338 LM. Like Randall says, most I've seen is in the 1:9 twist range. If you choose that rate, Bartelin is as good as anyone out there. It would certainly be a top choice if I was doing this build.

Optics, so many choices. I'd say set your budget then determine. No point in people recommending $3000+ scopes if your looking to spend less than $2000.

Lastly gunsmiths. Again so many to choose from who can do justice to your project (GAP, RD Precision, Spartan Precision, Randall). You've got some research to do. Definitely sign up over at SH and start searching.

[LynnJr]

When the 338 Lapua came out the biggest bullet available was the 250 grain versions so all the barrels were 10 twist with the competitive shooters choosing 11 twist so they weren't overspinning the bullets and ruining accuracy.
When Sierra came out with the 300 grain MatchKing bullets and people started making lathe turned solids the twist rate was increased to 9 for the solids and 9.34 - 9.36 for the jacketed bullets.
The latest trend is to overspin bullets or to hyperstabilize them.