Where to get old style AIAW skins?

[J996]

Hey gang,

Does anybody know where a fellow can get a hold of the old style stock skins for the AI AW/AE rifles?

Accuracy International seems to have changed them in 2012 to a more futuristic looking style and no longer supplies the older classic stock sides.

Wolverine supplies does not have any and the one place I found in the states (SRT Supply) that has them will not ship outside the USA.

It is looking like I may have to try and find a pair in Europe. AICS skins will NOT work afaik because of the cutout.

Any help appreciated thanks.

EDIT: Hah! Just found some nice info:

1. AI skins are made to fit the AI/AW short actions intially
2. modified to accomodate the long action AW's
3. modified to accomodate the AICS systems.

So AICS ones will work as long as it is for a short action folding stock. The only mod is the big cutout for the remmy bolt handle. I would have to glass up the cutout which is fine because I was planning to paint the skins anyways.

 

[ghostie]

Have you spoken to Wolverine about ordering them, or just looked on the website? Because I am quite certain that they can get them for you. What they have on the website is just a small fraction of what they can get for you from a company like Accuracy International. They can even order parts which are not even listed on the AI website in England.

How do I know this for sure? Because I'm just in the process of doing it myself - including ordering "old"-style skins for an AW folder. Just e-mail to sales@wolverinesupplies.com and they'll order them for you. Some of what I ordered:

AW-2.0SIDES-ODG AW SA 2.0/ODG/STOCKSIDE SET (Quantity) 1.00 (Price) 175.00
1602 SCREW FOR CHEEKPIECE STD (Quantity) 2.00 (Price) 8.00
0921 STOCKSIDE SCREW (8 SET = 8) (Quantity) 1.00 (Price) 3.50

 

[J996]

Hi ghostie, yes I spoke to Wolverine and they said they can't order the old style stocks. I will now email them back and will include the product info you provided and ask them to try ordering it. Thank you very much for the help!

 

[J996]

Ok got another reply from Wolverine and they still say the same thing, all new stockside orders will be the new style.
I tried SRT and TacPro in the States neither of which will ship outside the US. Still waiting to hear from Milehigh as they say they do ship some stuff to Canada.
If I can't find any it is not a big deal just asthetics. The AW just looks better with the older style skins to me.

 

[ghostie]

Oh, that sucks. Is yours a folder or no? I guess the answer will be a no, based on your difficulties.

I too think those new-style 1.5 skins are an F-ing abomination. The 2.0/folder ones have not been futurized that I know of. I would never want those ugly despicable things on such a beutiful rifle!

I hope you can find some. I will PM you if I hear of how to get them.

AW for... eh-vah!

 

[J996]

I have drooled over pics of your AW before man, she is a beauty!! Now I finally have my own, it is a 26" AW folder, quick adjust butt/cheekpiece and butt spike.

But it does have the new nasty star wars stock sides so they have to go. There is one place in the states that might come trough for me with older style skins, I should know by morning.

Hey which Smith & Blender do you have on it, the 4-16 ?

 

[ghostie]

I did some investigating and... agh! ... it seems you are right, they seem to be shipping all the AW, AE and AICS with those hideous stock sides now, folder or not. U.S. sights have pictures of even the AW's with those! Barf. Why change a classic?

I'm going to contact Wolverine and see if what I ordered is those hideous ones. It probably is! There is no way I will ever put those new-style stock sides on my rifle. I just wanted an extra set. My current set up has the holes for mounting the picatinny rails on either side, which I don't have but could order, as it is a nice option to be able to mount those. I wanted one set with the holes and one without. Maybe I'm going to be looking now, just like you. If you find a place that will sell them to you, let me know.

Why in the name of God would they change? Unbelievable...

The scope I have is 4-16x50, yes. I am thinking about changing to 5-25x56 though. Before I had a rifle which the 56mm objective would not fit on, so I have this one - and just moved it to the AW when I got it. Otherwise, like most people, I would prefer to have more magnification as a possibility. I am thinking about the 10-50x56 too. Still haven't really decided. I can't really see myself shooting this rifle on any less than 10x.

 

[J996]

Yes indeed they are all the ugly new stocksides now. If you look at the grip on the AX you can clearly see that it is an AX grip frame with a new forend skin clipped onto it on the new AW's. Guess they don't want to produce two types of stock sides.

If i locate a source for old style skins in the states I will send you a pm. I bought a set of aics old style folder skins and will fiberglass up the bolt handle cutout and then paint them. That cutout was the only mod they did to AW/AE skins to make them fit the aics stocks so not much work at all.

 

[ghostie]

Well, I just had an exchange of e-mails with the guy I deal with at Wolverine (Rob), including showing him a picture of the rifle I have (which he sold to me originally anyway... but, just to remind him of what it looks like) and he seems to be saying that what I ordered is the same as what I have now.

I suppose... ultimately... the proof of the pudding is in the eating (or in this case, receiving), but, I don't know...

When buying an expensive rifle like this, I think the least they (AI, in England) can do is provide parts support for what is already out there. Maybe not forever, but the rifles on the AI webpage still show as having the traditional style stocksides.

We'll see what happens.