a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

[mckenzie]

Do any members own both rifles or have shot over a long period ?
Having the action bonded on aw worth the $$$$?
Any strength issues with the round ae action vrs the square aw action ?
Ae mkiii now has the aw bolt upgrade
Are o.e.m. barrels for avail. in the usa?
any threads i should read ?
sorry to rehash this subject
any broken aw.or ae. rifles ?
what should i expect to pay in used market for aw. and ae. 308.?
thanks in advance for replys

 

[rrflyer]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

Buy the aiae. With the mk iii upgrades you get all the good stuff.

Have a smith screw up some extra other barrels for you

 

[Chris@InterstateGuns]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

Just purchased an ae mkii to compare to my trg22 and have no regrets about not getting the aw. Only thing I wish it had was the Mkiii bolt.

 

[jasonk]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

Have owned them all....well I technically haven't owned a MkIII, but I have experience. It's tough to justify an AW of a MkIII, the MkIII will do about anything a normal guy would want it to.

So get the MkIII and spend the money saved on better optics.

 

[Chiller]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have owned them all....well I technically haven't owned a MkIII, but I have experience. It's tough to justify an AW of a MkIII, the MkIII will do about anything a normal guy would want it to.

So get the MkIII and spend the money saved on better optics. </div></div>

Tough to argue the logic....only "fly in the ointnment" is if you go AIAX

 

[Adam B]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I have owned them all as well and I agree 100% with Jason

 

[tylerw02]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I've been studying this topic myself. I really want an AX, but have had an AE budget. I don't want to sit around and wonder what I'm missing in an AX or AW so I've been putting lots of thought into it.

But thinking on the subject, the only major advantage I see to the AW is the better magazines and extra bit of OAL you can squeeze out of one if you wish to shoot long, high-bc bullets in .243/.260 etc. I've found running a .260 on AICS mags that I sometimes have to deal with a little more jump than the bullets like, but it is what it is. Is this worth $1500? That's up to you to decide. If planning on an AE vs AW, like said above, I'd skip the AW and go straight to the AX. I'm personally thinking long and hard about saving up for an AX-260 for the longer double-stack/feed magazines, improved ergonomics, and modularity.

When I put pen to pencil, the price of an AX is actually chaper for me than the AW when I figure the cost of scope rail/mount added, spigot mount, and NV mount if you need that. I'm thinking strongly about the ability to run a 0 MOA GDI PROM on both an AX and an AR in 308 with a built-in 20 MOA top rail.

Before you decide which to buy, AE/AW/AX, consider the cost of adding the items I mentioned. Think of all the angle and decide what you vlaue most.

 

[jaycoux]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I have the aw and love it. There is no other firearm I have ever owned, or will own that I trust more.

I have a buddy who shoots the ae. Its only issue is a poi change on cold bore. Other than that it shoots as good.

My personal experience is to go with the best. If you don't, you will eventually want it and kick yourself for trying to save a few bucks.
J

 

[Chiller]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jaycoux</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have the aw and love it. There is no other firearm I have ever owned, or will own that I trust more.

I have a buddy who shoots the ae. Its only issue is a poi change on cold bore. Other than that it shoots as good.

My personal experience is to go with the best. If you don't, you will eventually want it and kick yourself for trying to save a few bucks.
J </div></div>

POI Shift? Really? How much? sure that is not just a cold brain? (honestly not joking on that one)

 

[jpspeeddemon]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

my ae mkiii exhibits no cold bore shift. if the first shot is off, its me.

 

[hewlett260]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I love my AW. The AE is superb however I always felt like eventually I would wonder about the AW so I waited a little longer to get the AW. Worth the wait. Both are fine weapons. Only thing could have made it better would be if it was presented to me by angels in multi-cam booty shorts and OD green eyeliner and Sig 220 scorpions in boob holsters. AW should stand for 'Always Works' and for me was worth the extra wait and money.

 

[Rthur]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

Have some experience with an AIAE mk3 and have never noticed a cold bore shift from it. All around an excellent rifle.

 

[Mendocino]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hewlett260</div><div class="ubbcode-body">... AW should stand for 'Always Works' and for me was worth the extra wait and money. </div></div>

"Always Works" Is awesome. That is totally true for mine. My AW gets lots of time in the field and is not pretty at this point being covered in dust, scratched to hell, and generally not looking anything like a safe queen, but it never fails me. In short my AW always works. I would buy it again.

 

[jaycoux]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chiller</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jaycoux</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have the aw and love it. There is no other firearm I have ever owned, or will own that I trust more.

I have a buddy who shoots the ae. Its only issue is a poi change on cold bore. Other than that it shoots as good.

My personal experience is to go with the best. If you don't, you will eventually want it and kick yourself for trying to save a few bucks.
J </div></div>

POI Shift? Really? How much? sure that is not just a cold brain? (honestly not joking on that one)</div></div>

Don't get me wrong; it wasn't alot. But I saw it on three different days at our rifle class. I suppose it could have been him, but he alluded to it before we shot on the first day so it was nothing new to him.

j

 

[nexusfire]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

This is a five shot group that I shot with an AW AX308. These are the first five handloads I have ever made in my life and the flyer was my fourth shot. I would not worry about POI shift.

Here is some shooting at 750 yards.

Me ringing steel with my ghetto shooting mat. Get one you will not regret it.

 

[SPfeiffer]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

is that one of those long snow sleds?

 

[nexusfire]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SASSdriver</div><div class="ubbcode-body">is that one of those long snow sleds?
</div></div>

LOL yes it is. I am up at my place up north and forgot my shooting mat.

 

[ashland]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

OP, I replaced a .260 barrel on my AE and got to shoot it this morning. Its shoots as good as the last one with the same loaded rounds, DOPE, etc... Its a great feeling to order a barrel, install it yourself, and have it be as dependable as your last barrel.

AI is money well spent.

 

[hypno02]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I just received my aemkiii last week. Amazing rifle. Perfect craftsmanship. I also debated between this and the aw. I went with the ae because I honestly did not see $2000 worth it for the bonded action and different mag. From what I've read, the cold bore issue can be fixed by making sure your ae is torqued to 89" pounds to the chassis.

The way I see it is with any ai you can't go wrong.

 

[turbo54]

Re: a.i.aw.308 worth the $$$ over a.i.ae. opinions ?

I don't own and haven't shot an AI anything, but I have experience with the AICS and AW magazines, and the AWs are far, far, far superior.

They are more available, lower profile, cheaper, way easier to load, feed better and can be topped off easily while engaged in the rifle.

I'd HATE to go back to AICS mags. They suck in comparison.

In making your choice, don't forget to factor in resale value. I suspect the actual cost of ownership for the AW or even AX is no greater than the AE.