It took me a few years jumping around with different rigs when I finally just went ahead and made the jump to AI. As a LRPS there is no better in the world in my opinion. I settled on the AXMC from AI UK. Originally, I opted for the 338LM...then 4 months later I called them up and had them cut me a 308&6.5...then I figured since I went that far, I slapped a S&B LPii 5x25x56 MSR on it, and I gotta say, things noticeably improved out beyond 1500m....so yes, I'm gonna have to say it's worth it...as long as your wife doesn't mind you spending a new car for a rifle?
Buy once, cry once, unless you're wired like I am and look at what that 5000 would be 10 years from now with something as simple and hands off as even a broad market ETF. Then it's cry several times haha
AI makes top notch guns but there are the Ruger and new Sig that you might wanna check out, along with a few other options. Also some known smiths might have demo builds laying around that need homes. ??
Yes, I had mine built custom by AI UK
I'm agree. When I originally ordered this one from AIUK, that was right at the time they were switching over from Olive to AIs new factory Sage...that caused a 3 month snag, but it was worth it.
I have a black MC and am looking at what to coat it to. Sage green is winning the race so far but I’m yet to get a good look at elite sand
Think I used incorrect verbiage there....everything is factory, I meant to say hand built.
Well, my AIUSA rifles were "off the rack" or "mass production". When I bought this one, as it was being built, they communicated by video and picture, demonstrating each piece of the process. I'm not a smith, so im by no means an expert, but when they got down to spinning the barrel, they explained that the process there is different(slower) than US. According to my guy, this adds to the precision of the product but adds time. Being able to watch the entire build being completed by hand was informative to say the least....one of the main differences between my US and UK versions is weight. The UK version is 9oz lighter @13.75lbs but the construction is far more stout. As to the specific differences between the barrels(which both have a 1:9.735) I'm not sure[I can say for sure, that @MER my groups are much tighter with the UK]. The action on the UK is smother and a bit more solid...there is zero wiggle while on my USA, there is a bit of horizontal wiggle at the back end. Overall, the UK is just plain more solid than its US cousin. That's the best I can do. I apologize, as I am not an expert...but I am a competent LRS and have a ton of trigger time with both and in my opinion, the UK performs consistently better, especially at and beyond 1760.?
No. I'm dying to and considering the 3 hour drive to dos so at Eurooptic as someone else mentioned. The reason I'm avoiding custom is just as you say. It's a crap shoot that you have to spend tons of money on. A great example is I got lucky enough that someone I know gave my his Timney RPR as he had bought a Jard. It's OK but not $240 better than the factory one and his had the safety binding problem. I stay away from $90 bolt knobs as I tend to want to pay for function. I see no reason to trick out an RPR with anodized parts and titanium bolt shrouds. I spend money on barrels and things that really felt performance.AI vs customs threads are my favorite
@ChuckP65, have you tried and gotten behind an AI rifle? If you like what you saw, felt, shot, then you may as well jump on the AI train and buy one. Seriously, they are awesome rifles.
The advantage to the AI is that one manufacturer is producing all the parts. All the parts are designed to work with each other from the factory. You buy an AI rifle, and it's going to work, and work well. They are robust, and shoot well. The downside to the system is that you are more or less stuck with the rifle "as is", which for most people is certainly not a bad thing. It's a "one size fits most" kind of rifle, and if it works for you, it's hard to do better then an AI.
Custom rifles are nice because you can have it built to your liking and to fit you exactly the way you want - like a good custom made suit. But you need to start with good materials, a good "tailor" (gunsmith) and you need to know what your preferences are. You can get a rifle built that's reliable, has the ergonomics you like, the trigger you like, the stock/chassis you like, and one that shoots very, very well. BUT, you need to know what you're preferences are, and have a good gunsmith put it together so it doesn't have problems once it gets to you. And even then, there can be quirks as you are assembling a rifle made with a bunch of different parts with different tolerances, and they may or may not integrate that well together, causing everything from nuanced little quirks to full on fuckery.
I love custom rifles, and I personally wouldn't trade my custom rifles for an AI. It took a lot of time and money to get there though. My first custom rifle, an early generation GAP Crusader, was a fucking nightmare to run in dusty conditions. It would lock up tighter then a nuns you know what if it had a spec of lube on it to attract dust, in some matches I had to clean it after every couple of stages. Where AI's would just run. There are custom actions/rifles that can be very fickle, and if not setup correctly, will just be the cause of endless frustrations - you won't get that with an AI. The components for custom rifles have been gotten a lot better, but there are still buyer beware stories out there of people having issues with $5K+ custom rigs. Where I ended up with my PRS rig, a Mausingfield with JAE chassis and BnA Tacsport trigger, has been an absolute dream to run in all conditions and it fits me like a bespoke suit, but I would be lying if I didn't tell you that it took a lot of iterations, time and $ to get there.
While I fly the custom rifle flag high and proud here, I bet if I started with an AI, I would probably still be rocking that same AI today. Rather then going through several iterations of custom rifles to finally get a reliable solution that fits me. I'm not huge on the ergonomics and the trigger of the AI, but the rifles just flat out work and in all conditions, and there's something to be said about that.
If an AI rifle checks all your boxes, then just go and buy it. You can't go wrong.
Why in the world would an AT from and AX ass be LE only? The only reason I can think of is like Winchester Ranger HG ammo. They sell LE 50 round boxes of the 'exact' same HPs they sell to civilians in a box of 20 for the SAME price. The worst is Hornady. I've talked to a well known on line provider of fodder and he tells me Hornady threatens anyone who sells TAP to civilians. Why? Cost. I think the same reason is to blame here. What would be the legality reason? I can buy the exact kit SOCOM uses but not what a Police sniper uses?
So a barrel maker in England is making slower to produce and more accurate barrels than Bartlein or Kreiger? Must be due to tea time.
