Any opinions on the ability to track the 6.5CM out to the target versus say, a 6mm?
I really couldn't tell you
yet to be honest, we have had really bad fog the last few weeks / months out where I shoot normally (vis down to 30-50 meters, can't even zero properly until well the afternoon)... We picked the rifle up last week and haven't had the opportunity to shoot it at any distance yet, sorry.
Been shooting 1" stickies on a 30m indoor range to try and at least get some time on it. Fired 36 rounds of factory 140gr ELDM 6.5cm today, missed one round which was my fault completely, it is not a rifle that is difficult to shoot well.
- The trigger is excellent.
- The ergo grip is a big step forward (something I already did to my AXSA, so it's not NEW to me but it will be to most AX shooters).
- The back end is for the most part, is the same shape so no change really there.
- We don't have the NV bridge so that's something I'm fighting with a bit, on the AX, I normally wrap my hand over the tube, with the AT-X in this configuration I can't (don't want to touch the barrel) so I did mount one of the longer pic rails down the left side to act as a bit of a shelf for downward pressure, it's OK but a NV bridge would be optimal.
- It's actually quite hefty, there is a fair bit of weight in it. The factory barrel is quite solid. Haven't got a total weight yet.
- We didn't get weight kits either so that would positively effect things more also no doubt.
From the shooting I have done though, being lower is of course very beneficial. NOT having the hand guard in the way has made a big difference... You can really push the rifle forward to where it wants to be. On the barricade bag, it now sits where it's happy, not fighting with the hand guard area anymore.
I think you will want a bipod (and tripod) with an ARCA / QD mounting plate so you can slide it up and down and rip it off when not required, that'll be important. I would avoid mounting any short picatinny rails on the bottom edge and running a bipod on that, you will increase the height and make the contact point much narrower. It is good to have the wide flat Arca bottom edge on a bag (something most of us are accustomed to now anyway). The weight kits when stacked would be great also, looking forward to that.
Looks like we're going back into lock down tomorrow night (3rd time this year... Our local Government froth over it) so we'll see if this national match goes ahead.