AI - Needing an Education

[jeffmedlin]

Accuracy International rifles have peaked my interest....But I am way to uneducated at this point to make a choice. It seems that whenever I see them listed for sale... it is important that they mention Large or Small firing pin... and also "Pre or Post 2014"

Without being too brutal on me... will some AI aficionado's please educate me?

What is the most desirable and why?

Semper Fi

Jeff

 

[upthewall]

Most desirable = small firing pin, post ‘14

Post ‘14 is an updated rear end
SFP offers the ability to run some of the wonder 6’s and the like a little harder.

 

[Mormegil87]

I would recommend the post 2014 AX308 rifles for a couple reasons:
1) They have the quick lock barrel change feature.
2) They have the skeletonized buttstock which is more adjustable than the pre-2014 models
3) The short action models produced recently have the small firing pin

The downside to the post 2014 AX308 rifles is cost. You can find the pre-2014s for about the same price as the current model AIAT. However if your budget is tight, I would still grab an AI AT over one of the older pre-2014 AX rfles.

As far as small firing pin vs large firing pin, that depends on what caliber you want to shoot and what brass you are going to use. It also depends on if you have the want/need to run a magnum cartridge. I personally own the full AXMC multi caliber version with multiple conversion kits for .338 down to .308 based cartridges and haven't missed the small firing pin one but. However, I'm not running calibers like 6br or 6 Dasher nor Lapua brass for my 6.5 Creedmoor.

I hope that has helped. PM if you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to help.

 

[Long Range 338]

-in 2014 the AX series got an upgrade to the current stock/cheekrest that you see on the website. Pre 2014 AX have a different stock/cheekpiece. The 2014 and newer is more adjustable and its toolless so it is more desirable.
-the small firing pin is for the 6CM/6.5CM and other similar cartridges that have brass available with a small rifle primer. If you use a regular firing pin you can run the risk of puncturing the small rifle primers with hot loads. Older bolts can be bushed to accomodate this as well.
-Of course you have the AE, AT, AW, and AXMC series rifles that all have their own items that only apply to each model. I'm sure I missed a bunch of info here.

 

[SFree]

I have an AIAT with the quick change barrel system. Same trigger, action, and barrel as the Ax short action. I personally don’t see the use in spending an extra $2000 for a chassis that gives nothing else but a tooless butt stock...

They do look pretty cool ?

 

[Luvman]

I have an AIAT with the quick change barrel system. Same trigger, action, and barrel as the Ax short action. I personally don’t see the use in spending an extra $2000 for a chassis that gives nothing else but a tooless butt stock...

They do look pretty cool ?

I went with the post ‘14 AIAT with SFP. I plan to have a post ‘14 AX buttstock installed if I can ever find one in pale brown in stock.

 

[Huskydriver]

I would recommend the post 2014 AX308 rifles for a couple reasons:
1) They have the quick lock barrel change feature.
2) They have the skeletonized buttstock which is more adjustable than the pre-2014 models
3) The short action models produced recently have the small firing pin

The downside to the post 2014 AX308 rifles is cost. You can find the pre-2014s for about the same price as the current model AIAT. However if your budget is tight, I would still grab an AI AT over one of the older pre-2014 AX rfles.

As far as small firing pin vs large firing pin, that depends on what caliber you want to shoot and what brass you are going to use. It also depends on if you have the want/need to run a magnum cartridge. I personally own the full AXMC multi caliber version with multiple conversion kits for .338 down to .308 based cartridges and haven't missed the small firing pin one but. However, I'm not running calibers like 6br or 6 Dasher nor Lapua brass for my 6.5 Creedmoor.

I hope that has helped. PM if you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to help.

Everything he said. I also run an axmc from 338LM on down to 6mm creed. I have never pierced a primer but I have cratered a few on the upper end with 6 creed during my initial load dev.

If you know for sure you will never be shooting long action cartridges a post 14 will serve you just fine.

 

[W54/XM-388]

will some AI aficionado's please educate me?
What is the most desirable and why?

If you want to shoot Long action cartridges such as .300WM, .338LM, .300 Norma and such, the preferred option is the AXMC which does it all from long action to short action but is also the most expensive.

If you want to shoot only short action cartridges, get the post 2014 AX rifle with the small firing pin.

If you want new and are on a budget and can get by with only short action cartridges, get the post 2014 AT with the small firing pin.


Now if you are trying to save some money
Pre 2014 AX Long Action or Pre 2014 AX Short Action, both work well, but will require a barrel vice to swap the barrels & the stock folds away from the bolt handle rather than enclosing it.

If you really need to save some money, an AE Mark II or Mark III are also very nice rifles.