AI-AE owners that have custom sticks as well....

[Ring]

what do you like better and why?

im looking at a 260 folder with the pistol grip skins, so it looks like its would cost me close to 5k..

i could get a nice GAP for that or less, from what i see, both will probably shoot as good, so it comes down to the little things that make 1 better then another for this shooting sport...

and i allready have this r-700 i built that im using now

 

[Bradu]

I love my AIAE, there is just something about it that feels better than my custom. Other than taking a rifle for the wife to shoot, the AI is the only rifle I reach for when going shooting. I have thought about selling the custom action rifle and buying another AI in either a .243 or .260 but I just don't have the cash right now to make up the difference.

 

[Roddd]

There's a nice 6.5CM AW in the classifieds right now at a very reasonable price if you want a step up from the AE. Just a thought. I prefer my AW over my GAP Crusader, but both are equally great guns to shoot and are more capable than I.

 

[jbell]

I have owned many custom rifles built by the best on actions from the worked over 700 to a 519, and I have owned an AIAW, and a TRG 22. I have also spent some time with a DTA SRS, an AIAX and a TRG 42 338LM. I hate to say it and don't mean any insult to any of the great custom builders we have here in the USA. But I actually prefer the ultra high grade factory rifles like the AI, DTA, and Sako oh also don't forget the Sauer and Sig SSG3000. Any of these rifles will hang with and most of the time outshoot (on an average) ANY custom.

 

[BGE541]

What more are you looking for from your rig? It looks like you have a Rem 700 with the barrel nut conversion so having a switch barrel might me nice for you now. McRee's stuff is nice are you just bored with it or what? Nice looking rifle.

 

[Graham]

If you like a single stage trigger you have to go custom.
If you want a McMillan/Manners-type stock you have to go custom.
If you go custom you will wait between six months and a year to get it.
If you like the AI action and the sixty-degree bolt throw, you can't get the same thing anywhere else.

 

[Niles Coyote]

I wish I could give you an answer but I have yet to shoot a AI, nor do I want to

















because I think I'd like it too much.

 

[19Scout77]

I have owned 4 AWs and numerous customs. My favorite will always be a well built 700.

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

lets see i have AI, DTA, surgeon, Defiance, badger, remington have shot PGW, stiller, BAT, savage, blaser, FN, Whinchester

AI, PGW as far as bolt throw are my favs
a broken in Defiance (GAP), surgeon, BAT are amazing and a close second
the rest fall in behind them, i have shot nice remingtons, FN's
accuracy is in the barrel, i have seen remingtons that shoot .0's, as well as any custom action, and AI's, DTA's etc.

have never been able to like savage, they shoot but just can't like em.

 

[BFDshooter5]

I love my AE II. It was a perfect fit from the moment I got behind it. I've have a couple nice 700's but they pretty much just collect dust now

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Part of it depends on what your doing with it. An AI comes few options that really relate to ergonomics - think forearm. It is square and slick underneath whereas an MCM / Manners comes in a variety of choices. An AI is a pig and there is no way to trim it down.

I have an SA AW. I want an LA to go with it. The GAP tuned and tweaked R700 that I got rid of to get my AW fit me like a glove and was awesome at everything.

 

[Lowlight]

I probably shoot my AE more than any other rifle... I love my custom GAPs and others, but work horse wise I use my AE a ton.

Was out today with Adam from Mile High shooting and I brought my AE and had a ball.

Here was Adam with our 800 yard target:

He was using a 260 AX and I was using my AE in 308 and both our shots are on the same target here... there is close to 10 shots in this group. 308 & 260.

My MkIII is a hammer... Taking it out too 1100 today we had tons of hits on steel. It was a blast.

 

[Captain Kirk]

I had a AW and GAP re-worked AE, as well as a few custom rifles with AI chassis. The AI action is one of the smoothest you will find, both the AW and AE feed like a dream and have a fairly light bolt lift. The two stage triggers are very nice, and I have never been a two stage trigger fan in the bolt gun, but they are nice with plenty of adjustment. With all those positives, I found that the AI stocks just don't fit me well, so its been custom rifles with more traditional stocks for the last 3 years.

If I could still afford to have multiple high dollar setups, I'd most likely still have a AI or two in the mix, but reality these days is its down to only a few, I choose custom rigs.

 

[Graham]

I have a LA Defiance that I really, really like because I just keep screwing barrels on it and it feeds like a dream.

I've been competing with my AE MK I in .308 for five years now. Almost four thousand rounds down the tube and it's still a hammer: Really likes VLDs, and has the mag length to handle them.

But believe it or not I've never had an AW of my own...... Until now. Thanks, Mile High! And the new skins are much more ergonomic at the forend.
It will start its life as a 7-08: .690BC bullets in the 2700s should be competitive enough.

 

[Lowlight]

On the line this afternoon

 

[cramey74]

I have owned a few customs 3 on surgeon actions 2 short 1 long, GAP Crusader, FNH, even a CZ 550 varmint kevlar. Also have spent time with other manufactures and various customs and if I could only have one it would be my AIAE MKIII. I really can't say enough about that rifle it just makes everything easy.

 

[hewlett260]

Love my AW! I appreciate customs but will probably never invest in one when I can just get new barrels for my AI. And not meaning to highjack a thread but Lowlight, how do you like that rail on your AE and how does it affect the balance of the rifle? Back to the topic at hand, I don't have any full custom builds, HAD a semi custom Remington with an AICS, got an AI and long story short, don't have the Remington any more.

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

the badger IMUNS is nice, well made, but is a solid block on the front of your gun it does NOT help with weight of which others have already said AI"s are not light to begin with, my AW is a 2.0 QA with the IMUNS and its heavier then most of my LA magnums.

 

[Ring]

What more are you looking for from your rig? It looks like you have a Rem 700 with the barrel nut conversion so having a switch barrel might me nice for you now. McRee's stuff is nice are you just bored with it or what? Nice looking rifle.

im not sure... i sold 2 guns and got 3500$ to play with, and figured it might be nice to have

 

[E. Bryant]

Not to annoy everyone with yet another automotive analogy, but this is a bit like comparing a high-end factory ride (think Porsche GT2 or similar) to a modified lower-end car (say, a base-model Corvette). Similar measured performance can be achieved with either approach if the work is done correctly. The custom approach may have a lower initial cost and offers a higher degree of personalization, but often there are sacrifices made in reliability, parts interchangeability, and resale value. If the work is performed by a "best of the best" custom shop, then the typical drawbacks will be minimized or eliminated altogether - but we're probably getting back towards cost parity. Go check out the cost of a Surgeon or a GAP w/ custom receiver - it's pretty easy to option either one to the point where they cost as much as - or more than - an AE.

Obviously, if one is looking at a caliber/chambering not available from AI, or if the AI ergos are simply a no-go, then some sort of custom is the only way to go.

 

[KYS]

I think the AI's are cool guns. But I went the opposite direction of most. I started out with a AI AW 300WM. It was actually my first nice bolt gun. I got into bolt gun with a used Remington R5 and learned on it.
I shot the AI a lot, especially for a 300. It was also my first suppressed bolt action rifle. So I had a steep learning curve with it, it taught me a lot of about recoil management! I had it for at least 2 years and then I found GA Precision.
I ordered a Crusader in 308 and that was it for me. I was hooked on the GAP built rifles. I sold the AI and have stuck with custom bolt guns since.

I have been wanting to shoot an AX, but don't know anyone around here with one so I will continue to wait! For now, I will stick with my customs over the AI.

 

[tylerw02]

I've had customs and two AIs now. If I could have only one, it would be an AI.

 

[blurry6]

I got a pretty good deal on a 20" AE Mk III about 9-months ago and thought I'd shoot it a while, along with my other rifles, and sell it off before I put too many rounds down it,... but I find that it's the ONLY thing I want to shoot! It just delivers. The action is awesome(!) - you can just RIP-IT and it extracts and feeds without a hitch,... unless you short-stroke it,... it's not magical. I shot a custom 260Rem I have on a Rem700 action a couple weeks ago and it felt like a rattle-can in comparison,... sloppy, hitchy, slow,... Picking up the AE right after, made me appreciate it even more,... The trigger is great as well. I have a CG Jackson trigger on that 260, and it's great, but not as great as the AE trigger. I find the AE trigger is just as smooth, but a bit more consistent in the uptake and break,... It's awesome!

Working up loads for the AE was a no-brainer. I usually do some research, find out what's working for others i.e. delivers the best consistency (temp sensitivity), accuracy, and ballistics. Then I'll pick a few bullets and powders and run some ladder tests to see what has promise. The AE didn't seem to hate anything. Everything seemed to shoot under 1-MOA. After playing around with a couple options one day, I ended up with a 0.25-0.50-MOA load that's been pretty stable for over 1200-rounds. I usually have to dink-around and tweak loads to get them shooting the way I want or eliminate pesky flyers, but the AE has been BORINGLY simple to work with and seems to be inherently accurate,... if there is such a thing (doubtful). Now, I'm thinking I'm going to sell off my 260 and rebarrel my AE in 243Win (22") - it should be perfect for matches.

Ry