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Accruacy International accuracy

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rpk762

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Feb 17, 2011
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Has anyone ever bought an Accuracy International "anything" and got a barrel that just would not shoot or was really not what you expected it to be?

I am not looking for reasons to bash AI at all. I really want one but they do not make a left handed 338LM. When they do I will be one of the first to get one. I might just buy a short action also now that 260 is an option. Shit I need one more 308 like I need a new hole in my head. I also know that AI customer service is as close to second to none as you can get.

Again I am not trying to bash AI. Just want to hear the one in a million stories.
 
I've owned 3 AE 308's all with UK barrels (one I sold before shooting), an AW 308 with UK barrel, an AWSM 338 with UK barrel, and I now have a AX 308 with AINA barrel. Every one the shooter has been the limiting factor, they will shoot as good as any custom out there. They use top of the line hand lapped barrels and are held to tight tolerances, so tight you can just order another barrel and spin it on and headspace will line up.

Last I heard AI has a 1MOA guarantee and that's with all ammo including cheap ball. I can confirm that every AI 308 I've had has shot MOA or better with ball ammo including the cheap portugese. When I got my AX I ran a few boxes of PMC 147gr FMJ through it just I case their was anything hand lapping missed and it was shooting 3/4MOA 10 shot groups. Match ammo shoots as good as any other or custom rifles I've had.

I don't doubt that Lothar, Border, or Bartlien have put out a bad barrel or two and I don't doubt that a couple have made them onto AI rifles in the past. I don't doubt that AI has assembled a rifles that didn't have perfect tolerances. I know though that these instances are extremely few and far between and if you somehow managed to have a problem it would be taken care of quickly and professionally.
 
Never had any of mine shoot over 3/4 moa In any conditions you can imagine, I have never cleaned one if them. Shooter has been my personal variable affecting accuracy IMHO.
 
I have a UK barrel on mine. It prints tiny little groups at will. It is the most consistent rifle I have owned & I have had many.
 
Lowlight said:
Never... usually any issues I have seen are because of the shooter, the ammo, or because of 3rd party attachments likes suppressors or muzzle brakes.
Click to expand...

When you read a statement from someone like Frank that is exposed to this stuff day in and day out, that's an awfully strong endorsement/testimony. Having never heard of a bad one personally, prompted me to purchase my first (AE .260) about 9 months ago and it is a hammer, even with a clod like me driving it.
 
OK. Please understand that I make this statement not to brag but to give you an idea of AI accuracy.
I presently own three AW and two AX rifles. Plus I did own one AE MK II. Barrels include UK, AINA, Mile High (Dave Tooley) and GAP in various calibers and lengths.
I am not normally the most lucky guy in the world and all of my rifles were purchased on the used market but I have always experienced great accuracy. As a matter of fact, two of the UK barrels would shoot the same reloaded ammo (neck sized only BTW) into the same sub 1/2 MOA groups any time I was sober enough to drive correctly.
 
Both my AI rifles shoot below .5 moa with factory barrels.

Why is it you want a left handed AW338? I'm a lefty and find the right handed 338 is easy to shoot. The primary reason why you would need a LH rifle is to when we are shooting outside of prone… which is not often with a .338
 
Lowlight said:
Never... usually any issues I have seen are because of the shooter, the ammo, or because of 3rd party attachments likes suppressors or muzzle brakes.
Click to expand...

You know it is crazy to think, but I believe this to be a very true statement. Not that I am saying that Frank is making this up but rather that AI just puts out damn good stuff and there for the "NEVER" in the statement is probably pretty damn close to actually being never...

I have owned 3 AW barrels and shot at least 4 others and all have been able to qualify as the most accurate rifles/barrels I have owned or shot. And to add to that not one of them were picky about the load, of course some loads shot better than others but all were very good. Some of the most amazing groups or shots I have seen have been shot with AI products.

Again crazy but true.
 
Thank you all for your responses. I did not expect anyone to say they had a bum barrel but it never hurts to ask.

As to why I want a left hand 338 is I also use my rifles for hunting.

On a side note you should hear a right handed person bitch if you hand them a left hand bolt.
 
I just bought one from Mile High (Great folks by the way) and I could not be more happy. I went with the 6.5 Creedmoor. Right out of the box with factory ammo it was shooting tiny groups. I am the limiting factor by far.
 
My AI in 308 is a solid sub 1/2" rifle

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sent from RAZR Maxx HD using Tapatalk Pro
 
had an early AE, a few things about it:

chamber was large - makes sense as feeding any ammo would be a priority for the designed purpose, but FL sizing the brass was similar to MG brass

tried a wide variety of factory and handloads the moa guarantee was about it

thumbhole or pistol grip does not do it for me for precision rifle, much prefer the stock style of mcmillan, TRG, B+C - that likely went a long way toward not getting results with the AE
 
My 308 AIAW folder is also a solid sub 0.5 moa shooter usually less. The 2 best 5 shot 100 yard groups I have shot (0.169 and 0,197 moa) were well under 0.5 moa. Groups usually in the 0.25 -0.40 range. On a bad day closer to 0.5 moa. It has a Bartlien barrel. I rarely shoot my 308 TRG 22 anymore.
 
Last edited:
Even with my mediocre skills, my AI AE MKIII in 260 (Bartlein) will shoot WELL under 0.5 moa.

The rifle is a solid platform and I'll have a hard time buying anything but another AI for my next rifle.
 
rpk762 said:
Has anyone ever bought an Accuracy International "anything" and got a barrel that just would not shoot or was really not what you expected it to be?

I am not looking for reasons to bash AI at all. I really want one but they do not make a left handed 338LM. When they do I will be one of the first to get one. I might just buy a short action also now that 260 is an option. Shit I need one more 308 like I need a new hole in my head. I also know that AI customer service is as close to second to none as you can get.

Again I am not trying to bash AI. Just want to hear the one in a million stories.
Click to expand...

Take a number bud!!!!! When I saw the AX338 at shot show a couple of years ago when it made it debut I asked Scott and Tom if they were gonna be available in a lefty version. I was told yes! I said put me down for s/n 1!!!!!

LOL! I'm just having fun with ya but I am waiting for them to come out too!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
 
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