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AE owners, I need your input....

LoneWolfUSMC

LoneWolfUSMC

Lt. Colonel
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 9, 2008
7,377
17
Southern Indiana
www.8541tactical.com
I have been working the the AE for a few weeks now. I have been dry firing it daily and have over 200 live rounds of various brands through it.

It has been 100% reliable, but I have found a couple very minor items that I dislike about the platform.

What I would like to know is if there is anything the <span style="font-weight: bold">YOU</span> don't like about your AE (can be either the AE or the AE MkII). Since so far this appears to be an excellent system, I am asking for you to "pick nits" and be "hyper critical".

THIS IS NOT A BASH ACCURACY INTERNATIONAL THREAD. So please no one take it like that. I just want to see if there are any issues that I am overlooking or that were so small I already forgot about them.

If someone post something they don't like and you don't like it either, please post that. I am trying to get a broader view, and unfortunately my time limit on writing the review precludes me from loaning the rifle out locally.

Thanks!
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Not much to dislike with the AE, but here goes:

-- 1:12 twist with no factory option to 1:10
-- I like the AW safety design better (personal preference)
-- Can't reload the magazine while its in the rifle (at least I couldn't)

I would still take an AE over custom-built 308s.

AE is one of the best deals going.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I have owned a few AWs and a few AEs, the trigger is not my favorite. I also wish the AE had the option to run AW double stack mags, those are the only "complaints", more like personal preferences.

Nothing wrong with the platform, it just might not suit every end user.

Kirk R
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Have an MKII

Wish it had double stacking mag but that and it's weight is my only complaint.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I really like the 2 stage trigger personally.

My gripes would be:

-Prefer the AW bolt with 3-position safety.
-Would like factory option for 24" barrel w/ brake.
-Needs to have a factory option for 20 MOA base. Farrel makes one that is expensive and always sold out, and USO makes one but it is aluminum and according to AI they are problematic.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Ok - a very minor complaint that is just about irrelevant anyway.

I have an AE Mk1, AE Mk2, & an AW.

The AE Mk1 has a nice phosphated grey finish on the action & bolt. The Mk2 seems to have a blued type finish on the action & bolt. I prefer the finish on the Mk1, but it is not a deal breaker for me at all.

They are just bloody good rifles.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

The 0 moa base it comes with sits lower than a typical 20 moa setup. I am going to have to put my standard badgers up for sale and get some taller rings. I have my cheek piece bottomed out and it is uncomfortable. It just sits too low. Not the guns fault I guess, just what I had when I bought it.

I really enjoy my AE. I am like the others, the AW mag would be better, 1:10 would be a nice option. I personally love the two stage trigger.

Just my .02
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: froggy2229</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I really enjoy my AE. I am like the others, the AW mag would be better, 1:10 would be a nice option. I personally love the two stage trigger.</div></div>


I absolutely agree with this. Once I got past the mentality that the trigger was a two stage and there is no creep in it I learned to love it.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I love the trigger as well. I have an AW so no complaints about the mag, but I have the same trigger as you guys and I really like it. The only thing I have found that I don't like about the trigger is when I tried to lighten it up, the weight screw seemed to adjust just the first stage, making the step to the second stage seem that much heavier, if that makes any sense. So I left it stock.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I also wish that the barrels were 100% interchangeable between the two platforms. I bought the Satern barrel that Zak Smith used for his 6.5x47 Lapua testing he did using his AW. At the time I only had an AE and I seem to remember being told that it wouldn't fit my AE. I had to have a shoulder cut into it for it to work properly. Maybe this has changed or not relevant with factory AI barrels.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

AE Mk II

Like the trigger, no complaint there. Have a factory 24" barrel and will probably get it cut to 22 and add a suppressor but only after I've learnt how to properly manage recoil. Further out i like the option of moving easily to 260 Rem if I want. AI can custom barrels to virtually any spec you like.

Hear the comment on the barrel, bolt, AI mount finishes being different but I take the view that they are independent parts of the rifle and AI found the best metals for the required task.

Cheek pad sucks in hot weather, uncomfortable and i'm sure someone will come up with a better solution.

Safety - might be just me but i don't like it. I don't find it easy to flip it on/off when viewing through the scope.

Overall, it is a terrific precision rifle that is solidly built and reliable.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

TJ,

In reference to the cheek piece here is what I did to overcome the issue in hot weather. I used A-Grip, (the stuff you use to wrap pistol grips with) cut it to fit over the removeable cheek piece and now I have a no slip surface. It worked great for me.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fitz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I also wish that the barrels were 100% interchangeable between the two platforms. I bought the Satern barrel that Zak Smith used for his 6.5x47 Lapua testing he did using his AW. At the time I only had an AE and I seem to remember being told that it wouldn't fit my AE. I had to have a shoulder cut into it for it to work properly. Maybe this has changed or not relevant with factory AI barrels. </div></div>From what I know, an AW barrel will fit on an AE but not vice versa.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

.338Lap Mag /.300Win can be interchanged subject to the following:

1. New bolt body & Bolthead use existing cocking piece and firing pin)

2. New barrel

3. New magazine

.300 Win / .308 combination is not really feasable because the action bodies are a different length. It could be done but only on a .300 Win Mag action. Again a new bolt body & barrel required, magazine would have to be modified and possibly the feed ramp.

Interesting idea Stryder. I'll wait for the big man atop this post to make something up :)
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

An AW barrel WILL work on an AE. Not the other way around though.

I run a 10 twist .308 barrel, but its a kreiger.

A cheap mouse pad cut and turned upside down works great over the cheak rest.

I have a Farrel 20 MOA base.

It would be cool if AI offered all these as factory options, but not a huge deal.

I love the trigger.

I dislike the weight.

I prefer the AW safety, but don't necesarily dislike the AEs.

Top loading would be nice, but I have not found it to be a disadvantage.

I love the folder, easily the best on the market.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

1:12 barrel
somewhat odd thread on the muzzle device (if 5/8/24 was available mine would be factory threaded and yes I realize this is probably not the only rifle that uses that thread)
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

The thread for the muzzle brake is M18x1.5 nothing odd about it at all :)

If you guys cant get taps and dies for that let me know - we certainly can get them in Australia, picked up mine at the local tool shop.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I think if you are going to to do a write-up on your AE you might reference AI's bore/grove specs on their Border barrels and how they compare to CIP/SAMMI standards of 0.300"/0.3080". There is a lot of discussion about barrel length and the impact or not on MV but not much on "tighter" barrels. If you ask AI directly they might provide you with this info but I'm sure they won't want specifications detailed for public consumption so it might be something you agree to talk around without getting too detailed. Just a thought.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Overall the complaints I had were nit picky as well but here goes;

Skins dont always match up just right, there was a "gap" where the two halves of the trigger guard were formed on one of my sets of skins. Other set fit just fine.

O MOA base wasnt such an issue as I replaced mine with a USO base but I would prefer if they made the 18 MOA ring mounts with enough clearance to use the PR without having to mill it.

AW type safety and mag would be welcome.

Biggest complaint is with the grip. I wish they would make a modular insert of sorts to allow folks to fatten up the grip area so the trigger finger would sit in a more natural position. I ened up using 100MPH tape to build up a grip and it worked very well but looked like ass.

Think the grip issue will be adressed with the AX line but last I knew no plans to make an AE with the AX stock.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Guess I need to check what my thread pitch is. I thought it would be 5/8-24 but I have not had he brake off yet to see. </div></div>m18x1.5 AI threads. The new barrels AINA are having threaded for 5/8x24, but if you have an AI brake on your rifle, it is 18x1.5 metric.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

No complaints here. Like em as is.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

No option for canted pic rails from the factory. Ken Ferrel makes a 20moa base that feels reasonably good.

No option for factory single stage trigger. I've adjusted to the factory trigger just fine and it's not bad-- but i still prefer the feel of a tuned older rem trigger.

Metric muzzle threads, no option for 5/8x24. Sounds like this was corrected.

One thing I'd love to see is a version of the manners mini chassis that would work with the AE action and work in a manners stock. It would drop a few pounds off the rifle and provide a way to give customers who do not like AI chassis a way to run one of the most reliable actions around.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anything else? </div></div>

All I know is that I really really want one just like yours.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LVMIKE</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One thing I'd love to see is a version of the manners mini chassis that would work with the AE action and work in a manners stock. It would drop a few pounds off the rifle and provide a way to give customers who do not like AI chassis a way to run one of the most reliable actions around.</div></div>

Ding ding ding.

I absolutely cannot stand the tiny thumbhole in the stock. I have man hands, and that entire grip area is too small.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I had that feeling about the weight, but after carrying it around for a week at Rifles Only it feels pretty light now. At times I definitely wished it were a shorter rifle somehow, but that's more a matter of my body size matching up to the rifle.

Most of the other things I can think of are either rifle/user specific, or else fall into the realm of aftermarket accessories (scopes, rings, bases, bipods, etc).

It might be nice to have more options for the buttpad, but that's about all I can think of off the top of my head. The safety could definitely stand to be easier to manipulate, but then again there's just no reason for me to be using it in the first place, so it doesn't matter. It's definitely not as natural-feeling to me as many rifles, but then again it seems to help me shoot better, so there you go.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I really have no complaints regarding the AE MK2, maybe lower price and more options available in 30mm piccatinny scope mounts. However, I think you get 90% of the performance of an AW for the lower price tag.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

The weight was a concern for me at first as well. After a couple of training evolutions where I was more concerned with the tactical problem than the crap I was carrying I forgot about it. If I was going on a twenty mike hike I probably wouldn't be too keep on carrying it, but for a short movement even in dense brush it's not bad at all.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Talking about weight of rifle and body size. How much of man are you guys?
laugh.gif
I am seriously thinking about getting an MKII 308. I am 5'4" weigh about 160. Yeah, light weight here.
grin.gif
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

Ask yourself what you will be doing with it.

If you are going to be running long range patrols for days at a time, then the weight may be an issue. If you are going to be taking it from the trunk to the firing line, then it's not.

I can still shoot the AE offhand unsupported and I am not a big guy (6', 180lbs).

I mention the weight because it's something people bitch about all the time. If you want to shave a little off, then get the fixed stock and 20" plain barrel. You can also cut some weight with your optics choice.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ask yourself what you will be doing with it.

If you are going to be running long range patrols for days at a time, then the weight may be an issue. If you are going to be taking it from the trunk to the firing line, then it's not.

I can still shoot the AE offhand unsupported and I am not a big guy (6', 180lbs).

I mention the weight because it's something people bitch about all the time. If you want to shave a little off, then get the fixed stock and 20" plain barrel. You can also cut some weight with your optics choice.</div></div>

5' 10" and 145 here, and not going to be a contender for any weightlifting competitions...and the 24" AE doesn't bother me. I pick up my M1A now and it feels positively dainty in comparison, where the AE now feels like a 'real' rifle. It's just a matter of shooting and moving with it for a bit, and getting used to the feel.
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

I've never owned one but was granted the honor of shooting Doc1911's. I only ran 2 rounds through it but was VERY impressed with the accuracy. I plopped down behind it and squeezed off 2 shots that were nearly touching at 100yds. Keep in mind I'm used to a short single stage trigger and fat grip of a McMillan A5 so the "springy" two-stage trigger and seemingly skinny grip were my only... (can't really even call them complaints)... issues. I would love to own one of these fine machines one day. FWIW...
 
Re: AE owners, I need your input....

The AE MKII with the 20" barrel is the lightest rig I have used in a long time. All of my guns have #7's. Any new builds will definitely be sporting a lighter contour.
 
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