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AIAW barrels

Jmilera

Jmilera

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 10, 2012
447
3
49
Texas
Hello to everyone from south Texas, has anyone heard any information from AI distributors not selling replacement barrels. The rumor was that U.S. distributors are no longer allowed to sell barrels. And one mentioned that we would have to send our aw rifles to AINA.
Please tell me that this information is inaccurate.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jmilera</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hello to everyone from south Texas, has anyone heard any information from AI distributors not selling replacement barrels. The rumor was that U.S. distributors are no longer allowed to sell barrels. And one mentioned that we would have to send our aw rifles to AINA.
Please tell me that this information is inaccurate. </div></div>

Who cares. I'd rather send it to any of the good smiths on this site and have a quality barrel spun on to it.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

I agree with you, I gave used GAP for over six years and all his work is first class. My only problem is with shipping my 6000 dollar rifle via fed ex and God forbid UPS.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

And it defeats the purpose of a quick change on the rifle. Which is one of the many attractions with being a AIAW owner.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jmilera</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And it defeats the purpose of a quick change on the rifle. Which is one of the many attractions with being a AIAW owner. </div></div>

I've got 3 GAP barrels for my AI sitting on my desk right now. 2 of them weren't even spun up for this particular AI at all.....yet are perfect.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

I have some GAP AI barrels they are perfect. Just wanted to know what was up with them.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jmilera</div><div class="ubbcode-body">And it defeats the purpose of a quick change on the rifle. Which is one of the many attractions with being a AIAW owner. </div></div>

Bingo!!! That is the biggest selling point to a AI is the ability to change barrels at home! None of the smiths want to just send the barrels anymore. They all want you to send the whole rifle. Which defeats the whole premise to the rifle.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

GAP has done it for me in the past. All his barrels have shot 1/2 moa in all conditions. I just wanted to know what the reason was for the change. ( no reason to go with anyone else) just an inquiring thought.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

Last time I spoke to someone at GAP to inquire about a 260 Rem barrel, they said that I have the send the rifle in to do that... So much for the quick change concept. Wouldn't mind having an extra barrel or two in different calibers. Perhaps, Tom Irwins from AINA can chime in as to why they don't want to sell barrels to customer directly.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

The year your AI was made had something to do with that decision.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

The quick change concept is based on having a barrel that's ready to install. I have used many barrels in the AW platform and have not had a problem in any of them. That includes barrels for the AW, AWM, AW50, and a number of different calibers in each. I personally would send it to Gap so they can fit it to a Gnats Ass fit and time the brake if your using a non AI brake. After you have your barrels it's just a matter of seconds to change them. I haven't had a problem ordering barrels from AI in the past but I can tell you they have never been known for their speed or for having in stock what you need when you need it.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ThrottleJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AINA shipped me an AW barrel in Oct 2011. </div></div>

Did you order directly from them? also, did you attend their gunsmith course?
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DesertHK</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ThrottleJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AINA shipped me an AW barrel in Oct 2011. </div></div>

Did you order directly from them? also, did you attend their gunsmith course?</div></div>

Yes and no
 
Re: AIAW barrels

This came up over a year ago when I was ordering a barrel. AI had no problem making me a barrel, but then again, neither did GAP a year later, and they were a hell of a lot faster.

AI went through a short period where they wouldn't sell the barrels to the public, but unless something has changed within the last couple of months, they are actively having barrels made by Dave Tooley out of Bartlein blanks, in .308, .260, 6.5. Creedmore, and others.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jmilera</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Please tell me that this information is inaccurate. </div></div>

I bought an AI AW from Mile High Shooting in October, and they said that they had dozens of barrels in stock that they'd be happy to ship me when it came time to replace the one on mine. I'd suggest calling some AI dealers and finding out for yourself.

—Andreas
 
Re: AIAW barrels

GAP, APA, and Dave Tooley can make AW barrels.

GAP (per George) likes to have the AW in the shop the first go around as they claim thy have seen around +/-.002" in headspace in various rifles over the years. After the first go round they don't need it again. AEs were a different story and they need it to be sure it won't as they claimed they have seen about twice as much variation. This is all from a conversation I had mid 2010 with them re: an AE mk2 bbl.

APA wanted a friends AW action to make a batch of 243 barrels. They commente to him his rifle was dead on spec. A few months beforehand GAP made him a 243 barrel without the rifle in shop and it was perfect as well.

Dave Tooley made me a 6xc barrel last month without the rifle and I'm waiting on my 09AW to come back from AINA (added a pic rail) to see how it fits. Interestingly enough my rifle has headspaced very close to my friends AW with his 243 barrels (tested with a go gauge and layers of tape). However, on my 01' AE all of these AW barrels swallow a no-go by about .003-.004". Which is actually not a big deal at all.
Eta: Dave has one limitation though-- he cannot make factory-available barrel configurations as he has AIs factory barrel contract. His direct prices are very good and he turned my blank around inside of the week it arrived at his door.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

GAP :

We will make the AI AW Barrels for you no sweat , we have the AI Specs and gauges and will cut the barrel to the center of that spec. 99% of the time this works fine.

We prefer to have the action to set the headspace to Min. Becouse we have seen a few AW actions that are outside their own tollerance range so in affect a barrel cut to the AI spec would not headspace correctly.

As stated above we will keep your actions specs on file here so duplicate barrels later for that rifle are Gnats Ass!!!

The disclaimer is that If we make you a barrel and it does not headspace correctly and your AW reciever does not fit the factory spec then you end up having to pay shipping both ways to get the barrel headspaced correctly, as we cannot be held acountable for a circumstance beyond our control.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

So George, what you are saying is that 99%of the time, we will be fine by just ordering a barrel from you without sending in the entire rifle right? If it doesnt headspace correctly, then we have to send in both the rifle and the new barrel. Is that correct?

If so, 99% is very good odd, inmy opinion.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

Sorry George, didn't mean to speak for you. Hopefully my numbers/info wasnt too far off as our conversation was quite a while ago and my memory sucks sometimes.

Just like to add my barrel and my friends barrel Moon did both turned out fantastic.
 
Re: AIAW barrels

Good thing you are still doing this for us george, I appreciate that personally.
Thanks again for the excellent work man!
Joe m.
 
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