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Barrel life on AI AE

nightwolf0215

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 27, 2013
95
0
Southern California
What is the barrel life on an AI AE MKII? I am not familiar with precision rifle, but AR usually can handle a good 5k-10k before they get shot out. I have found out that AI AE MKIII .308 rifle only last 1000 rounds? Is that true?
 
The .308 AI barrels will easily go more than 5K or more using standard factory ammo, now if you custom load super hot rounds, then your mileage will vary.
I've got 1400 rounds on my barrel currently and it shoots as good as it always has.
 
I have over 3600 rounds of heavy loads through mine and the throat has moved .035. With factory ammo you should get close to 10,000 rounds on a barrel.
 
My buddy is one of two DM for the SWAT team, and they run the AI AE and they just had their barrels replaced. They were having trouble with their cold bore shots. They had + or- 3 K on them. Both rifles shoot lights out now. They seem to have been a bad batch of barrels as they were received at the same time. I have over 4k through my Hart barrel, and she shoots better than ever.
 
My buddy is one of two DM for the SWAT team, and they run the AI AE and they just had their barrels replaced. They were having trouble with their cold bore shots. They had + or- 3 K on them. Both rifles shoot lights out now. They seem to have been a bad batch of barrels as they were received at the same time. I have over 4k through my Hart barrel, and she shoots better than ever.

Just for curiousity sake what was the issue they were having with the cold bore shots? My team also runs the AI AE and has a consistent issue with the cold bore shots being 1" low.
 
Just for curiousity sake what was the issue they were having with the cold bore shots? My team also runs the AI AE and has a consistent issue with the cold bore shots being 1" low.

They were having similar issues, as well as not great accuracy. I shot one rifle, and it was hovering around 1+ MOA if I remember. They use Winchester Match ammo, and while fired through my rifle, the ammo shot about .75 MOA. They were sent back to AINA and the barrels were replaced. They both are hammers now. I can try and see when they received the rifles originally to see if yours was received at or about the same time. J
 
My AI/AE MKII has over 2800 rds through it, some reloads but the majority Federal Gold Medal 168 and it still shoots in the .3's with 5 rd groups at 100 m.
 
My AX barrel (a UK Border manufacture AI barrel) is closing in on 6000 rounds, most of them hot 155 Scenar loads. Last range session I shot 10 groups of 5 rounds. The average for all was .548 MOA. That's every shot, every group, counted. With me shooting it, prone, with a bipod and a rear bag.

It's not as tight as it once was but still has some life left in it yet!
 
Not AE`s, but my one AW has over 5K and is still shooting well below MOA with my duty load. If I shoot the loads it really likes it still shoots into the .3`s. My back up one has 4K through it and does the same. I have seen them shot out fast in the August heat when guys drive them balls to the wall and don`t let them cool.