sugestions on first AI purchase ?

TO 8217

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Minuteman
Apr 21, 2014
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This is going to be my first bolt rifle and I know I want a .260 . I have a S&B pm11 to put on it. So here is my question, either purchase last years AX with a 24 inch barrel for what i feel is a good price or this years AT with a .260 barrel.
Ok guys please don't beat me up to bad bad just want to make the best informed decision. now the S&B is in a Spuhr mout and is currently on top of a Lwrc .308 repr.
 
I recently found myself in exactly your position and went with the AX becuase it was available immediately. When the ATs do begin shipping, there is a long line to get your hands on one. Dont regret it one bit. The AX is an absolutely amazing rifle.
 
If you plan on taking advantage of the quick change ability of the AT, go for it. Otherwise try to pick up one of the previous generation AI rifles at a good price. Just my 0.02 from a very satisfied owner of one of the new ATs. I have it setup to switch between 308 and 260, initial impressions have been great. Additional testing is in the plans for this week.
 
This is going to be my first bolt rifle and I know I want a .260 . I have a S&B pm11 to put on it. So here is my question, either purchase last years AX with a 24 inch barrel for what i feel is a good price or this years AT with a .260 barrel.
Ok guys please don't beat me up to bad bad just want to make the best informed decision. now the S&B is in a Spuhr mout and is currently on top of a Lwrc .308 repr.

I have both. They are both great guns and super reliable but they both have their pluses. The AX is awesome for competition shooting because of the forend that you can really load into barricades and the magwell cut that allows you to change mags in low positions. The forend also allows you to put the bipod further out than the AT.

The quick change barrel is a great feature on the AT, especially with a caliber like 260 that doesn't have super barrel life. Not just for the quick change but the fact it requires one Allen wrench. You don't have to drop $500 between barrel vise, action wrench, and torque wrench. I really like the thumbhole skins too which is an option on the AT but not on the AX unless you want to do some cutting on the skins and drilling a hole or swapping the rear section with one from a AICS AT. The forend is long as far as where you can run your hand (plenty long on the AX too) but using the keys lot adaptor you can't run a bipod out as far. The solution is a atlas with spigot mount or a Harris (or atlas) on the big dog steel spigot. The forend also steps up a good bit like the old legacy stock which still works well off a barricade especially with a sotech skid plate. The magazine well is what it is but plenty of people win matches without a mag cutout in their stock.

They are both great guns, I'd choose what's most important to you and make the decision on your own, not somebody else's preference. Or you could do like I did and buy both. Honestly I don't think I could convince myself to get rid of either and I'm already planning a pale brown AXMC 300 when they make it in the country.

I recently found myself in exactly your position and went with the AX becuase it was available immediately. When the ATs do begin shipping, there is a long line to get your hands on one. Dont regret it one bit. The AX is an absolutely amazing rifle.

The AT's are available, I've had mine for 3 weeks now. Euro optic still has some available that weren't spoken for as well.
 
I think one of my issues is if I went with the AT (again I have to share 1optic that is mounted in a spuhr single piece 20 moa) and would I need separate rings for it? Would the scope sit to high? I don't want to go through the hastle of that to transfer the scope from one rifle to the other. I guess that's why I'm leaning toward the AX.
 
I think one of my issues is if I went with the AT (again I have to share 1optic that is mounted in a spuhr single piece 20 moa) and would I need separate rings for it? Would the scope sit to high? I don't want to go through the hastle of that to transfer the scope from one rifle to the other. I guess that's why I'm leaning toward the AX.

The height from center of bore to the top of the mount are the same on both. The only difference is with the same height mount you won't see a gap above the barrel on the AX because of the forend and rail, it's still the same height over bore and you have to raise the cheek piece the same. The new AT's will be shipping with a lower rail though which will put it lower, the other option if you don't like the way the gap looks is to buy the NV bridge.

I wouldn't let the mount be a deciding factor because it's the same.
 
I took advantage of AI deal and pick up an AE, slap on a barrel from Mark Chanlynn. Things work out great, if I fell the need to shot 308, I still have my Bartlein 5r. There are a couple guys making aftermarket barrel removal tools at a discounted price to what others charge. AI puts out a quality product, without the problems that some of the custom rifle shooters are dealing with.