Accuracy International

Prices start at $3200 for the AE and go into the low five figure range for their bolt action .50. I'm not sure how much their new semi .50 is going for though.

The new semi .50 is available only to military units currently. AI builds all their rifles by hand IIRC, so they will likely be filling military orders for a long while.

Not to mention that last I heard (totally rumor based), ATF was looking at reclassifying AI rifles as "not for sporting purposes" because of their military sniper heritage. If that is the case, I doubt AI will want to rock the boat by trying to import a semi .50 any time soon.

They make a nice sniper rifle in .338 Lapua Mag I would love to have. Ugly but functional!

AI = My Dream Rifle

New AI rifles are sold about as quickly as they are shipped over and imported. There is usually a backlog. TACPRO Shooting Center is the importer now and prices are posted on their web-site.

Used AI rifles show up for sale on forums like SnipersHide at a rate of a few a year- maybe one a quarter, maybe less.

I haven't heard anything about ATF reclassification, but if they did that based on any functional characteristics, it would wipe out imports of most foreign bolt-action rifles and would be a huge policy change.

Wasn't Accuracy International in some financial trouble a couple of years ago? Can anyone comment on that? I hope this means that they have turned the corner, and I can stop worrying about them hanging around until I can get one.

Regardless, it sounds like great news if they are selling rifles as fast as they can make them.

I have a hard time rationalizing why the U.S. Marine Corps utilizes such a heavy rifle (M40A3) in 7.62 when they could have an AI right off the shelf in something a little more potent.

AI was repurchased by some of its original founders in 2005, and the rifles it has delivered since then have been of the same great quality.

The AI is heavy...

-z

I'm surprised the US didn't adopt the .338Lapua Magnum cartridge as a new sniper cart.

It would make sense if we did. Move the 308 to the seim-auto platform and step up to 338 for the bolt rifles. Many of our allies issue a 338LM rifle.

The new semi .50 is available only to military units currently.

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Thanks for the info, I didn't know that. I thought it just didn't hit the market yet.