What's so special about Accuracy International?

[Pawn]

So I hear they are accurate, but so are lots of other rifles. In that price range you can probably find more accrate rifles.

As for the thumbhole stock, isn't that somthing a lot of military snipers don't like?

[Mac679]

It probably has to do with them having the living hell beaten out of them in testing and it being designed from the get go as a sniper rifle where as a lot of others ( the M24, M40 series, McMillans, etc. ) are highly modified hunting rifle actions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the AI's were the first purpose designed bolt-action sniper rifles in the world.

[Jesse]

I'm pretty sure AI's AWP, or AWM, is the sniper rifle of Britain. As for thumbhole stocks, AI's are ambidexterous, which is the problem I see with most.

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When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.

-Jesse Foust

[josepy]

I shot one about 3 weeks ago and I like it. I really liked the trigger.

[JY]

Hi Pawn;

I've owned one since 1994, one of the first 35 in the US. Mac got it right for the most part as a purpose built SWS, the SVD was one of the first though...if ya can call it a SWS, more a designated rifleman weapon.

The original design was a modification of the then current L96A1, also designed by Malcom Cooper, for the Swedish Army. To make this short improvements were made to the bolt for arctic use, along with quite a few others such as the Parker hale bipod and improved trigger that josepy liked http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/biggrin.gif Sweden adopted the SWS as the PSG 90 with the Hensoldt Sight 90 10X42mm day optic.( The AW stands for Arctic Warfare, with AWP the P for Police). The very rugged polymer stock side panels are hard to damage, but even if they are totally destroyed the rifle is full oprational..it is fully usable without the stock panels and just the bare exposed chassis.

Can you find a rifle of greater accuracy, maybe, will it out perform the AW highly doubtful with the majority being modified commercial hunting rifles. The AW incorparates features needed by military snipers, the anti freeze bolt, low torque barrel, replaceble headspace ring, muzzle brake, action permanently attached to a one piece aluminum chassis, integral scope mounting system capable of using all military day and night optics, 10 rd detachable magazine that insert into an aluminum box structure part of the chassis, detachable iron sights of two types, one a simple folding L type and the PSG 90 rotating diopter type good to 600 meters+.

TOTAL interchangebality of parts, by that I mean I can take the bolt from my rifle and go to Sweden, if I wanted, and my bolt would function and be headspaced in one of their issue 7.62x51mm rifles. The same can be done with the barrel, headspace ring and any other part. If you think you can match any of this with a off the shelf modified hunting rifle you are dead wrong. Ask josepy if he can take the bolt from his M40A1 and use it in his buddies rifle, might luck out, but then again http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/eek.gif The M40A1 and latter models are some of the finest rifles in the world but they are not made for parts interchanging in the field, or barrel change or head spacing by the operators, not support.

The thumb hole stock fits well and is adjustable to the shooter. The pistol grip is verticle as it should be on a SWS, it is just as easy to use both left and right handed, being a field modified port side shooter I can attest to that. I have yet to find a military sniper who has not liked the stock of the AW, and I've let many fire mine.

And yes technology like this costs big money, as do any professional tools of the trade. If your out there shooting rodents buy something else, you're wasting your money, this is a SWS period. It's made to survive the insertion to the AO, the stalk to your FFP and deliver a surgical first round kill. And to survive the average sniper, who may at times mix bolts, take his scope off, break his scope, freeze his bolt, and fend off Mr Murphy.

The SWS is becoming very popular with all who test it, the Australian Army has adopted it in .300WM as a SWS and has just adopted the AW .50 as their AMR. Also an older user of the SWS is Germany who also adopted it in .300WM and is very highly prized by their KSK(special forces). Hmmm must be good for the German's to adopt it over all the local made entries.

Sorry for the long post, I hate two line questions, always involve long answers http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/biggrin.gif

Take care...Jim



[This message has been edited by JY (edited 06-09-2001).]

[Pawn]

Thanks JY. I like long answers, keeps me from asking lots of annoying following questions. For now.

[Linus]

Uuuuh...yeah, what Jim said. http://www.specialoperations.com/ubboard/smile.gif

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Honestas supra omnis

[beachbaby]

I read that Malcolm Cooper recently died (cancer). His funeral was a couple of weeks ago.

[Sua Sponte]

I was at JIM's pawn at bragg, this past week and they had 5 or 6 AI sniper rifles on the wall including 2 fifties. The price range was from 8,000- 12,000 dollars. all rifles came scoped with bipod and hard case as well. Don't ask me what kind of scopes, I was looking at HOLO sights and 1911's and did not pull any of the rifles down to give them anymore than a currsory "eye fucking".