Yesterday was kinda like Christmas in March at my FFL guy’s shop when I picked up this much-anticipated AX-308 from Accuracy International. I’ve been looking forward to this review for a long time: we’ve been flirting with Accuracy International for more than two years, and if my experience with other AIs is any indicator, I expect great things from the AX-308 . . .

This $8,000 heavyweight tips the scales at almost 14 pounds empty. Optics and rings are en route and as soon as she’s all set up, Joe Grine and I will likely be printing near-cloverleafs at 300 yards and beyond.

Image: Chris DummAccuracy International didn’t want me dipping into my small stockpile of steel-cased Brown Bear .308 for this review (quelle horreur!) so Black Hills Ammo kindly dropped off 300 rounds of 168- and 175-grain match ammo to feed the beat. We’ll chrono the ammo and send the numbers to Foghorn so he can make some of those funky vertical graph/chart/infogram things.

Stay tuned . . .

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33 COMMENTS

    • When I saw the article headline, I made some kind of pitifully jealous noise between a ‘hnnnng’ and an ‘awwwwww’.

      Please, just let me hold her and I’ll be content…

      • I kinda let out an involuntary moan whan I saw the photo…
        Had to look around the office to see if anyone noticed.
        Gun porn

  2. Man, that’s one sweet rifle! I can hardly wait for the review. Please say there will be video!

  4. Thats out my budget, I feel stupid even saying this, but im building a custom DPMS LR308. I just received the stripped upper and it looks pretty well made. Now I know its not no 8k gun, but im on disability and look forward to saving and buying each part at a time, its just not possible for me to drop 2k at one time. I am waiting for a Young BC, to use with a DPMS bolt. But ill throw a picture up when i receive the last few goodies, and throw it together! And yes im jeolus! Really sweet looking AR!! You know what AR stands for? Another receipt, my wife tells me.lol

  5. Truly a beautiful gun!

    If this website has trained ONE mantra through my thick skull, it’s that I should never have my finger on the trigger of a gun until I’m ready to fire. How many IGOTD awards have been released for that heinous crime? Now I’d be quick to apologize for critiquing Mr. Dumm if he WAS just about to fire that beautiful weapon, but I can hardly believe he was firing an unsighted .308 without hearing protection inside what looks like a (fortified) office building.

    Sure, sure, it’s a bolt-action, and those NEVER accidentally discharge, right? I guess we’ll forgive Mr. Dumm this time. After all, I wouldn’t want to argue with him within 600 yards. 🙂

    • I think he’s allowed to point it in a safe direction and test what I’m sure is a superb trigger.

      • I know it’s bad form to have your picture taken with a finger on the trigger 🙂 I’d chamber-checked it a zillion times in a sterile room (my gunsmith’s shop) and was dry-firing it when my buddy Wayne pulled out his iPhone and told me to ham it up.

  6. I wonder what scope and bi-pod he plans on putting on that rifle? I really want to purchase the new NightForce B.E.A.S.T. stupid name but it’s a FFP. Perhaps you can review that scope along with the AX 308?

  12. Yeesh, rather than attach Picatinny rails all over a gun, why don’t manufactures just start forging picatinny gun barrels?

    I mean, somewhere under all that railage is the part the projectile comes out, right?

    Tacticool railage is getting to be reminiscent of the car fin rage of the 1950’s.

  14. That is a wicked rifle. Hell-of-alota rail though. Im all for rails but that’s a little overboard.

  17. If I were going to shell out that kind of cash, I think I’d be looking at an AX338. Can’t go wrong with .338 Lapua Mag for extended range work.

    • The AX-338 is indeed Zeus’ Thunderbolt. Out to 700-800 yards, it’s fairly difficult to miss once you’ve got your dope. They’re generally 1/2 to 1/3 MOA guns, which means that in perfectly still air you can hope for 6 inch groups at 1200 yards. At those ranges, wind doping skill becomes just as important as breath and trigger control.

      • I’ve got a man crush on the .338. If I’m gonna rock 14-15 pounds of full-size rifle with a muzzle brake, the .338 LM is the way to go. Then again, $3.49 / round is the lowest price I’ve seen for factory ammo. At 8 grand for a rifle, night as well top it with a US Optics or NightForce and blow the cost of an overpriced coffee with each trigger pull. Or a 7mm or .300 mag, perhaps. The .308 seems to struggle quite a bit at 1000 yards, and isn’t a great choice for long range hunting.

        Still, this looks like a very cool machine, and its still easy to find (and pay for) accurate .308 ammo.

        • I got rid of my .338 after it sat in the safe for a year. About sixty rounds through before that, just couldn’t justify shooting it at 200yds, or a vacation to find a 1000 yard range.

          I miss it, but not the ammo bills.

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