Accuracy International AE MKIII Production Ended

[beefman]

Saw this on another Forum: Glad I bought mine when I did.

Accuracy International to end production of AE
Accuracy International would like to formally announce to the Sniper’s Hide Community that we will be ending production of AE rifles in 2013.

The AE, in .308 calibre, was introduced at the request of the law enforcement community in 2001 with a basic black, fixed stock, fixed cheek-piece and 24 inch barrel. The AE has been popular with Law Enforcement and civilian shooters worldwide. It evolved through two product improvement stages, the AE MkII and AE MkIII featuring an AW style three-position safety, removable trigger group, standard adjustable check-piece and redesigned 5 and 10 round magazines.

After 12 years it is time to bring production of this model to an end and the final batch is now in the assembly process in our UK factory. We will continue to support all versions of the AE as we have done with our AW Series, which has seen upgrades throughout its life.

New Accuracy International 2014 models will be announced at the Shot Show in Las Vegas on January 14, 2014. We know there will be a lot of questions about this, however at this time we are not prepared to say anymore other than... you will not be disappointed. We are in pre-production of the 2014 Models now, so come Shot Show you’ll be able to get your hands on them.

Thanks for your continued support !

Tom Irwin,
Accuracy International

 

[RedRabbits]

Lame!

 

[J996]

Sad but exciting at the same time, I wonder what its replacement will look like. At least they will continue to make the AW in .308 and .300 win mag. They did discontinue the AW in .338

 

[JayCarver]

It will be interesting to see what the replacement for the AE will be. Also looking forward to seeing the short action PSR that they have been hinting about too, it may just end up being a AX with a PSR butt stock but that would be nice platform also.

 

[EC]

I have an AI/AE MK II with close to 4000 rds through the original barrel and it still shoots as good as when I got it.Since they changed the bolt configuration on the MKIII, they have been selling alot more in the US in particular. It doesn't surprise me that they would discontinue the AE as its all about money of course and people and agencies that would buy a more expensive AW or AX for example were opting out and getting the MKIII. It would be interesting to see what they have to offer as it's replacement. Looking forward to the SHOT Show this year to find out.

 

[ghostie]

I have very little doubt that the AW will be the next to go... sooner rather than later... and AI is just going to absolutely kill its loyal customers - like myself - and kill their business by trying to provide the same PSR/MSR/SOCOM-spec rifles that - almost literally - every other big gun maker is now also putting out, only the made in England rifles are going to be 30-50% pricier, until AI inevitably goes out of business about 10 years from now. A little English company is going to try to go head-to-head with FNH? Freedom Group (Remington)? And Barrett and Sako and all the others. Not a chance.

It's a shame really, because the AW is such a great piece of equipment, a milestone in firearms history... and soon to be a part of history. I'm just glad I have the model I like.

AW for-evaahhh!

 

[Donny Fenn1]

I must have missed it but they aren't stopping making rifles just that model(s). Plus it says they are introducing new models by the next SHOT show so what's the crisis?

 

[ghostie]

I must have missed it but they aren't stopping making rifles just that model(s). Plus it says they are introducing new models by the next SHOT show so what's the crisis?

I'm expressing an opinion based on a trend. That's what these internet forums are for. If we wanted the official news we'd look at the company's website and not come here.

They used to make an AW50. Now they don't. They used to make an AW338. Now they don't. They used to make an AE. Now they don't. They used to make a really classy looking AW with non-Buck Rogers stock-sides. Now they don't. Same applies for the AICS. It looks like hell now with those three piece stocksides.

They've forgotten one of the Cardinal Rules: Dance with the one that brung 'ya.

The company was built on the PM, which later became the AW. Now - in my opinion - they are about to continue the process of abandoning that product that brought them to world-wide fame, in favour of their failed bid for the PSR contract.

Stock up now if you like AW. This stuff isn't going to be available in the future. (Some of the stuff in my picture isn't available now!)

 

[J996]

They need to realize that most civilian customers neither need nor want cheese grater rails to attach NV's, designators and tactical cup holders. I really do hope they keep the AW and that this new AE replacement will be a nice clean looking rifle.

The AX is great and all but it looks like a pressure washer.

 

[gadget]

My observations are the following in the above discussion, that the original origins in the AI series is a commercial venture by Mr Cooper. As with many things that start on the commercial market, it gravitated to the military & police side of things. The PSR contract drove many companies to adapt a design that is currently favoured or desired by SF demands, right or wrong this design is here to stay and unless criteria changes it's not fading into the light. As for the adage to dance with the one that brung 'ya, I understand those feelings but companies have no choice but to follow market trends to survive, especially when investing large capital and not being successful in these competitions. As such they will capitalize on these competitions and use them as the bait or hook, to sell to us who like the aspect of the forbidden fruit.

gadget

 

[Gunnerlove]

Parker Hale kept marketing the same product line and went under.

Change is good, shows they are still thinking.

 

[Pblatzz]

Parker Hale is still around, they sell thier cleaning supplies, bi pods, and a few other items. The company who bought them wasn't interested in the firearms market after the firearms laws changed after the mass shooting in Scotland at the daycare.

Prior to than Parker Hale lost the military contract to AI... So it wasn't a bad product alone.

Parker Hale kept marketing the same product line and went under.

Change is good, shows they are still thinking.

 

[EC]

They need to realize that most civilian customers neither need nor want cheese grater rails to attach NV's, designators and tactical cup holders. I really do hope they keep the AW and that this new AE replacement will be a nice clean looking rifle.

The AX is great and all but it looks like a pressure washer.

I think you have to remember that AI originated for the military and then LE market. There are civilian customers but the majority obviously are utilized as working rifles. I don't think AI is going anywhere soon as Ghostie alluded to. As far as AI going head to head with companies like FNH, Rem, Sako etc, I think they already are.

 

[ghostie]

I think you have to remember that AI originated for the military and then LE market. There are civilian customers but the majority obviously are utilized as working rifles. I don't think AI is going anywhere soon as Ghostie alluded to. As far as AI going head to head with companies like FNH, Rem, Sako etc, I think they already are.

They are going head to head, but now they are going to do it with a product that looks just like the FN Ballista, the Remington MSR, the Barret MRAD, etc. - except their PSR clone is made by a 50 person company in Portsmouth England and costs in some cases double what their competitors are charging. A recipe for success?

As I have an AW, I end up talking to a lot of people about AW's all the time - and everybody that see it, tries it, etc. wants one. If I post pictures of it online people say they are "green with envy" or whatever. Other AW owners will tell you the same thing. I have yet to meet anyone who says "Yah, the AW's are cool, but what I really like is the AX" or anything similar. I'm sure there will be some here online, just for the sake of being a contrarian, but out at the range, among shooters, nobody says that.

What people want is the classic green AW. A lot of the guys at my range want one, but can't afford it - that's why I think canning the AE was such a disaster of a mistake for AI. It was a cost effective middle ground between the AW and the AICS, and retained the unmistakeable look that made the company famous. Do you think they will "replace" it with anything other than a cheaper version of a cheese-grater rail, Harris bi-pod, skeleton stock PSR clone? Of course not. And at that point, the guys at my range, and every range, will say, why not just get an Armalite or a Remington or a whatever. They're all the same thing anyway - and the made in the U.S.A. ones (at big factories) cost less.

I don't mean to sound doom and gloom, as the AW is my favorite rifle I've ever shot, and I wish it would stick around forever and give everybody - if they want it and save their pennies - a chance to experience the magic of these green meanies. But AI is being managed in a very stupid way. They've already almost gone bankrupt and had to sell off everything several times. It was the "love" (for lack of a better term) of the AW rifle, and the reams of military, police and civillian sales for that product that made it a company worth saving. I don't see that happening next time they run into trouble - having cancelled off all or most their iconic product line in favour of an expensive PSR clone.

Super interesting article in "Sniper" magazine I posted about when it came out earlier this year. I hope they do survive, and pull their heads out of their butts at some point.

 

[2bad4u2]

Ford didn't go out of business when it ceased Model T production. Neither will AI as long as they continue to produce high quality products that are sought after in the marketplace. Resting on one's laurels is a great way to achieve obsolescence.

 

[ghostie]

I'm not suggesting that they don't come up with anything new, or continue to innovate, or anything like that...

I'm suggesting that - along with their innovation - they continue to produce the products that their customers and potential customers actually want to buy. If that is not the receipe for a successful business, then I don't think we are speaking the same language. Lots of businesses "innovate" their way right out of business with all kinds of new-fangled products... that their customers don't want.

AI is lucky in that they have a product people actually want. Ask Wolverine how long AW and AE rifles last in their inventory (days) ... and how long some of those AX's sat around that they brought in last year (some of them are still up on the website now).

By the way, I got the last piece of the puzzle I need for my AW revamp I've been talking about in another thread - the picatinny forerails. With any luck I should have it done and back by the end of next week. I'll post some pics of course.

I ghetto photoshopped some pictures of my rifle together to show what it should look like when all done. I used the below image to steal the image of the fore rails from. Here's the "future" of AW (ouch, that hurts my eyes!):

And here's the past. I know which rifle I would want, and I think I know which one Buck Rogers would use:
(BTW, I don't think I'll ever get a job at Disney... the barrel is a little croocked,and skinny, but this shows about what it will look like when all put together)