Australian International Arms M10 B1 info needed

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firstson

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I have seen one of the AIA 308 rifles in model M10-B1. This rifle is in as new condition. What would be a reasonable price and are they collectable?
 
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That was how it once was. A big plus is if you have the original AIA cheek weld piece. Then if it was immaculate, it might command close to that 2k. But good luck.

I had one with the cheek weld addition. Fun rifle. Accurate. Hard on the shoulder with that steel butt plate and the relatively light weight.
 
Max Owner said:
Why was production stopped?
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They wanted to export to us USA but apparently misrepresented the origin of some of their components. Wood and possibly other parts were sourced from the Philippines (I believe) and that didn’t fly with importation to the USA. Possibly because they didn’t tell the USA importer about foreign made parts. That’s my limited understanding at least. Once the US market fell through, they just weren’t viable.
 
Also have heard tales that they were angling to get a contract to replace the Canadian Rangers Lee Enfields but were turned down due to a large amount of parts breakage in testing.
 
Blastattack said:
They wanted to export to us USA but apparently misrepresented the origin of some of their components. Wood and possibly other parts were sourced from the Philippines (I believe) and that didn’t fly with importation to the USA. Possibly because they didn’t tell the USA importer about foreign made parts. That’s my limited understanding at least. Once the US market fell through, they just weren’t viable.
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I was always under the impression it was from Vietnam, which would also make more sense.
 
The only reason they command such a price of ~$2000 is their rarity.

Quality is crap for that money, and lots of folks passed on them when they were ~$700 brand new.
Add to the fact they were new, commercial production, I think interest from collectors was low.

For the price they are at now, you could source a nice original enfield with history - say a nice DCRA SR club gun or put the funds toward grail rifles like a No4T.
IMHO
 
I have a feeling a few people wish they bought them back when, nice guns if you like Lee Enfields but want to shoot .308 or 7.62X39.
 
I do wish I had got one of the full wood no4 look alikes when they were $700, I have a B3 and one of the 7.62x39 carbines to play with though

They are heavy rifles what with the teak stocks and the front sight lateral adjustment screws on both seem to be short and barely grip (one seems cross threaded almost) but other than that they are great rifles
 
I have one. The forearm tip warped a touch - so presses tightly to one side of the barrel - last four inches of the long stock or so - is a "plan" in place to straighten and reinforce that, but not done yet. Also, at the "draws" - not like original Lee Enfield No. 4 at all - different approach to make that stock to be tight to that receiver. But, for looking at outside - kinda looks like a Lee Enfield No. 4, and it does use 7.62 NATO ammo - so "good enough"! Is a different "taste" however, when set side by side with a Parker Hale 1200 TX in 7.62 NATO - not the same at all - different strokes, as they say ...

Really "helps" that this AIA has the comb riser and the factory scope base rail - I have an SWFA 16X for it - the 1200 TX only has the Parker Hale Aperture sights - on front and rear - how it was made and how it will stay while I own it.
 
They went belly up only because the majority of their shipment of $2 million worth of stock for the American market was seized by US customs because it was later found out by US customs that the wood furniture (Teak) and some of the gun (receiver forging) parts came from Vietnam and at the time the US had a embargo on Vietnam goods and the importer/distributor (Sabre Defence and Tristar Arms) in the US refused to accept any responsibility, Sabre also went bankrupt not long after in 2011.

Only about 2000 AIA rifles were sold in the USA before they became banned and the unsold stock seized and when they come up for sale on sites like Gunbroker sell for a substantial premium.

They were still assembled/made in Australia but with some of the parts (like stocks) sourced from Asia.

If you Google them you will find they are still often available second hand in Australia at dealers and are very much in demand and go for prices above regular Lee Enfield rifles there.


https://www.guns.com/firearms/rifle...on-10-rounds-16-barrel-new?p=236912&soldout=1

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/12/25/aia-m-10-coming-to-eu-and-us/



 
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