AIA M10 B2 Rifle

[bearhunter]

They certainly are impressive to shoot. I'm really looking forward to doing some in depth load research with mine. I dout that I will ever use it hunt with. I mentioned it to another fellow from a nearby city and he told me they won't allow them in milsurp shoots. I suspect, that would pretty much be the rule on most ranges.

Taking in the factor of their considerable weight, I can't really see them being used as hunting rifles.

A.F. Medic, thanks for posting a pic of your rifle. I like the look of it. especially the fore end. Mine has a fore end similar to the No 5 without the nose cap.
The Aaustralian International rifles are fantastic rifles and are price quite low for their real value. There will never be a lot of them in any of their variations in North America, because of some undeserved bad press and non payment for the original shipments. To bad, because for many it would be their only opportunity to get a custom grade rifle in 7.62x51 and 7.62x39. It's also abvious to most, that the rifles will accept either M14 or AK47 magazines, if that is an attractive option.

[BushyFromOz]

There will never be a lot of them in any of their variations in North America, because of some undeserved bad press and non payment for the original shipments.

Unless they can get around this idea that the recievers were forged in vietnam and are likely to explode in your face i dont think they will ever gain any popularity. Too heavy to hunt with, not accurate enought to shoot fullbore with and beaten on price by most manufacturers, they are a firearm without a mission.

Having said that, i still want an M10 B2

[enfield303t]

Unless they can get around this idea that the recievers were forged in vietnam and are likely to explode in your face i dont think they will ever gain any popularity. Too heavy to hunt with, not accurate enought to shoot fullbore with and beaten on price by most manufacturers, they are a firearm without a mission.

Having said that, i still want an M10 B2

Well personally I think the myth about not being accurate will fall by the wayside once bearhunter does alot of testing with various loads and bullet weights. Knowing bearhunter personally he has the determination to find out exactly what ammo this rifle wants to "eat" and will only be happy when he figures it out.

I talked to him about the gun a couple of days ago and using surplus ammo he did get a pretty good group . Handloads of the right bullet and powder I am sure will improve it to where the accuracy will be excellent.

I am sitting on the fence about buying one only from the expense end as there are a couple of other Lee Enfields I want (well dozens more to be honest) including a De Lisle with a great traceable history. I may succumb to the pressure from bearhunter to buy one having a good amount of surplus ammo but also using his expertise to figure out the "perfect" load.

[Pablo]

I've been trying for 12 months to convince people how accurate these rifles can be. I may have been lucky with mine, but that thing is a great shooter. Even with factory ammo. I have noticed after it heats up it starts to lose some accuracy, but when you're only shooting 3 or 5 shot groups, its no big deal at all.

100m range, its a MOA rifle. Not sure what happens past that as ive never shot it past 100. And i never will. I've just sold it I needed some cash and had to pick a rifle to get rid of.....and theres no way im parting with any of my no 1's!

[Bruce_in_Oz]

There are a lot of people that have strange ideas about what makes a firearm "strong". Regarding "forgings", it should be remembered that every 03 Springfield, M1 and M14 receiver started life as a forging; ditto their respective bolts. I doubt whether most people have ever seen the process nor comprehend the metallurgical advantages of forging. Perhaps they are confusing the process with sand-casting. That old casting technology is itself hugely removed from modern investment casting; as used widely in the gun and aerospace business.

ALL original Lee Enfield receivers and bolts started out as forgings as well. I have seen the drawings for the raw forgings before machining.

Regarding weight, If you want a serous lightweight hunting rifle, contact the nice folk at "Ultralight Arms" here (Ultra Light Arms - custom made rifles) and prepare to empty your wallet for a fine rifle.

Most Australian field shooting is done from 4WD vehicles or motorbikes. It is more a practice of pest destruction than "polite" hunting. That said, I do know a bloke who carried his B1 up and down a lot of hills last year to nail a nice red deer in Queensland. He came back with a nice hat-rack, a heap of venison, a mile-wide grin and nary a word about the weight of his rifle.

Those of us who grew up thinning the wild pig population of Australia with Lee Enfields, look askance at rifles with 4 and 5 shot magazines. Many of us adopted ex-mil semi-autos with detachable box mags to do the job better. One of my best deer was shot with a real TRW M-14 (one shot from a 10 round mag) about 3 years before our fearless leaders in Canberra decided that we were not sufficiently mature to engage in such activities without massive government supervision. Back we went to the 19th century, Lee Enfields and now, M-10s. Never forget, never forgive.

[BushyFromOz]

My apologies, i just re-read what i posted and i was a bit ambiguous.

I mean the myth that the forging were made in vietnam, thus making them inferior and therefore dangerous. I dont subscribe to this at all, just stating that this myth proposed by internet experts is doing the firearms reputation harm

I, perosnally however am very fond of the AIA ladies, and i would happily purchase one for myself - if i could show genuine reason to both the police and the wife.

[bearhunter]

I won't go into this a long way but showing reason to the police, just makes my stomach boil. Australia must have a similar system to the UK.

Good luck my friends. One day you will have to take your police and government to task for their criminal attack on your rights and freedoms.

[Pablo]

Its not that big of a deal here bearhunter. Its very easy to get a firearms license infact.
You just need a genuine reason to own a gun. Which is fair enough IMO.
All you have to do is join a target shooting, hunting or collecting club - that counts as a genuine reason to own a gun. Then you just have to do a half assed firearm handling safety test that takes about 2 hours and you qualify to have a firearm.
Really, thats pretty fair and not a big deal at all.

It only gets tricky when you want semi and auto weapons.....and theres really very few genuine reasons to own those.

[Bindi2]

I can think of some good reasons to own an auto and even stronger reason to own and use a semi and i am in the position to own and use a semi by law but get that by the regulations the police put in place is harder than getting a ride on the shuttle to space. Australia is not free we are subjects over governed and over policed.

[Baal]

.....and theres really very few genuine reasons to own those.

Except for the most important reason of all in a free society... because you can.

Anyways, I own an AIA rifle, and love it. Not a huge fan of the teak personally... would prefer walnut. But still a sweet gun and I'd recommend them to anyone.