Accuracy International ATX Launch

I recently attended the launch of the new AT-X Short Action 6.5 Creedmoor Competition Rifle from Accuracy International (AI), and thought it would be a good idea to tell you all about it!

The venue

Now, before I jump straight into the details about the rifle, a quick word about the venue. Since the new AT-X is aimed at the PRS crowd, AI opted to use the Chobham Ridge Range down at Bisley. For those who are not familiar with this range, it looks across the danger area towards the main camp and once in position, the shooter can see a sea of steel! The closest target is an electronic one and this is used to check zero before moving onto the steel targets that are dotted across the hills. Distances range from 300 to 1067 yards, making Chobham the perfect place to try out a new rifle!

Tell me more

Those familiar with Accuracy International will know that they have a legendary reputation for producing some of the finest sniper rifles in the world. These are primarily sold to the military and law enforcement agencies around the world, but AI also has a strong civilian following. The current range of rifles consists of the AT308, AX308, AXMC and the AX50. Now, due to the rigorous demands of the growing civilian competition shooting community, AI decided to design and launch a dedicated competition rifle; the AT-X.

Specs

The base rifle comes chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and is fitted with a 416 stainless steel, 6-groove, 1:8 twist, 24” ‘competition’ grade, heavy profile, cut-rifled barrel. It is threaded 5/8x24 UNEF and comes with a thread protector. What’s particularly exciting is that is manufactured in the UK by AI, so the odds are that it will perform!

At the heart of the AT-X is AI’s standard AT/AX short action, which is not only extremely popular due to its proven track record but because it allows the user to quickly swap out the barrel. This is a particularly useful feature for those of us that put a lot of rounds through a barrel each year! Up top is a 20 MOA Picatinny rail.

Controls

The standard 6-lug bolt comes fitted with a 1.6mm firing pin and in use provides a 60° lift. At the rear, the bolt shroud shows a three-position safety catch and a cocked action indicator.

Feed is from a detachable, 10-round double-stack magazine, which can also be loaded through the rifle’s ejection port. The ambidextrous release catch is located at the rear of the mag well for easy access.

One of the most significant features is the AI USA / XTSP competition trigger, which replaces the standard trigger found on the AT. It is a 2-stage unit and the pull weight can be adjusted from 1.5- 2.75 lbs, making it ideal for comps.

New chassis

AI has gone to a lot of effort to cater for the competition shooter and this is reflected in the design of their new chassis. Firstly, unlike their other rifles, the action is not bonded into the chassis, instead, it is secured via two captive action screws. Secondly, the design allows the barrelled action to sit lower, so that recoil follows a straighter line into the shoulder, which in turn reduces muzzle flip and helps the shooter to maintain a sight picture and spot impacts down range. This is a particularly useful attribute when shooting from improvised positions and through portholes. Thirdly, the balance point sits just in front of the mag well, where a builtin barricade stop is located. Perfect!

Details

The 7075 billet aluminium chassis includes a fixed, adjustable butt stock, but a folding hinge kit is available as an accessory. Using an Allen key, the height of the cheek piece can be altered 0.86” in 0.215” increments, while the length of pull can be adjusted from 12.6” to 14.75” in 0.215” increments, plus additional spacers can also be fitted. The height and angle of the butt pad can be adjusted using a thumbwheel. The base of the butt shows a length of Pic rail and comes fitted with a small grip. Further forward is an AR-style pistol grip, which can be swapped out for a different design if required.

At the base of the 17.5” forend, there is an integral RRS spec rail interface, which can be used in conjunction with compatible tripods and bipods. AI KeySlots are positioned on the right-hand side of the mag well and along both sides of the forend. These allow the rapid and secure attachment of accessories, like AI’s stackable ½ lb weights. Incidentally, weights can also be fitted internally, within the barrel channel. Finally, if you want to fit a forend bridge for additional accessory real estate or simply to protect the barrel, then short and long versions are available.

Range Time

The AI shooting Team had attached an AT-X to a tripod and the setup included a Nightforce scope and muzzle brake. Picking up a 10-round mag, I inserted it into the mag well where there is a nice cut out on the left-hand side that makes insertion easier. From a seated position and using Hornady Match ammo, I started at 342 yards with a rapid 10-shot string, to highlight some of the characteristics of the rifle. With small breaks in between, I reloaded multiple times and moved on to targets at 444 and 547 yards. The word ‘impact’ became a regular occurrence and indicated to me that the rifle was showing its true colours!

So what did I think? Well, taking into account the muzzle brake and the ergonomics, recoil was extremely manageable and made followup shots a breeze. The trigger was a delight as the blade was nice and wide and the two stages did not merge into one another. If I had to guess it was breaking crisply at around 1.5 lbs. To top everything off, the action was slick and ruthlessly efficient. A lot of rounds went through that barrel in a short period and I was impressed with its consistency. Overall, all of the above translated into a pretty tidy group on the target at 547 yards!

Over and out

If you have £4,500 and are in the market for a competition rifle, I can recommend taking a look at the AT-X. There is some good news for AT owners as the chassis can be purchased separately, plus AI is doing a version that will fit any rifle with Remington 700 footprint! Hopefully, once a rifle and one of the chassis systems become available a full and very detailed review will appear in Gun Mart.

Contact:

www.accuracyinternational.com