Have had a couple 243s but no AI's. Have wanted one at one time or another though.
I just really begin to ask myself the same thing. As much as a guy likes to shoot, is it worth the expense and hassle to AI a 243 when the barrels gonna be shot out in a couple years anyways?
I"ve heard the throat life on 243 AI"s are not very good. Someone shoots 1000 rounds a year out of it, which is very very easy to do, not even 100 rounds a month, then yoru going to be looking at a rebarrel every year or close to it.
Guess you pay the price for performance though, theres no way aroudn that in anything.