25-06 Ackley Improved velocities

[7stw]

I have a 25.06ai thanks to my brother Bean. I'm hitting a consistent 3748 with 92 HH. Mine is a 26 in barrel,very smooth, very accurate. It is devastating on . They will not walk away.

 

[Mike Matteson]

What your twist rate. I am looking at having a .257x 280AI built.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Mike that's a lot of forming- going with a 25-280AI. Unless you have a good supply of 280 or 280 AI brass. You having custom dies done up ??
Have a 25-06 AI and a 257 AI all with custom dies and throats played with and then getting brass ( for the 06 am using LC06Match brass ) but now starting to turn towards the headspace 25-06 brass not as heavy as the LC military brass and holds a little more powder / velocities are up now. Just my 5 cents worth.
Been with mine now over 50 + years.

 

[Mike Matteson]

You can make them from 26/06, 270, 7mm, 30/06 and few others cases. So you don't have to stay with one caliber. It was at the time I was going to have a 6mm/06 built. I became aware of the difference between the standard 06 cases, and the 280AI case. I do have a fair amount of Peterson 280AI cases presently (500) or so. I will go back in and get another 500 sometime later on. In the last year or so, I have determine that when I purchase brass I should get in 500 lots anymore. That way you are mostly dealing with the same lot of brass. I have resized brass to a different caliber for a long time. The 280AI gave me a little run of my money, but have that down petty pat now. It takes me 4 steps to size the .284 to .243 with bushing dies.
The only thing is if you are using new brass. You should cut all your cases to same length first. If you cut for neck thickness, that would be your next step. That makes the stopping at the same place or point on all the brass. Cutting the brass to thickness, I have been told to make those cut in two steps, because of the thickness of Petersons Brass to start with. From what I understand the new cases are uniformed on the I.D. and any uneven thickness are to the outside of the neck. Then size to caliber. I know they say here that use a mandrel to push the unevenness to the outside of the neck, that way the bullets going in straighter. I personal don't see the gain in that. The uneven neck is still causes problem at the time of firing the case, because the uneven neck hit the chamber, and pushes the bullet out of line anyway. So I feel no real gain there. I could be wrong, but that my way of thinking presently, and that can be changed if somebody comes up with a better reasons.
I will state it again, I have learn a lot here at Long Range Hunting, still do.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

I forgot about my 6mm06AI that was a big issue back in the 60's with the LC06NM brass. I loved my 6mm06AI so much for chucks that's when I went and did the 25-06AI. Now don't do as much shooting-sold the camp- do some tuna fishing now yellowfin-bigeye-swords-love the fluke & blackfish & seabass and like to just drown some worms and roll with the waves.
Since they came out with the headstamp 25-06 brass makes life much easier. Some years back was able to get some headstamp 6mm-06 brass got some 300 pcs still have a few 20 round bags in the back some place.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I loaded for 3 25/06's. I used 25/06, 270 and 30/06 brass. Each head stamp was for the different rifles. Being the neck I.D. is different from 6mm. and 25/06 it isn't much of a guessing game. I'll end up having to get a different reamer to the 25/280AI chambering. So I am now thinking of setting up and action with changeable short barrels to fire formed the cases. I never figure I would get to that point.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Mike: are all 3 chambered by the same smith ? I see that you have no choice but to go that route need just enough bbl to do the chamber / throat and a few inches as long as you use corn meal / oat meal / toilet paper / t-shirts with a stiff charge - to get it to form right
Don't do anymore wildcats too much work did the whisper-7mmBR from 308 brass-7mm TCU - 7mm IHMSA- 17 Rem as its known as now - 6mm & 22 PPC/220 brass- 219 AI 22 30-30 brass - 309 JDJ- love the contenders use the 14 inch bbls.

 

[FEENIX]

I have a ton more to learn because I recently learned I never took care of my old barrel. I started reloading for this last summer and kept running into pressure signs I couldn't figure out even downloading charges and discovered my barrel is really shot out and heavy carbon build up in the chamber. I never knew about pressure signs prior even the factory ammo had flattened primers so it was difficult to learn what to compare to.
Now I will be keeping round count, not shooting hot, a shooting journal and need to start reading on how to keep a new barrel clean.

I assure you Brother Kalsey (@B-LOT Banga) is as genuine as they come. He humbly noted that he is not an expert, but when Brother Kalsey says he will help you, believe me, he will, and then some.

Regarding reloading and the ability to read pressure, most reloading manual has a section on essential pressure warnings. Reloading esp., for LRH/S does not happen overnight. Take your time and enjoy the learning process. As I noted in #57,

If you want the ability to shoot factory ammo, AI is the way to go

Since you mentioned, you already dropped your rifle to your gunsmith, make sure you have the right twist and length for the bullet you intend to use. Your gunsmith should also be a good source of reloading. I am fortunate to have access to 8-10 reputable gunsmiths within an hour's drive, one 2 miles from my house. I have known my go-to gunsmith since 2003 and have established an excellent working relationship. Good luck with your project build, and keep us posted.

Ed

 

[Mike Matteson]

Mike: are all 3 chambered by the same smith ? I see that you have no choice but to go that route need just enough bbl to do the chamber / throat and a few inches as long as you use corn meal / oat meal / toilet paper / t-shirts with a stiff charge - to get it to form right
Don't do anymore wildcats too much work did the whisper-7mmBR from 308 brass-7mm TCU - 7mm IHMSA- 17 Rem as its known as now - 6mm & 22 PPC/220 brass- 219 AI 22 30-30 brass - 309 JDJ- love the contenders use the 14 inch bbls.

No on the chambers. 3 different rifles, and 3 different chambers. Some case would fit in other rifles, but not all. I didn't want to have chambering problem. So I came up with the use of different head stamps.
If I go to a new build it will be in a 25/208AI chambering with a 700 Rem L.A. Twist rate I haven't determine yet, and barrel weight, and length either. Probable 26" barrel length. The 6mm/280AI the barrel length is 30" and heavy barrel. To front end heavy. With that Rifle I am afraid that it's a barrel burner. So I can have it shorten up at both ends as need.
The other is I think I will buy my own reamer to built with, instead of the smith. I have the one presently.

 

[Koda_]

Its been fun to see this thread get some new chatter. To follow up on my project, its still at my gunsmith. I haven't heard back from him and the last I talked with him he was working on ordering me a custom Krieger barrel. Out of curiosity I checked Kriegers website and their lead time was /is 14 months for a custom barrel... ouch.
Due to that I'm realizing a long wait and the rifle probably wont be ready in time for fall hunting this year. My only other big game rifle is a 30-30 lever gun so I will be using that exclusively this year for deer and elk which in a way works out because I did not draw my any bull tag this year which means I will be hunting general season either the thick Oregon coast range or maybe a spike only general season hunt in Eastern Oregon (still deciding).
In the mean time I bought components to reload my AR in 223Wylde where components are more available offering me a chance to learn the fundamentals of creating an accurate handload and safely maximizing its velocity. At first my groups were terrible but I'm getting faster and more consistent at brass prep and I'm starting to get consistent tighter groups. Just last week I got super lucky and found some powder for my 30-30 so I will also be working on that as well though I have a good (pre-covid) stock of factory 30-30 ammo I'm currently zeroed with.
So not to change the subject here: It will be a long wait but I look forward to my custom 25-06AI, Remington 700, 1:7twist, 26" with the idea of loading heavier Hammers
In regards to reloading it feels a bit daunting to jump into a chamber that there isn't published load data for, you have to know to read pressure signs but Im comfortable learning that and knowing with the AI chamber I can safely explore the faster standard 25-06 velocities.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Look at what the 30/06 AI are doing and and others in a bullet weight. Back off just a tad, and go from there. The biggest thing is to get you case base against the bolt faces to fire form the cases. You also need to look at components for reloading. To acquire them as you are waiting. I haven't looked, but I am surprised that somebody isn't making a 06AI case to use to reload from. From there is would fairly easy to neck down to different calibers in the AI configurations.
That one of the reasons I switch to the 280AI case. I only have to size the neck.

 

[7stw]

What your twist rate. I am looking at having a .257x 280AI built.

1 in 10

 

[FEENIX]

Its been fun to see this thread get some new chatter. To follow up on my project, its still at my gunsmith. I haven't heard back from him and the last I talked with him he was working on ordering me a custom Krieger barrel. Out of curiosity I checked Kriegers website and their lead time was /is 14 months for a custom barrel... ouch.
Due to that I'm realizing a long wait and the rifle probably wont be ready in time for fall hunting this year.

Is Krieger the only barrel you are willing to use? Other excellent barrels are out there, but there is no guarantee on the wait time. I ordered a custom barrel from CarbonSix and their current wait time is 4.5-5.5 months. Also, IIWY, I would order the barrel myself. Barrel manufacturers have different lead times, call them directly or find a distributor that carries multiple barrels that might have your requirements.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Am only shooting the NOSLER'S 100-117 gr. Have you decided on your bullet weight ? The last few loads I did were the 115 gr BT & Silvertips. Have a boat load of these from my buddies shop days.
Barrels: Have used Hart-McGowen-Shilen-Lilja-Shaw- maybe one or two others need to check my book to be certain. Not sure about Krieger may have a bench bbl on one or two ?