284 Ackley questions

[Alibiiv]

Hello everyone,
I need help from ya'll with a gun that my father left me. I think it is a Mauser but there is nothing indicating a brand of any kind. It sure looks like Mausers I see online. It has ".284 ackley" stamped on the barrel and a couple of serial numbers on it, but nothing else. I found some reloading dies that my dad had labeled for this gun but they are 7mm and 7x57mm dies. I also found some cartridges labeled "to be fire formed". I understand that this is a way of re-shaping a cartridge to fit a slightly different caliber. Is this what they refer to as a "wildcat" bullet? Can 7mm bullets be made to work in the .284 ackley? I took it to a gun shop and they informed me that this caliber is "dead" and they were not interested in the gun in any way. I refuse to believe that this beautiful gun is worthless, so I need folks who really know their stuff to give me some advice. Help!

Yes the .284 Ackley Improved is what is known as a WILDCAT cartridge. The gunshop that told you the .284 Ackley Improved is a dead cartridge and not worth anything is probably a place that I wouldn't enter again for advice!!! The cartridge is a unique cartridge, but......it's not a dead cartridge (that's an opinion from a person who really is not that knowledgeable about wildcat cartridges!!!); and.......it's a great performer in the ballistics department.

Yes you have to fireform the brass, but that's really not a big deal, time consuming but not difficult to do. From your OP is suspect that you are new to reloading and the wildcat arena (?), if so, and you plan on making/fireforming, I'd strongly suggest that you (1) get a mentor to help you make your first batch of brass, (2) do a lot of reading on this forum as it's a good one to help you through the process, (3) look into purchasing a hydro-form die from companies like Hornady, Whidden, or Sinclair. The hydro-forming dies use water and a mallet to form your brass instead of fireforming the brass; read the forum about this process. I use a Hornady hydro-forming die to form my brass, I find it to do a decent job. As many of the replies have already stated, bring the rifle, the dies and anything that you think is related to the rifle to a good gunsmith and have them assess what you have. Also I would look around/search to see if there are a set of dies labeled .284 Ackley Improved, there might be two rifles, one chambered for .284 Ackley Improved and another 7 X 57mm..

I have a .270 Ackley Improved, I too was told that it was not a good "Ackley Improved" cartridge, yet I'm told that the .280 Ackley Improved is a much better choice ballistically; I totally disagree. For the game that I am hunting and at the range/distances that I intend to shoot, it is a perfect cartridge, and.....I'll put the cartridge up against a .280 Ackley Improved any day!!! The basic .284 Winchester is a formidable cartridge, the .284 Ackley Improved is a .284 Winchester on steroids and a "very" formidable cartridge for mid-sized game.

Lastly if it were my father's rifle I'd keep it as a treasure even if I could not use the rifle. Or.....if you chose to do so, you could take the rifle to a gunsmith and ask him to return the rifle back to a .284 Winchester; turn the barrel back a couple of threads and rechamber the rifle to .284 Winchester. Good luck with whatever you choose to do; and.....the .284 Ackley Improved is "not" a dead cartridge, it's an Ackley Improved and thus so it will never die!!!

 

[shortgrass]

With the .284 Win. case having only .025 taper to begin with, "improving" it so it has only .016" taper from neck to base can't be worth much improvement. "IF" the rifle is chambered for the "improved" .284, custom dies can be made. You need a 'hands-on' gunsmith to determine what it is that you have.

 

[Alibiiv]

With the .284 Win. case having only .025 taper to begin with, "improving" it so it has only .016" taper from neck to base can't be worth much improvement. "IF" the rifle is chambered for the "improved" .284, custom dies can be made. You need a 'hands-on' gunsmith to determine what it is that you have.

Put the right barrel length, 26inch+, on the rifle and reap the harvest of the .284 Ackley Improved with the straighter taper and the 40 degree shoulder instead of the 35 degree on the .284 Winchester. The case is .475 at the juncture of the case juncture and the shoulder angle, 40 degrees ought to have some benefit.

I was told when I built the .270 Ackley Improved was not worth building also. I read where Ackley himself said that the cartridge was already overbore; but, his opinion was 50+ years ago. My gunsmith is the one who convinced me to build the .270AI after he told me the performance he was getting out of his. With the new, modern powders today I'm finding that the .270 Ackley certainly was worth building! I'm getting 3300fps with a 150 ABLR (BC of .625) out of a 26 inch Lilja barrel. And if one of the ammunition manufactures decides that the .284 Ackley Improved is the latest, fastest, deadliest, long-range, 1000 yard, elephant destroyer, cartridge of the century, then it will become famous; like maybe the .280 Ackley Improved.

 

[Buster Hemlock]

If it is a 284 AI and you don't want to reload you can just shoot 284 Win ammo through it. HSM still has 284 win as well as a few other companies. If you do reload then 284 AI is a great cartridge with great performance. What length barrel do you have? You probably have brass already seeing as it was your fathers rifle and he likely reloaded but if not buying 6.5x284 brass and expanding the necks is a relatively easy process. Load them with a moderate 284 load and shoot to form them to your AI chamber and then work up as usual.

 

[shortgrass]

Earth to Alibiiv, the .284 Ackley isn't going to become famous, not while you can buy 28 Nosler loaded ammo and brass right off the shelf........... For that reason, the .270AI won't either. As for "the right barrel", the only rifle I shoot that doesn't wear a custom barrel ( a Krieger, Hart, Bartlein, Brux or Benchmark) is my Anschutz .22LR. It makes little sense to me to try to re-invent the wheel. If you can't kill it with a .270 you won't kill it with a .270AI.. But, to each his own as "everyone seems to have an idea".

 

[Alibiiv]

Earth to Alibiiv, the .284 Ackley isn't going to become famous, not while you can buy 28 Nosler loaded ammo and brass right off the shelf........... For that reason, the .270AI won't either. As for "the right barrel", the only rifle I shoot that doesn't wear a custom barrel ( a Krieger, Hart, Bartlein, Brux or Benchmark) is my Anschutz .22LR. It makes little sense to me to try to re-invent the wheel. If you can't kill it with a .270 you won't kill it with a .270AI.. But, to each his own as "everyone seems to have an idea".

"If you can't kill it with a .270 you won't kill it with a .270AI.." I made this build because "I wanted a wildcat" and chose this one because it was unique. I could also maintain a position of "If you cannot kill it with a .280 Remington you won't kill it with a .280AI!!!" ;and, we've got a .280 Ackley Improved SAAMI adopted by Nosler, and that was my point. One could maintain this position on mostly any wildcat cartridge. Then one could take a look at any of the WSM cartridges, they too are the same "only" they are built on a short-action platform; ie. the .270 Winchester and the .270 Winchester Short Magnum. Who would of thought there ever would be a WSM line of cartridges. As for the "right barrel" I was talking about barrel length, not manufacturer; I guess I ought to have been more clearer on that when I wrote it. As with many overbore cartridges, that extra barrel length really improves the performance of a cartridge (length matters) whether it is a wildcat or a standard SAAMI magnum cartridge. In my opinion that is indisputable.

Now as for "Earth to Alibiiv" , personalizing a person's opinion is not what we're here for. I agree with you what you wrote about, "everyone seems to have an opinion". I believe that we are all on here either "learn" or "share" our experience/knowledge on topics of reloading, equipment, hunts and anything else that pertains to shooting and hunting. The OP's father left him a rifle, he's asking for direction, I gave him my opinion on the father's choice of cartridge and its advantages. For me receiving a father's heirloom and wanting to keep that heirloom going is commendable/priceless; and for me downgrading the cartridge choice that heirloom was built on is not. And.....I will guarantee you that the .284 Ackley Improved, with the right barrel length, will improve the performance of an already good cartridge the .284 Winchester; and....that's my opinion. When I read other's opinions on here I take from it whatever I can and leave the rest. If I really like what one has written in a reply, I will give that reply a "LIKE" as I have done with a some or your replies; usually we agree on topics.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

"If you can't kill it with a .270 you won't kill it with a .270AI.." I made this build because "I wanted a wildcat" and chose this one because it was unique. I could also maintain a position of "If you cannot kill it with a .280 Remington you won't kill it with a .280AI!!!" ;and, we've got a .280 Ackley Improved SAAMI adopted by Nosler, and that was my point. One could maintain this position on mostly any wildcat cartridge. Then one could take a look at any of the WSM cartridges, they too are the same "only" they are built on a short-action platform; ie. the .270 Winchester and the .270 Winchester Short Magnum. Who would of thought there ever would be a WSM line of cartridges. As for the "right barrel" I was talking about barrel length, not manufacturer; I guess I ought to have been more clearer on that when I wrote it. As with many overbore cartridges, that extra barrel length really improves the performance of a cartridge (length matters) whether it is a wildcat or a standard SAAMI magnum cartridge. In my opinion that is indisputable.

Now as for "Earth to Alibiiv" , personalizing a person's opinion is not what we're here for. I agree with you what you wrote about, "everyone seems to have an opinion". I believe that we are all on here either "learn" or "share" our experience/knowledge on topics of reloading, equipment, hunts and anything else that pertains to shooting and hunting. The OP's father left him a rifle, he's asking for direction, I gave him my opinion on the father's choice of cartridge and its advantages. For me receiving a father's heirloom and wanting to keep that heirloom going is commendable/priceless; and for me downgrading the cartridge choice that heirloom was built on is not. And.....I will guarantee you that the .284 Ackley Improved, with the right barrel length, will improve the performance of an already good cartridge the .284 Winchester; and....that's my opinion. When I read other's opinions on here I take from it whatever I can and leave the rest. If I really like what one has written in a reply, I will give that reply a "LIKE" as I have done with a some or your replies; usually we agree on topics.

I like wildcat calibers I too was told there was very little difference between the 270 and the 270 AI but it's fun to shot a caliber that most people don't have I have a 6mm 284 th as t several people asked me why I wanted one I wanted just to have

 

[Alibiiv]

Earth to Alibiiv, the .284 Ackley isn't going to become famous, not while you can buy 28 Nosler loaded ammo and brass right off the shelf........... For that reason, the .270AI won't either. As for "the right barrel", the only rifle I shoot that doesn't wear a custom barrel ( a Krieger, Hart, Bartlein, Brux or Benchmark) is my Anschutz .22LR. It makes little sense to me to try to re-invent the wheel. If you can't kill it with a .270 you won't kill it with a .270AI.. But, to each his own as "everyone seems to have an idea".

And......one last thing! Here is a reply that I wrote to a forum member, who was looking for some direction with an heirloom, in the thread "Old 06", my opinion on heirlooms:

I was wondering what your budget looked like? I have a Rem 700ADL that I bought for my father in 1969 for helping me remodel a house. I glass bedded and floated the barrel from 4 inches in front of the recoil lug. I am not sure if I worked the Remington trigger or put a Timney trigger in it, but the trigger is great for hunting purposes. I was looking at the stock, the checkering is really nice and in good shape, the stock does have some good diggers in it. If you take your time you could make this rifle look original. Use a toothbrush (or soft brush) and get some good finish stripper (Citrus stripper one from Home Depot), give the stock a couple of good coats of the stripper. I usually will leave that last coat on the stock overnight, the next day I put a second coat over that one and wipe it down. If you are going to use a scraper, I use a plastic auto body spreader; would not use a metal one on the stock. I'd sand out and blend the diggers in, then put a couple of coats of teak oil on the stock and use one of the gun stock finishes like Birchwood Casey/Brownells to finish it. My son does autobody painting, I've had him put a couple coats of mat finish clear on my stocks, looks really good if you have those resources. Nice to see a rifle handed down generations. I agree with most of the replies about keeping is simple, and I'd try the original barrel first if it were mine. Good luck with the build."

For me heirlooms are priceless and ought to be touted. I know that my son will have many heirlooms in the future; and, I already know they will be priceless to him!

 

[FlyFishGal505]

Here are some photos:

 

[Hatrick]

Put a retro scope on it. Have somebody help you load for it. Go hunting with Dad.

 

[just country]

morning, question I have heard of the 7x57 AI. I customized
the stock. very good cartridge.
what is the 7.5x55?? justme gbot tum

 

[just country]

morning, very nice custom!! justme gbot tum

 

[Alibiiv]

View attachment 153132 View attachment 153133 View attachment 153135 View attachment 153131 View attachment 153137 Here are some photos:

Want to tell you that whoever did that job did a nice one. There's been a lot of custom work done on it like the stock, custom bluing and rewelded bolt to name but a few. I totally agree with what Hatrick put in his reply to you. Learning to make loads for a wildcat cartridge, like the .284AI, really is not that difficult especially if you have someone to mentor you through the process. It's a little pricey to start and a little time consuming but well worth the effort once you are into it.

I was talking with my son about what you have in reference to the dies that were labeled "for this gun" and they had 7X57 stamped on them. I'm not too sure about what you have there for dies, and...I'd bring them to a reliable gunsmith to get the dies cast to find out what you have?? I think it would be a good idea to look around to see if there's another set of dies that have .284 Ackley Improved stamped into them. The .284AI and the 7X57mm are two totally different cartridges, and certainly ought not to be confused with each other.

 

[Hatrick]

Take the dies with you when you go to the smith. Have him cast your chamber and the dies. Dad could have had them chambered alike.