Allen Mag Shooters Group

Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Nyles:
Let me know what you think of the Nosler brass when you get to it.
1kstr
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Been keeping an eye on this post since it started but have mot offered anything. You guys are doing well yourselves.

I do figure this is a good post to update you on some future projects that are in the works at Allen Precision Shooting.

Probably the project I am most excited about is my upcoming 300 Allen Xpress. This wildcat is basically nothing more then a 7mm AM necked up to 30 cal and designed around the new and very impressive 265 gr ULD RBBT from wildcat Bullets.

This bullet should offer ballistic performance equal to or better then the current best 338 cal long range bullets.

I am looking to match 30-378 Wby performance with my shorter 300 AX while using roughly 12 grains less powder. The reason I feel this is a realistic goal is because the Norma brass for the 30-378 Wby is very soft and will limit you to around 63,000 psi if you want repeated firings per case.

The Lapua case however will offer a significantly higher pressure ceiling which will allow more performance to be had with fewer grains of powder.

Although the 300 AX is designed around the Wildcat 265 gr ULD RBBT, any conventional bullet from 180 gr on up will work well including the new, huge 290 gr ULD RBBT but in my opinion that bullet is just a bit heavy for this round.

Being developed the same time as the 300 AX will be my 300 Allen Magnum. THis round will be based off the 408 CT. Basically a 30 cal version of my 338 Allen Magnum.

I have not yet settled on a final design yet. I have three to choose from. All the same, only differing by length of case. There is a 2.650", 2.850" and 3.050" long version that I will be testing. Going in true Allen Magnum tradition, the largest capacity that will work is what I will be going with.

With this monster we will be focusing on the 290 gr ULD RBBT for the bullet of choice and I hope to get 3300 fps with this bullet in 32" barrel lengths. That is if we go with the full length version.

Even the shortest design will still offer around 25 grains more powder capacity then the 30-378 Wby so anyway you cut it this will be the biggest 30 cal magnum out there.

Reamers are in shop as are test bullets. Only waiting on test barrels now which should be here very soon. Reamer prints have also been submitted for the making of FL Sizing dies. The 300 AX will be fully developed by spring with the 300 AM finished R&D this summer.

Also, the big 338 Allen Magnum is getting a little brother as well, the 338 Allen Xpress. Based on the Lapua case again. This one was not really planned. A customer wanted a 338 Lapua improved. I did not have a reamer and would have to draw up a new one and get dies made anyway so I asked him if he wanted a 338 Allen Xpress as I had the reamer print drawn up already. He agreed and in a month or so I will have my 338 AX reamer. This will be the easiest of the APS rounds to load for, load and shoot 338 Lapua rounds and out comes a 338 AX.

Again, basically looking to match what the 338-378 Wby will offer but in a shorter case with a bit less powder. Will be a very good ballance for someone looking for a nice comfortable 338 magnum chambering. Well, at least compared to my 338 Allen Magnum!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also in the works but a bit farther out is a very interesting couple of round which will provide a truely impressive level of power to us long range shooters.

Up to this point, when someone wanted extreme power at long range, they instantly jumped from the 338 cal up to 510 cal. Now some new 375s, 408s and 416s are filling the gap but most still fall well short of the 50 cal rounds in power. The smaller rounds do offer much improved ballistic potential but I wanted both.

Again in a joint project with Richard Graves, we will be designing the 458 Allen Tactical and 458 Allen Magnum. The Allen Tactical will be nothing more then my 50 Allen Tactical(408 CT parent case) necked down to 458. THe bullets that will be used will be up to 750 gr ULD RBBT. Lower weight bullets will be in the 600 gr range still with the ULD RBBT bullet design.

Ballistic performance should be right there with the very best 50 cal match bullets and in the case of the 750 gr version, even better. I am looking to get 2550 to 2600 fps with the 600 gr ULD RBBT in the 458 AT.

At this time Richard is waiting on jackets to get in so we can make some bullets and get things rolling from that point.

The other 458 wilcat is the 458 Allen Magnum. FOr this round I decided that the full size 50 BMG necked down to 458 was just a bit much. My 510 Allen Magnum necked down to 458 is WAY to much capacity.

So I ordered in some 50 Spotter cases and decided they would offer just the perfect capacity for what I am looking for. My design will neck the case down to 458 cal and leave a neck length of around 3/8" and then fireform the case to the Allen Magnum shoulder and body configuration. In comparision to other rounds in capacity, here is how they stack up as far as water weight capacity:

338 Allen Magnum..............163 gr
458 Allen Tactical............171 gr
50 BMG........................293 gr

458 Allen Magnum..............251 gr

This will offer just enough reduction in case capacity compared to the standard BMG to allow the use of easily attainable loading powders to be used to get full benefit of this caliber and bullet weight.

The 416 Barrett would be about perfect but if it was fireformed to the AM shoulder and body design it would have nearly identical case capacity to the 50 BMG, just to much.

The 50 Spotter case is a neat "little" case being identical to the BMG except for 1" shorter in length. Basically its the same length as the 408 CT case. The spotter case looks pretty small and squatty until you set it next to a 408 case!!!

These rounds will probably not be released until late 2007 until full testing can be done.

After the 458 Allen Magnum is proven to be a practical design, I may also release a 416 or 408 version as well depending on bullet availability. A 416 Allen Magnum would easily match the 416 Barrett and do so in a case with a capacity much more in balance with that bore diameter instead of having to load to low load density levels in the Barrett.

Anyway, thats a preview of what will be happening in 2007 so far anyway!!! I am sure more will pop up as we go along.

There are also some very exiting things in the works as far as bullets go from Richard but I have to keep that quiet until the time gets closer!!! Lets just say if things work out as Richard hopes, ballistic performance will be taken to yet another level with the Wildcat Bullets!!! Time will tell if it will be practical financially however.

Extensive testing will also be performed on the new 375 gr ULD RBBT in 338. This is one HUGE bullet. Bullets have been sent off to get the proper rifling twist designed for this bullet as well. These bullets combined with some future bullets projects already mentioned may just give us that legit +3000 yard consistancy that has so far been very hard to get with conventional bullets. Well, any bullets for that matter!!

More to come as always from the shop.

Also wanted to thank you guys for helping making the 2006 year my best yet and 2007 has already started off faster then '06!!!

Thanks for all your support!!

Kirby Allen(50)
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

1K,
I like it in my 300WM, but still gonna be awhile before I have an opinion as using it for the 270AM, Kirby has only had the order for my 270AM for a lil over a month and as he says we are still in the ordering staqe(by no means does that mean my parts arent ordered just not all in yet).

But I am going to start off with the nosler brass simply because I like it so far and thats about my only choice for ANY ultra brass. IMHO remmy brass doesnt hold a candle to it!

Kirby is alive! Nice update /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Kirby,
Do you keep a log of how many guns you build in each of your AM CAL's?
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Nyles, thanks. I was thinking of just getting the Remmy 7mmRUM brass and it would be easier to load. Anybody using the 300RUM brass from Nosler yet for their 270AM? Comments.
1kstr
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

I think I have gone crazy or maybe it happened long ago but I only recently noticed it. Somewhere I lost the thread on annealing. Anyway, it is all snowed up here and I have been trying to get ready for next Fall hunting. My problem is that I am most likely going to have to anneal my 7AM cases so I can get them into final "ready to go hunting" shape. After useing the search function I came upon several mechanical devices for annealing cases. The most interesting was the one from Hornady which chucks onto a drill and spins the case while you heat it with a propane torch. It costs $48.

Well, if there is anything I have got a lot of, it is "weird stuff". Surely somewhere in the garage I would find something that would hold a 338 lapua case head on one end and chuck into a drill on the other end. After randomly moving stuff around for about 15 minutes I happened upon a electrical conduit connector which has a little offset screw. Amazingly, it fit the 338 case head just right. Now then all I needed was a way to get it chuckable. A bolt and a couple of washers and two nuts later I had my $48.00 annealer. The little set screw on the conduit adapter was a bother so I bent up a nice easy to use one.

Fabricate a little frame to hold the torch steady and another cradle to hold the drill, get some temperature paint, a bowl of quench water and I will be ready to melt brass. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

annealer2.jpg
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

bb, you never cease to amaze me. You didn't even have to go to the neighbor's, even once! That gets you high marks.

I'd bag the temp paint idea. You'll know, by instink /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif when the temp ring migrates just the right amount down the case from the mouth. Don't ask how you'll know, you'll just know.

BTW, hauled the Mini lathe/mill/drill home just a bit ago. Durn thing takes 3 men and a boy to move it around and, I'm the boy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Kirby, Shawn and a few others had best watch out now! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I'll be turnin' out stuff that'll make their eyes water and sides hurt.....from laughin' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Bob your a genius /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
You got a patent on that thing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

I can't believe you'd put that fine piece of southern engineering brilliance on such a rusty old drill!!!

Now I know how you can afford all that glass you've been buying. You've been using the same drill since '73!!
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Hey Bob,

I was thinking about something similar only using my cordless. Chuck the case up in the hand chuck, then run it in reverse in front of the torch. When the temp paint melts grab the chuck and let the case fall into the pan.

Haven't given it a try yet, but it will hold cases up to the UM size with no problems. Just need some time around the house to work out the finer points.

With so much to do in the country now that hunting season is over, not sure when that will be.
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

BB,

Don't worry about the temp paint. When you anneal, turn most of the lights off, like your setting the mood with your sweetie(your wife, not rifles!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Apply your heat source to the neck area of your case. It will depend on the intensity of your heat source how far you need to hold off the case.

You do not want to turn the necks bright red in color. What you want is a dull red, just when the case starts to show sign of turning red. This is where the low light conditions help you see it better then in bright light.

If you get the case necks to red, they will loose their ability to actually hold a bullet and you will be in a pickle!!

What you want is the neck to heat up at a rate where it will turn this dull red color about the time the discoloration ring from the heat works its way about 1/4" down below the case shoulder. Will just take some playing to get it right. Once you do it will be no problem.

As far as setting the case anneal where you want it. Most common way is to drop the case into a bucket of water as quickly as possible once you get the heating color you want.

That said, I have talked to many that just let their cases air dry and they report they get good results but no doubt they do loose some of the annealing properties doing this.

I have been in a hurry at times and instead of using water I have let my compressor build up about 125 psi and use air to cool the necks as well.

YOu apply your heat until you get the color you want and then quickly pull the torch away and apply the compressed air via a high pressure nozzle right on the case neck area.

This is certainly not as fast at cooling the necks as water but its pretty darn quick to cool down the case. Almost instantly the neck will turn dark when the air hits it.

You also do not have to worry about drying cases properly either this way. Just a bit less mess but you have to be able to juggle the air hose and torch at the same time!!!

Most important, do not over heat the cases. Not getting hot enough is better then overheating in most cases. As long as you are seeing some discoloration in the cases you are getting some annealing occuring.

To test, you can take an annealed case and a pair of pliers and gentally squeeze the case necks, they should crush easily under the pressure of the pliers and when the pressure is relieved they should stay crushed with no spring back.

Do not totally colapse the case neck, just a slight squeeze will tell you what you need and then just run that case through the FL die and its back ready to be loaded.

Good luck, looks like your contraption will work fine, just watch that lock bolt flying around when your annealing!!!

Kirby Allen(50)
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

Roy,

No more trade secrets for you!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We could get three men and a boy on my lathe and they would bust 8 nuts before they would be able to knock it out of level!!!

Have fun with your new little monster, be careful!! It may not be huge but it will still take off whatever gets in its way as far as fleshy parts!!!

Kirby Allen(50)
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

buffalobob,

This is the case holder from a Lee OAL Case Trim thing. About $7.95 or so.

34ocy8n.jpg
 
Re: Allen Mag Shooters Group -In the interest of sharing info

bb you'd make a good mopar racer i was all ways have to fabracate some part or tool i couldnt find when i was racing my 69 dart
 
Warning! This thread is more than 9 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top