DoneNOut
Well-Known Member
SO, you have a chamber cut for Ackley Improved and then you fireform a regular case?
Question about Ackley Improved
- Thread starter DoneNOut
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Yep
DoneNOut
Well-Known Member
and buy AI dies?
WWP2012
Well-Known Member
Depending on the cartridge. Some versions of the parent case have longer necks. That is the version you want to use. In FF to AI the brass has to come from somewhere, which is usually the neck.
Example I shoot a 260ai. I use 243 brass so the extra .010 of neck length keeps the necks closer to what they should be after FF to 260ai.
Example I shoot a 260ai. I use 243 brass so the extra .010 of neck length keeps the necks closer to what they should be after FF to 260ai.
snox801
Well-Known Member
Yep you got it. If done right you are able to shoot factory ammo with a good amount of accuracy.
That's why I like them if you are already reloading it's very little downside.
So the way I do mine is. New rifle buy 100 pc brass. Load them all to my chosen load usually around the top of book max for factory ammo.
I use those 100 rounds as brake in. Barrels tend to speed up after 50-100 rounds. Usually 50ish. That always my break it to cover my fireform so no extra barrel wear. Then do load work and collect data for my drops. Now if that forming time takes me to hunting season I can hunt with my forming ammo also just have to know how it's shooting.
That's why I like them if you are already reloading it's very little downside.
So the way I do mine is. New rifle buy 100 pc brass. Load them all to my chosen load usually around the top of book max for factory ammo.
I use those 100 rounds as brake in. Barrels tend to speed up after 50-100 rounds. Usually 50ish. That always my break it to cover my fireform so no extra barrel wear. Then do load work and collect data for my drops. Now if that forming time takes me to hunting season I can hunt with my forming ammo also just have to know how it's shooting.
Yep you will need the dies
If you have any trouble just give me a hollar
Tripodmvr7
Well-Known Member
My experience with 243 to 243AI.
1. Factory ammo shoots similar to the original chamber
2. 243 reloads gave excellent results in the new chamber - fire-forming is not detrimental to accuracy.
3. Had my Lee 243 dies cut with the same reamer so that I have a bump die in essence
4. The Lee Collet 243 die resizes the AI cases without a problem.
5. No more donuts to worry about. Headspace is also sorted and less or no stretching of cases.
6. Lower pressure to get the same speed. Should save on barrel wear.
7. Very sexy cases to reload
1. Factory ammo shoots similar to the original chamber
2. 243 reloads gave excellent results in the new chamber - fire-forming is not detrimental to accuracy.
3. Had my Lee 243 dies cut with the same reamer so that I have a bump die in essence
4. The Lee Collet 243 die resizes the AI cases without a problem.
5. No more donuts to worry about. Headspace is also sorted and less or no stretching of cases.
6. Lower pressure to get the same speed. Should save on barrel wear.
7. Very sexy cases to reload
Agree with above. Love my Ackleys. Also reduces case stretching and frequency of having to trim cases
hunter67wa
Well-Known Member
I ackley not to trim
One thing I learned is you either need to go with new cases or anneal even once fired cases well before trying to blow them out in fireforming. The necks will crack if you don't.
I have two AI style chambered 14" T/C Contender pistol barrels. 30-30AI of which regular 30-30 Win ammo can be shot with pretty much no difference in accuracy with AI loaded ammo. The AI loaded ammo runs between 150 to 200 fps faster.
The other is a wildcat based off the old Winchester 225 case. It is a full length 225 Win case necked out to 6mm and fireformed comes out with a AI shoulder. 80 gr bullets 2800 fps and really accurate.
Yep, no case trimming EVER after forming has been my experience.
I have two AI style chambered 14" T/C Contender pistol barrels. 30-30AI of which regular 30-30 Win ammo can be shot with pretty much no difference in accuracy with AI loaded ammo. The AI loaded ammo runs between 150 to 200 fps faster.
The other is a wildcat based off the old Winchester 225 case. It is a full length 225 Win case necked out to 6mm and fireformed comes out with a AI shoulder. 80 gr bullets 2800 fps and really accurate.
Yep, no case trimming EVER after forming has been my experience.
I got 22-250AI and 260 AI and I fire from for both
longgun505
Well-Known Member
I went from shooting 6.5-06 to 6.5-06AI and gained 185-210fps average with almost all bullets used. I personally hunted all during the long Southeast hunting season with a 100 rounds of hand loads of 6.5-06, .010 Long, and fire formed while filling the refrigerator and riding the region of predators.
Then as the shooting season rolled around my comp gun (chambered with the same reamer) would feed on those cases with LR loads. The FF load accuracy was well under MOA with an occasional flyer to .90 MOA. It's not difficult, just time consuming unless you can start with a AI caliber ready brass such as 280AI. I've loved the Ackley's but not all show substantial increases in performance. Choose wisely grasshopper 
. In all seriousness, good luck, enjoy, and share your results. The good, the bad, and the ugly. There are many other AI enthusiasts who will benefit.Basically yes for the vast majority of them. A few have the shoulder moved forward so, a factory round may not sit firmly against the bolt so firing might be problematic. A few using the longer brass to account for the case being expanded to keep overall case length where you want it for good bullet tension in the case.
For example:
338/06 A-Square is an AI with the shoulder junction where it is with a 30-06. Mine is an early Ackley version with the shoulder moved forward so, I use longer -06 brass (~0.020") than 30-06 and open the neck up past 338 and then full length resize and fire-form. The neck 'bulge' keeps the case against the bolt for good ignition.
