Yes or no to Ackley?

2

22to45

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I load for a 6.5x55AI, and I get the 150 fps or so benefit with heavy bullets. I lost one round in the magazine, and it was a project to make it feed. I have shot a couple of moose with it, and while it worked well, I am sure that the 150 fps was not the main factor in either kill. The real benefit I got was to be able to load to slightly higher than 6.5 x 55 velocities, and the brass life was better.

I am wonding if the conversion lived up to your expectations, and if you would do it again.
 
I own a 25-06 ackley improved with a 26" barrel - as others state with the 25-06 ackley - the velocity gains are not substantial as with many other AI cases - however - case life is now FAR better and trimming has been cut down to a nearly negligible amount. My rifle is built on a ruger action - no feeding problems at all - and I honestly don't know if I lost a round or not - I put one under a live round as I load up to shoot at something - never any more. For me - I am a case trimming HATER - and 25-06 required trimming EVERY firing no matter what brass, no matter what sizing I did, I'd ackley-ize my rifle over and over again for the case trimming/case life improvements alone.

I suppose to shouldn't speak of velocity differences being as my old Tikka 25-06 only had a 22" barrel - it was crap for velocity, my current shilen barrel 25-06 ackley spits bergers at an even 3200fps...which is running very close to what I got out of a 257 weatherby a few years back.

Yup - I like ackley based chamberings, planning on doing another one very soon....thinking 260 Remington AI - or 243 Win AI....or a 28" barrel 25-06AI on a Savage action, switch barrel affair. :p
 
Like putting rims on your truck or a pipe on your sled, not all things can be justified by money sometimes its about having something different or being happy with a small improvement. I like my two and get velocity gains, but nothing that an animal will notice. Will do another.
 
I only like AI'd cartridges that make sense, and give real improvements...Which means that the cases with quite a bit of taper will benefit greatly from it, the straighter cases won't.

Also, look and see if what you want already exists- like 280AI? Why not a 7RM:p
 
The 06 based Ackley cases are middle of the road for velocity gains, the 308 based cases give you even less. As mentioned, tapered cases (6.5x55, 7x57, 250 Savage, 257 Roberts, 300 H&H, etc) gain the most. Less case trimming is a big plus, but it varies from caliber to caliber. I would still AI (or Gibbs, which is even "more improved", LOL) quite a few calibers, just because I like to fool around with different calibers and see what they actually do. FWIW - dan
 
.22short ackley improved

I always liked the idea of a .22 rimfire AI. Not much improvement in performance but fireforming is not hard on the brass, there is very little brass trimming, guns are cheap and not much gun smithing involved and you probably would be the only shooter on the range with one.:D
 
I use the 6.5x55 for hunting deer and moose. An ackley of that won't kill em any better. The standard cartridge feeds fine and I can get 2,900fps in a modern gun easily with a 140gr bullet. I'm leaving it alone and getting some more Lapua cases. Every 5 reloads I trim them a little and good to go.

For hunting big game, not important because there is a ton of bigger cases that will fit the bill.
If you don't reload, never.
For varmint, competition or where you shoot a lot and reload, the ackley's shine. As others said, minimal case stretch and some increase in velocity. No accuracy gains and I've tried a few.
dan belisle said it best. The more modern cases almost duplicate what Ackley started.
 
I've used Ackley improved in .223, .30-30 and .338-06. I think the only one that I would do again would be the .223 AI. I'm not shooting high volume and I like the little extra velocity I get without going to a .22-250. Does it really matter or make sense??? Probably not but I don't really care, I like it.

I like the slick feeding of a tapered round and would not dream of "improving" my 6.5X55 or .300 H&H because they are already perfect for me. Others feel differently.
 
I had a .30-30 Ackley for a while. It was very accurate with Ackley or regular .30-30 loads. It fed pretty well with Ackley rounds, although I could occasionally feel a slight "hangup" as I worked the lever. With regular .30-30 ammo, it fed slicker'n bug spit.
If I ever get another Marlin, I will not likely AI it. If it's a .30-30 I'll leave it be and not worry about the slightly diminished performance or brass life. At the price of .30-30 ammo it's not an issue. If I feel I need of the extra whomp, I'll get a .308 Marlin.
 
lejarretnoir said:
I use the 6.5x55 for hunting deer and moose. An ackley of that won't kill em any better. The standard cartridge feeds fine and I can get 2,900fps in a modern gun easily with a 140gr bullet. I'm leaving it alone and getting some more Lapua cases. Every 5 reloads I trim them a little and good to go.

2900 fps with a 140 is about what I do with my ackley, it is a swede, and it has a M38 barrel, I get about 2700 with 156 RN bullets. For both of these I molycoat the barrel and the bullets.. It has a peep sight, on the reciever, and it is nice and quick and light. What powder do you use to get the velocity you mention?
Al
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I've used Ackley improved in .223, .30-30 and .338-06. I think the only one that I would do again would be the .223 AI. I'm not shooting high volume and I like the little extra velocity I get without going to a .22-250. Does it really matter or make sense??? Probably not but I don't really care, I like it.

I like the slick feeding of a tapered round and would not dream of "improving" my 6.5X55 or .300 H&H because they are already perfect for me. Others feel differently.
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What he said...good post.

If your looking for more velocity why not just step up to the next case?
 
Hmmm. I was hoping to get over 3000 with the 140's from my soon-to-be 6.5x55AI. Eagleye on here gets 3000+ with his....
I had no plans for round nose bullets with mine. Only the pointy ones.
Glad to hear no one has any serious feeding issues. I worked the lips on my CZ550 action a bit, so I hope I don't have any serious issues.
 
I have the swede barrel with the very fast twist rate, if your barrel is not spinning them so fast, perhaps you could get yours going faster.(I have a 7 RM with an 11" twist, I know that I can get high velocity with slower twist) I am not the velocity fanatic that I used to be. Plus, I am burning the powder that I have, which is surplus from Higgenson, that I bought years ago, and I will settle for the velocity it gives.. (I think I paid $11/lb) I use what they call RP5, whcih I think is Norma 105. It gives good results in most of the cartridges I load for.
 
140's at3000 fps with a 6.5x55 anything is BS, pure and simple. The larger 6.506 won't do it at reasonable pressure nor will the 6.5/284. Guys with very long barrels and willing to live with poor case life can get 3000 with the 6.5/284 but it's not realistic in a practical rifle.
I have exceeded 2900 with 142's in a 6.5x55 (26" barrel) using N165 powder but I think 2800 is a more realistic maximum. Regards, Bill.
 
leeper said:
140's at3000 fps with a 6.5x55 anything is bs, pure and simple. The larger 6.506 won't do it at reasonable pressure nor will the 6.5/284. Guys with very long barrels and willing to live with poor case life can get 3000 with the 6.5/284 but it's not realistic in a practical rifle.
I have exceeded 2900 with 142's in a 6.5x55 (26" barrel) using n165 powder but i think 2800 is a more realistic maximum. Regards, bill.
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x2x2
 
22to45 said:
2900 fps with a 140 is about what I do with my ackley, it is a swede, and it has a M38 barrel, I get about 2700 with 156 RN bullets. For both of these I molycoat the barrel and the bullets.. It has a peep sight, on the reciever, and it is nice and quick and light. What powder do you use to get the velocity you mention?
Al
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In a standard Swede 96/38 rifle I would never load that hot. Usually 2,600/2,700fps per 140's.
In my old Tikka 24" barrel aka 6.5x55 SE I can get 2,900fps with N-560. You can work up a load with that powder. To be honest, all my hunting loads hover around 2,700 to 2,800 fps. Either N-560 or N-165.
That extra 100fps won't put more meat in the freezer IMO.
 
Leeper said:
140's at3000 fps with a 6.5x55 anything is BS, pure and simple. The larger 6.506 won't do it at reasonable pressure nor will the 6.5/284. Guys with very long barrels and willing to live with poor case life can get 3000 with the 6.5/284 but it's not realistic in a practical rifle.
I have exceeded 2900 with 142's in a 6.5x55 (26" barrel) using N165 powder but I think 2800 is a more realistic maximum. Regards, Bill.
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Bill, Honest to god, I can exceed 3000 in a 6.5-08 with 142 Sierras in a 28" krieger using 41.7 grains of RL-17 and show no signs of pressure. Richard D Marc T. and I all built guns with the same reamers and we can all easily make 3 grand. (We're all using Remington Actions as well)

I was up to 2900 with N560 too.

I no longer have a 6.5X55 to bugger with, but with the reputation of RL17 and velocity certainly has held true with my 65.5-08. The Swede has more case capacity... it should be just as fast.

I prefer finding an accurate load over a fast load, but if I can get a fast, accurate load I a happy. RL17 did both.
 
I have a 7-08AI, and truly having it as an Ackley may not be 'worth it' but I would gladly do it again. Brass life is great, trimming is minimal, and its just fun to tinker with something a bit different.

I dont run mine overly hot as it shoots really accurately at a little slower speeds, but overall I love the rifle and love the cartridge. I am shooting 140TSX out of mine and plan on moving to possibly the 120TSX and let my wife shoot it full-time and build something a bit different for myself in the next year...

I also 'Acklied' it cause we all know you cant kill an elk with a 7-08 over 300 yards. Make it an Ackley and all of a sudden the bullets stop bouncing off of them!!
 
With Moly coat on the bullets and in the barrel, I was just able to get 2900 fps in the 6.5x55 AI, while I an not inclined to call anyone a liar, I would like to see anything faster myself.. When I had the ackley chambered, I heard all of the tales of magnum velocity, there was talk of 160 grain Hornady RN bullets at 2900. These tales come complete with the quasi scientific explainations of how the powder is more efficient in a straight wall case and does magic as the the powder jams in the steep angle of the shoulder, and velocities go way up. Well, that was not my experience, nor as I have seen, the experience of a lot of others. Before I started moly coating, I was at about 2840 with the 139 gr Norma Plastic point bullet, and 2675 with the 156 gr Lapua RN, Moly gave me 50 feet or so. I remain a moly fan, and I like this Ackley Rifle,I just do not think I would do another, it is just easier to use a bigger case. If I had more time and money, I would play with twist rates, I have seen two 7mm RM's that had an 11 inch twist, and they would far exceed expectations, I could get 3000 fps out of a 175 grain Speer Mag tip, no problem. But that is another discussion...
Al
 
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I've got a 250 Ackley and love it.:D

No magic in it, just shoots bullets a little faster than a 250 Savage.
Also have a 257 Roberts which is basically a 250 Ackley minus the fireforming.:p

Had it built for the "s**ts and giggles" factor.

Most people like to exaggerate their velocity with any Ackley cartridge. After all the money spent on a custom rifle it has to shoot faster right?:rolleyes:

I get a kick out of the 25-06 AI guys who claim 257 Weatherby velocities with " zero pressure signs" Give me a break.:jerkit:

Someone explain how they get the same velocity with ~15 grains less powder and no pressure signs?
30" barrel?
Moly'd bullets?

Nice try but changing the laws of physics only applies to Ackley'd cartridges I guess.
 
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