.30-30 Ackley Improved

It is a good deer rifle now. After rechambering it will still be a good deer rifle.

I use some Ackley chambers in target rifles where I am trying tio getmax long range velocity (22-250 AI and 260Rem AI) They work well.

I doubt a deer could ever tell the difference. But if it amuses you, go for it.
 
Ganderite said:
It is a good deer rifle now. After rechambering it will still be a good deer rifle.

I use some Ackley chambers in target rifles where I am trying tio getmax long range velocity (22-250 AI and 260Rem AI) They work well.

I doubt a deer could ever tell the difference. But if it amuses you, go for it.
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I already knew that and the amusement/experimentation factor pretty much sums it up - that and getting away from case stretching. I have half a dozen. 30-30's already and am in need of a new pointless (but interesting) project. My last one was an 8mm-06...

I think I'll give it a go, just to see how fast I can drive some of the 4,000 110 grain RNSP carbine bullets that I just found under my loading bench.


blake
 
Waste of time and money, and will cut resale value down by half. About par with most of my projects.
 
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I have one. It works great. Loads can be found in the big book Wildcats Volumes 1 & 2. ( it's a combo) I've had no time to play with the new powders, yet.
For a schitts & giggles project, it was fun.
 
Blake, I have had two 30-30s rechambered to AI, both done by Paul Rogan the publisher of Canadian Access, here in Whitehorse.

One was a Winchester Model 94, the other a Marlin 336. Both rifles had 20" barrels, and both would get 150 gr bullets well past 2600 fps. The Winchester actually got velocities close to 2700 before the lever got "sticky", which surprised me.

That was years ago, and I used that old Nobel #44 powder we got in seven pound bags from Higginson. One bag was a lot of shooting, when you were only loading 35 or 36 gr of powder! :)

The 30-30 AI is kind of the definition of efficiency in rifle cartridges. Having said that, I no longer have either one, both having gone to guys who just had to have one. Was going to have Paul do another one, but he sold his reamer to David Henry.

Too many other projects and just never got around to sending another rifle off to David, so I guess that means I haven't missed them that much. It was fun getting 300 Savage ballistics out of a little model 94 though.

Ted
 
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Why not? said:
Blake, I have had two 30-30s rechambered to AI, both done by Paul Rogan the publisher of Canadian Access, here in Whitehorse.

One was a Winchester Model 94, the other a Marlin 336. Both rifles had 20" barrels, and both would get 150 gr bullets well past 2600 fps. The Winchester actually got velocities close to 2700 before the lever got "sticky", which surprised me.

That was years ago, and I used that old Nobel #44 powder we got in seven pound bags from Higginson. One bag was a lot of shooting, when you were only loading 35 or 36 gr of powder! :)

The 30-30 AI is kind of the definition of efficiency in rifle cartridges. Having said that, I no longer have either one, both having gone to guys who just had to have one. Was going to have Paul do another one, but he sold his reamer to David Henry.

Too many other projects and just never got around to sending another rifle off to David, so I guess that means I haven't missed them that much. It was fun getting 300 Savage ballistics out of a little model 94 though.

Ted
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I remember Nobel #44 powder!!!! That was the kind of input I was looking for. I have 2 candidates now, the 336 and an NEF single shot...
 
Trust me I am not tying to detract from this build ,I am the first to look for an AI case( read here I am building a 338 snipe tac switch barreled 408 cheytac) I was just stating that a 99 in 308 would give you what your looking for performance wise ! Would love to see and hear a range report once your done with the build
 
It's pretty much pointless, but less pointless than most Ackley Improved chamberings - need new dies, only gain about 100 fps, etc. There's the hogwash about increased brass life, but there's no cheaper brass than 30-30, and once guys "improve" a chambering, they typically jack up the pressure so that they "get" 300 fps more, and that hurts brass life. As for resale, to the right guy, he'd pay a premium, especially if dies are included.

However, it's very cool, and that's the only reason you need. You should do it.
 
With Leverevolution powder and flexpoint bullets it is fairly easy to get close to 2700 fps out of a 20" carbine. That is quite an improvement over the standard .30-30 which rarely breaks 2100 fps in factory ammo.
 
I think it's a cool idea. Another thing in favor of using a Ackley chambering is that if you are going for max velocity your pressure may be too high for another, different rifle. The Ackley chamber keeps your handloads from being fired in a rifle that may not be able to handle them. BTW, speaking of efficiency; I have a 375 AI which is a 30/06 blown out and necked up. It doesn't have enough capacity to drive 300gr bullets too hard, but with 250 and 270gr. it is not at all far behind a 375 H&H but burns far less powder and uses a cheap, surplus '98 action.
 
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