Ackleyed .22-.250 and .338

daniellybbert

daniellybbert

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I m thinking of getting a couple guns aied and am wondering what it will entail to reload these bullets. I have been reloading for a while and am neck sizeing. Is this all it takes after the bullets are fire formed. And can you shoot a bunch of regular bullets and then they would be fire formed. I dont know much about the process if any thing any help would be good
thanx
Daniel
 
To properly chamber an existing rifle to the Ackley Improved chamber requires setting the barrel back (usually 1 turn) so the improved chamber causes a standard cartridge to be a crush fit... the bolt should be hard to close before fire forming... a factory case can be fired but the velocities will be less in this new chamber..... it takes a reload to give a gain in velocity.

Neck sizing only works for a while and then full length sizing may be required. You can not neck size without a neck sizing die. Some think they are neck sizing when they back a full length sizing die off a bit.... but they are simply partially sizing the neck and body.

The cost of dies is considerable.

The 22-250 A.I. can be loaded with the same data as the .220 swift and will give the same velocities.

I would not bother improving the .308 Winchester.

Once fire formed it is a simple matter to reload as with any cartridge... size only enough so you do not push the shoulder back... a sized case should always be able to be felt very lightly at the bottom of the bolt closing.
 
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I have redding neck sizeing dies for the 250 and the other one is a .338 lapua not a .308win
If only neck sizing why would a full length size be needed because it is constantly fire formed and cant really expand except for longer. and then you just trim the case. Or am i way out to lunch and is the hassle worth it
the reason for ai ing the 250 is the other day i was shooting, and the wind was blowing probably 30k,( i shoot 50gr barnes varmators pushed with 36gr varget) and i got 14 inches of drift at 400 yards. So i thought AI the gun (faster) and shoot 70 grain barnes x ( less drift and more ft/lb)
the .338 just for fun more power
 
daniellybbert said:
If only neck sizing why would a full length size be needed because it is constantly fire formed and cant really expand except for longer.
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When a case is loaded fairly hot it will expand beyond it's elastic abilities and you will find, partial sizing or neck sizing will not size a case enough to go into the chamber without a lot of pressure closing the bolt.... this can also occur with repeated lighter loads. Eventually full length sizing will be required in my experience.
 
daniellybbert said:
cool thanx for the imput
the barrel will be Im going to get a Lilja with a 1:9 twist
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The 1:9 will barely cut it for 70gr bullets, go with a 1:8 and you will get up to 80gr bullets, they are much better for long range. Does the Ackley version of the 338 Lapua exist?
bigbull
 
What about the .22-243? If you are getting a custom barrel and the 1:8 twist it may be a better choice. I think Guntech has experience with that round.
 
I used a regular .22-250 LEE collet die for my 22-250 AI with no difficulty. Cost around $30 or so. Regular LEE .22-250 seater die will work with the AI aswell.

Andy
 
762nato said:
I used a regular .22-250 LEE collet die for my 22-250 AI with no difficulty. Cost around $30 or so. Regular LEE .22-250 seater die will work with the AI aswell.

Andy
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Me too, and when I roll tem on my RCBS tool, they are very concentric.:)
 
ill need a custom reamer and custom dies for the 338 but now im wondering if the ackleys will give me enough diffrence to warrent the hassle
 
bigbull said:
The 1:9 will barely cut it for 70gr bullets, go with a 1:8 and you will get up to 80gr bullets, they are much better for long range. Does the Ackley version of the 338 Lapua exist?
bigbull
Click to expand...

Yes, I've read of a few guys trying them in Precision Rifle. The case does have a fair bit of taper (more reliable feeding in military rifles I would imagine), so improving it would probably give you a good boost performance wise. Probably get you in the same ballistic envelope as the 338-378 KT, which is not a bad place to be.

As for the 22-250 AI, good cartridge, very close to the 22-243 in it's various versions (I shoot the Middlestead version). You can neck size for a while, but eventually you will need a die to set the shoulder back once it grows (and it will). The 22-250 and 338 Lapua will just be improved versions (the shoulders aren't moved forward at all), so you can just fire factory ammo in them and have your improved cases. Easy to do, and dies and reamers are available for both calibers. - dan
 
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