Ackley Improved Question

[ricknolan]

At the risk of sounding stupid, I just want to make sure I am doing this the correct way and/or the best way.

I have a 25-06 AI barrel coming for a Savage build. This is my first Ackley.

To form fire the brass I can simply

1) run the 25-06 Rem brass through a full length 25-06 AI dies, and prime the brass

2) load some cheap 25 cal bullets with a minimum load

3) shoot up the loaded rounds

4) run the newly formed 25-06 AI brass through the 20-06AI full length dies

5) start load development like normal

Did I miss any thing or is there a better way?

Thanks
Rick

 

[ogallala_1]

ackley

Rick,

In my experience with 25-06 ackley I loaded a middle to upper end load to form my brass. It also helped me get used to how the rifle shot. I even loaded some nickle brass and they formed really well.

good luck
Ogallala_1

 

[forest Walker]

P.O. Ackley recommended that you shoot full power 25.06loads to fire form to 25.06 ai

 

[James Jones]

I find a mid to upper range load with the heaviest possible buyllet and the fastest possible powder ,i have found that this works very well and full sizes the brass.

In a properly cut Ackley chamber the bolt should just close a bit more snug on a standard 25-06 case then the Ackley case. The desgine is so that their will be no headspace issues with shooting factroy loaded ammo in the gun , which is a good way to get used to the gun and fire forme brass at the same time

 

[huffsd]

I have been told by quite a few guys that you can successfully fire form with a small charge of Blue Dot pistol powder and a wad of cotton in place of the bullet.

The idea being that the extremely fast powder will blow the shoulder forward and you wont burn up your barrel prematurely by fire forming rounds out the business end of your rifle.

I will go out to my shop and try it right now and let you know what I come up with.

Ok, It worked well with 20 grains of blue dot. I think that I would go up 5 more grains though. Just to make sure the sholders form sharply.

 

[steve4102]

# 1 Run your new brass through a standard 25-06 die as it is not yet a 25-06 AI.
#2 Load some cheap bullets at upper middle to max 25-06 loads.
#4 Run your new fired formed brass through an FL die or a Neck die. In my experience the AI's respond well to neck sizing. You can neck size with a standard Lee 25-06 Collet Die. They work great and are cheap.

 

[LewisH]

I don't bother with that stuff with my 243AI varmint rifle. I just run new 243 brass through the 243AI FL sizer die, chamfer the case mouth and load with a grain less than the full AI load (with the bullet kissing the lands). These loads are as accurate as the full house loads, just a little slower. The varmints won't know the difference.

After you've shot these "fire-forming" loads you can neck size (for the next several firings), and you need to adjust your scope for the different POI of the full load.

 

[Stormrider]

I used to just load unformed 223 brass with my 223AI load and shoot. Now, since I found a supply of 1970's surplus Norma 5.56 ammo I just shoot them. They're too hot to shoot in a 223 chamber but just right in the AI. They shoot very well, for surplus ammo, averaging around 1 moa.

My 6mm AI is a little different, and I just shoot factory loads in it to make my AI cases.

 

[bradtothebone]

Orrrr

send 3 fired cases to hornady and get a hydroforming die.... I have one for my .22-250AI and one for my .338LAI and i have had good results..... Plus you dont have to load them up or go to the range/farm or whathave you to fire them off......

brad

 

[JD338]

I FF 280 AI brass with new 280 Remington cases and a max load of RL19 and a 140 gr BT
as my gunsmith advised and had no problems.

JD338

 

[keithcandler]

Every Ackley I have ever had.....

Shot extremely well about 1.0g below what the final formed load would be.

So, work up a load fireforming the brass at the same time. When you find your accuracy laod, you will add .5-1.5g More powder in the formed case.

Expect exceptional accuracy fire forming the cases. No sense firing bullets in the dirt just to fire form. I fire form while hunting, except on the long range stuff.

Good luck!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hate to revive an old thread, but this one piqued my curiosity, as I am building a .25-06 AI...

I read on page 1 that someone said you can buy standard .25-06 Rem neck-sizer dies, and just use them for your .25-06 AI once you've fireformed your brass into the AI chamber. Is this correct, or will I have to buy a $150 worth of dies?

It would make sense, because the .25-06 Rem, and the .25-06 Rem 40* Ackley Improved both have the same neck dimensions, b/c that's how PO Ackley designed it.

If so, that saved me about $120 towards buying new Norma brass...

Please can someone either confirm or deny that I can use standard RCBS Neck-Sizer .25-06 Remington dies for loading for my .25-06 Ackley Improved?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Nobody on this entire forum can answer this question?

I mean I just need a confirm or deny.....I know they both use the same neck dimensions, so that's all that SHOULD matter with a neck-sizer die. I was just curious if I could use one to get by for a couple of firings, while my "special order" .25-06 AI FL sizing die can come in from being backorder? I don't need it for a full-time thing, just a temporary deal. It's just ALOT cheaper, and it's available now, instead of waiting 4 months on backorder for it to come in...

 

[Sully2]

Nobody on this entire forum can answer this question?

I mean I just need a confirm or deny.....I know they both use the same neck dimensions, so that's all that SHOULD matter with a neck-sizer die. I was just curious if I could use one to get by for a couple of firings, while my "special order" .25-06 AI FL sizing die can come in from being backorder? I don't need it for a full-time thing, just a temporary deal. It's just ALOT cheaper, and it's available now, instead of waiting 4 months on backorder for it to come in...

Buy the AI dies. I did!