243 Ackley Improved Sizing Die

GRG

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Feb 1, 2017
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I'm in the dilemma of having a 243 AI, Redding Comp dies with body die that is for a 243 Winchester Imp not Ackley. Right now it's like pulling hens teeth finding an Ackley sizing die for this. Every set you see diverts you to the Win Imp. Which is a different dimension on shoulder diameter.

The Ackley sizes to .460 at the shoulder and the Winchester Imp sizes my cases to .450 at the shoulder. Stressing the brass a lot so I anneal every firing but feel I'm giving up accuracy and wasting my time with load development.

Redding says they cannot re cut my body die, and I am sending them a diagram of my Manson Reamer to see if they have a die available or to make. Their dies all jump back to the Win Impr. as well.

Can anyone tell me who can do a body sizing die for reasonable? My competition seater is fine as well as my s bushing neck die. I don't see it listed on any of the other sites, Forster, Hornady, Lee, Wilson.

Why is the 243Ackley one of the few like this?

Thanks for any help.

Glenn
 
And you have both the WI and AI dies?

At what distance is this shoulder diameter being taken?

Its a guess, but I think your die confusion is nomenclature, if your die is sizing the brass "to much" you need to:

1. Adjust your die.
2. Your chamber is to big.
3. Your die is to small. (see #1)

Someone smarter will be along to straighten us both out.
 
My question isn't how to adjust the die or if I'm doing it wrong. Nomenclature isn't the problem as the dimensions prove that. Sorry for the confusion.

The bullet seating die and case neck sizing die are immaterial as they are fine.
The body die is cut to 243 Winchester Improved not 243 Ackley improved dimesions,. There is a difference and that is why I need a Ackley Improved die. The Winchester Improved die will not bump the shoulder back without over sizing the shoulder and body.. To get to the point where it bumps the shoulder it has to size the body as well reducing the shoulder diameter to .450" at the point where the body rolls to the shoulder. This is a .010" reduction, way to much. Will it shoot yes, but over works the brass.

The fireformed brass dimensions are right on, reamer dimensions are exact, headspace is correct. Only thing wrong is the body sizing die. I don't know how I could possibly adjust that out.

Thanks
 
243 Winchester Improved .... 243 Ackley improved. There is a difference

Well Ill be damned, I had no idea. Regretfully I can not help.
 
I'll have to check my Redding body die when I get home. I haven't had to bump shoulders back yet. The set I ordered stated 243 AI. Interesting.
 
You can contact 4D Reamer rentals or CH4D Custom die. Hornady makes a die for the 243 AI I think, could give them a try.
 
I'm paying attention to this because I'm about to build a .243AI. Thanks for the H-U, I might have ended up with the wrong chamber had you not posted about this problem.

And I always thought it was like the 280AI before SAAMI standardization, people referring to it in slang terms and sizing it to what ever tolerance suited the moment.
 
I would think that somebody makes a body sizing die of the correct dimensions, but if you can't find one, you might consider having a full-length die honed out in the neck area. It may be that finding a full-length die is just as tricky as finding the body sizing die, but as long as you're searching for one you might keep an eye out for the other.
 
Sounds to me like you have an out-of-spec sizing die. I can find no reference to a difference between a ".243 Winchester Improved" and a ".243 Ackley Improved." Indeed, most references refer to the .243 Win Ackley Improved. The SAAMI spec for the shoulder of a standard .243 Winchester is .454, so if your die is sizing to .450, it is constricting the shoulder smaller than a standard .243 Win. I have a set of Redding "Standard" dies (Series C 84420) that are listed as "243 Winchester Improved 40°" that size for my .243 Ackley correctly. If I were you, I'd send the die back to Redding along with a couple of sized cases and ask them to repair or replace it.
 
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I shot a 22-243AI for years. My redding bushing die is inscribed "243 Win Imp". It was literally the most accurate gun/load combo I ever had. Somewhere around here is a group that measured .625" and was shot at a verified 600yds.

Your post is rather surprising to me.
 
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