Ackley Improved Pickle Spot

[just_jon]

I ran five boxes of Rem factory 250 Savage through my first AI and accuracy was so amaxing that I struggled trying to find as accurate a load with the fire formed brass. I used COW method in my other AIs as I'm just to impatient to get loading the fire formed brass.

 

[DoneNOut]

I use cheap surplus slow powder and cheapest bullets I can find.

Its the primers. I can buy bullets & powder. Primers are unicorn tears.

 

[simo hayha]

Its the primers. I can buy bullets & powder. Primers are unicorn tears.

I feel your pain

 

[DoneNOut]

@BFD Guns , a bit of advice I have is that because the AI chamber is designed to be a slight crush fit on the saami case, you'll want to make sure you bolt lugs are greased good so you reduce the chance of galling them when closing the bolt. My AI chamber is a pretty tight fit on the case I'm fireforming and I neglected the lug grease. I galled one of my bolt lugs.

See, this is why I still ask. One can get these jewels of advice!

 

[GLTaylor]

BFD,
One of my pet p dog rifles (and deer) is a 243AI. I used to load up good 243 rounds and shoot them @ p dogs. Shot fine. Accuracy very good. When I was done I had my fireformed brass

 

[DoneNOut]

BFD,
One of my pet p dog rifles (and deer) is a 243AI. I used to load up good 243 rounds and shoot them @ p dogs. Shot fine. Accuracy very good. When I was done I had my fireformed brass

I saw your listing in the Hammer data! Meaning to chat with you on that!

 

[can1010]

you can get a hydraulic form die from whidden or hornady and then you won't have to use any supplies to form brass.

with today's cost of ammo it won't take long to recover your investment.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Your going to have to fire form that Lapua brass anyway. I use 39.5 gr H4350 under a 105 Berger vld in the same brass. 0.010 off the lands. 3000 fps avg. Shoots a fuzz over .5 moa. Only way to avoid this is like can1010 said, a hydraulic die.

 

[DoneNOut]

you can get a hydraulic form die from whidden or hornady and then you won't have to use any supplies to form brass.

with today's cost of ammo it won't take long to recover your investment.

I'd use a single primer as many times as I could! LOL

 

[Tac-O]

Yes! I plan to get one of those hydro dies at some point. The only downside is you have to have a sturdy bench mounted press. I load all my cartridges with a lee hand press

 

[Outlaw6.0]

With my .243AI & 6mmAI I ran a solid powder charge with a cheap bullet jammed as per Sierra recommendations. It worked wonderfully & shot pretty well for plinking & prairie dogs.

With the 6.5-06AI, I went with the cream of wheat method & pistol powder with also worked just fine.

I completely understand the OPs point regarding primers. This day and age, I wouldn't waste primers with the COW method.



t

 

[waspocrew]

For my 22-250 AI, I shot plenty of cheap PPU ammo through it until I had a decent supply of formed brass.

Eventually I swapped out for Lapua brass, so I just threw together a random load and formed 50 pieces of brass over a prairie dog town. Best way to form brass in my opinion!

 

[QuietTexan]

243 AI I put false shoulders on instead of jamming the bullet, there's a lot of movement up front taking the taper out of the parent case here. Necked up with a Wilson 257 "new" mandrel, slid the right size bushing down about half the neck - it was crushed pretty hard on bolt close. Moly grease from a syringe on the lugs and ran them through. Not something I'd mess with on a 223 or 30-06, but the 243 improvement is pushing on a 10% increase in case capacity compared to more like 6% for the 223. Got a very tight seal and no carbon past the false shoulder.

Fireforming loads:
108gn Bergers, 48.5gn Ramshot Magnum, Fed GM215Ms.
95gn Core-Lokt seconds, 50.0gn Ramshot Magnum, Fed Gm215Ms

 

[waspocrew]

243 AI I put false shoulders on instead of jamming the bullet, there's a lot of movement up front taking the taper out of the parent case here. Necked up with a Wilson 257 "new" mandrel, slid the right size bushing down about half the neck - it was crushed pretty hard on bolt close. Moly grease from a syringe on the lugs and ran them through. Not something I'd mess with on a 223 or 30-06, but the 243 improvement is pushing on a 10% increase in case capacity compared to more like 6% for the 223. Got a very tight seal and no carbon past the false shoulder.

View attachment 432882

View attachment 432883

Fireforming loads:
108gn Bergers, 48.5gn Ramshot Magnum, Fed GM215Ms.
95gn Core-Lokt seconds, 50.0gn Ramshot Magnum, Fed Gm215Ms

The false shoulder is probably the best way to ensure proper headspace while forming, just adds another step. For my 22-250 AI, I just load and shoot. While setting the headspace, I made sure to feel a slight "crush" while chambering virgin brass. Cases come out nicely formed with sharp shoulders.

For my 6.5 Sherman, there is a ton of movement (more than a typical AI), so I definitely employ the false shoulder.

22-250 AI (95 SMK L and 88 ELDM R) and parent:

270 win necked down with false shoulder next to formed 6.5 Sherman: