barrel break-in [280 ackley]

[Larry P243]

I have a 280 Ackley with a 26" kreiger barrel that I have just started the break-in process. I am shooting a reduced load , mainly to get rid of some bullets that I do not intend on using. I decided to check some of the fired cases for stretch just out of curiosity and to my surprise they were shorter than the unfired Nosler brass. by .oo4 , anyone else ever encountered this? is this common? I thought cases always stretch when fired.

 

[mm242]

Larry,
I did encounter this and it seems to be a normal occurance when fireforming 280AI. At least is was in mine.

 

[Larry P243]

thanks for the reply, my cases are nosler 280 ackley so fire forming should be held to a minium, at least I won't have to worry about trimming for a while, I have reloaded a few of them 2 times and they are still shorter than the new Nosler brass . the ackley is shooting great so far

 

[beandip96]

If you don't mind sharing some load data, what has been working best for you all???
Powder, primers, bullets, COL, good or bad!!! Thanks

 

[MudRunner2005]

This happens with all Ackley calibers, because to get the brass to fill out that larger Ackley chamber, it has to acquire brass from somewhere. So they all pull the neck back a little because the case walls and shoulder have to expand forward and out during fire-forming. When forming from a regular case to an Ackley Improved version, you will a erage about .020" in height difference. The newly formed Ackley brass being shorter.

I wouldn't even look twice at it being .004" short. Now if it was .010" or more, I would be trimming my own brass long, out of regular .280 cases and forming my own.