My .260 ackley improved (proposed)

[Schnyd112]

It's time to take the plunge. Here is what I am thinking...

40 degree .260 ackley improved from pacific tool .100 freebore and .300 neck
Bartlein 5r, 6.5 mm, 8 twist, #9 or #14 (would like 28" but like the #14 contour better)
Hs precision Psv-0096 (On hand)
Donor action is a rem 700 vSSF originally in .220 swift (on hand, 2000+ round count)
Vortex Hs-t scope 4-16 (have it, will upgrade as necessary)

Debating both a new one piece bolt (PtG) with sako extractor
And an extended magazine box (wyatts)

This is a big undertaking as I have never reloaded anything other than standard cartridges. It is my underatanding I can seat and neck size once or twice fired brass with standard .260 dies until I get cases to send off and have a f/l sizer made. It will be my first foray into 1000+ yards and possibly an f-class rifle. I will also be shooting long range silhouette competitions with it as I do my swift. I am new to competitive shooting but I shoot 50-75 rounds per week, once a month competitions since April. I hope to maintain that level of practice. Any insight you all are willing to share will be greatly appreciated.

 

[stomp442]

Redding makes nice quality dies, buy both the standard .260 Remington set and the Ackley set. This way you can load standard .260s for fireforming and then from there you can use the improved die set. The .260AI is probably my favorite cartridge and by far my favorite 6.5. I am pushing 140 Berger VLD's at 2940 using 42 grains of H4350 and it is an excellent performer. Good luck with the build I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

[Schnyd112]

Thank you for the kind words. I have a few family members crapping on my idea of an ackley. I can't wait to get everything together. Reamer is on order, I have a smith locally trying to get me a barrel blank and willing to do the work when parts come in without keeping my rifle while we wait. Should be fire forming by by February.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thank you for the kind words. I have a few family members crapping on my idea of an ackley. I can't wait to get everything together. Reamer is on order, I have a smith locally trying to get me a barrel blank and willing to do the work when parts come in without keeping my rifle while we wait. Should be fire forming by by February.

Wildcats (including Ackley Improved calibers) are only a bad idea when you don't possess the ability for abstract thought, or the skills to make those thoughts a reality.

Those people doubting you, are probably the same people who don't trust reloads, and only shoot factory ammo. My uncle is one of those people...It's pretty annoying.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Thank you for the kind words. I have a few family members crapping on my idea of an ackley. I can't wait to get everything together. Reamer is on order, I have a smith locally trying to get me a barrel blank and willing to do the work when parts come in without keeping my rifle while we wait. Should be fire forming by by February.

Some people get it, some dont.

The 260 ackley is a fine cartridge i think you will enjoy as long as you own it.

 

[Slick8]

I like your plan and have it on my short list for a budget custom.

I'm going to use a standard long action so there no magazine clearance issues with a Bell and Carlson stock M40 stock.

I'm liking the Bartlein idea at 24 inches, 1:8 twist in a varmint contour.

Would like to see a 130 Accubond humming out the muzzle at or near 3000 FPS.

 

[MudRunner2005]

It's time to take the plunge. Here is what I am thinking...

40 degree .260 ackley improved from pacific tool .100 freebore and .300 neck
Bartlein 5r, 6.5 mm, 8 twist, #9 or #14 (would like 28" but like the #14 contour better)
Hs precision Psv-0096 (On hand)
Donor action is a rem 700 vSSF originally in .220 swift (on hand, 2000+ round count)
Vortex Hs-t scope 4-16 (have it, will upgrade as necessary)

Debating both a new one piece bolt (PtG) with sako extractor
And an extended magazine box (wyatts)

This is a big undertaking as I have never reloaded anything other than standard cartridges. It is my underatanding I can seat and neck size once or twice fired brass with standard .260 dies until I get cases to send off and have a f/l sizer made. It will be my first foray into 1000+ yards and possibly an f-class rifle. I will also be shooting long range silhouette competitions with it as I do my swift. I am new to competitive shooting but I shoot 50-75 rounds per week, once a month competitions since April. I hope to maintain that level of practice. Any insight you all are willing to share will be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like a solid build.

Also, in my opinion, unless you're having extraction issues with the factory bolt, the PTG bolt might be a waste of money. It might be cheaper to pay a gunsmith to install a Sako-style extractor in the factory bolt while he is building it.

 

[Schnyd112]

Plans have changed a little. Barrel will be a bartlein #9, 8 twist, 5r. .260 AI with .112 freebore , .296 neck. The rest will be the same. I believe the reamer print is a Kliff #414, which means I can get dies from Redding without having to worry about making custom ones. February fire forming is pretty optimistic, looking like more end f March/early April so I may snag a savage 10 in .260 and have my ackley reamer run up it. At least that way I will have fire formed brass ready to go when the rem is done, and also have a hunting rifle that doesn't weigh 14 lbs.

 

[jrock]

If I was building a 6.5 on a long action, I think the .260 AI would get my vote.