Tikka T3 and Ackley Improved questions

[woodcr24]

Considering modifying one or both of my Tikka T3 rifles into AI. One is a 6.5x55mm, the other would be 7x57mm (from a .270 Win).

I've done some searching around the forum and see a number of threads pertaining to building a rifle chambered in one of the AI cartridges, using a Tikka action, but I wonder if I can ask any of you who have actually done this a couple of questions, specifically regarding the T3 action:

- How is the feeding of each cartridge from the factory mags? Smooth? Any hang-ups?
- Is there a brand of reamer that you have found to be "better" for AI?
- Is there a gunsmith that you would recommend? Preferably someone on the East Coast.

FWIW, I am a devout fan of both of these cartridges from the shooting that I do; they are absolutely perfect out here in the "mountains" of the mid-atlantic and northeast. No need for anything hotter or with more punch. I'm interested in converting them into AI simply as something fun to do.

 

[Swamplord]

A bunch of guys over on the Snipers Hide have been messin with the 6.5x55 AI and I believe a few of them have them built on Tikka T3's,
Quick Design shows two versions the 6.5x55AI and the 6.5x55 BJAI (Bob Jourdan's version) there is also the 6.5X55 GWI developed by a gunsmith at Kelbly's, I don't have the dimensions for that one but the reamer is available from PT&G

I also got hooked on the 6.5x55 Improved meth,
being a long time 6.5 Swede fan it was a no brainer to do it as I had tons of brass, bullets and powder for it already and I had zero interest in the 6.5 Creedmoor which in my opinion is a backwards thinking design as it does not improve on anything over the 260 Rem just shoots the same bullets slower, something the 6.5x47 Lapua had covered quite well

since I had a Tikka T3 in the 6.5x55 Swede I used it for my build, I got a Manners Elite Hunter stock, Bartlein #3B 8 twist 26" barrel and a couple of 5 round extended Tikka mags from Beretta, I didn't use any of the AI versions and instead developed my own 35 degree shoulder wildcat for better feeding from the detachable mags, I also MAX improved the case for full capacity and throated it to run 140 gr Berger Hybrid bullets without hanging into powder space .... in my version, factory loads and standard Swede brass handloads CANNOT be fired as I pushed the shoulder up considerably and headspace is no longer the same,

Took it out to fireform 95 pcs of brass a few weeks ago and it showed pretty good accuracy with the fireforming loads, I had 50 rounds of 6.5 Wolf Killer that I had previously fireformed with cream of wheat loaded with 50.0 gr of H4831SC (2906 fps ave.) and another 45 rounds of fresh Lapua 6.5X55 Swede brass loaded with 48.0 gr of H4831 and Hornady 140 gr AMAX bullets (2841 fps ave.) jammed .024" into the lands for a solid no case movement fireforming process..

after sighting in the Vortex PST 2.5-10x44 I fired 5 round "bursts" directly from the Tikka detachable 5 round mags, fed perfectly from the mags without a single hiccup, let barrel cool and repeated , drilled out a nice 20 shot hole at 100 yards, I can tell this one really wants to shoot but needs a better scope, looks good so far all I need to do is get around to annealing the fire formed brass and start the real load development, My goal is working up to 3100-3200 fps with 140 gr Berger Hybrids using 54-55 gr of RL26 (max shown by Quick Load)

 

[86alaskan]

" I had zero interest in the 6.5 Creedmoor which in my opinion is a backwards thinking design as it does not improve on anything over the 260 Rem just shoots the same bullets slower, something the 6.5x47 Lapua had covered quite well "

Finally someone says it. I have been thinking the same thing. If you wanted a slower than 260 6.5, download the 260, don't come up with a new round to do it. I too am very interested in the 6.5x55AI. I really want to do an XP in that caliber for deer and plains hunting. I think it would be awesome for that.

 

[woodcr24]

Swamplord - that is a great reply, thank you. I will be looking into barrels and a local gunsmith to perform the work. Will go with the standard AI, as I believe that I can get the reloading dies relatively easily.

I actually have a DPMS .260 that I'm going to be putting up for sale. Just don't feel like messing with the reloading, which is required since factory ammo is either unavailable or stupidly-expensive when I can find it. I had purchased this rifle to offer a ballistic twin from a scoped platform to my AG42B, but I think I've lost my desire to work with the cartridge. The short action with such a long projectile as the high-BC .264 offerings is a major short coming and limitation with the .260. I guess that the CM case design helps overcome this issue, albeit with the decreased case capacity.

I can't see anything better in .264 than a Swede. "Improving it" is merely something to do for fun.