My first 22-250 AI and need reloading info.

[shinjin]

Lucked up on a 22-250 Ackley Aimproved on a mauser 98 receiver. The original owner is in a nursing home and his brother who I bout rifle from can't tell me much about rifle. He thinks round count is low but honestly doesn't know if it has even been fired. The barrel was NOT BLUED and from surface rust it obviously had been sitting for a few years. I cold blued and now want to check it out before shooting.

I would like to use a field guage but don't know where to find one. Anybody rent them?  OR would a factory 22-250 rem suffice?  Me a big chicken so safety my first consideration.

Now to reloading.  Don't want to replace a barrel after few hundred rounds of MACH 4 loads so how's about some good 40-50-60 rain medium to high speed reload suggestions?
I have pounds of H322 already so any on this would be really appreciated.

[Tom W.]

Just use your loads for a standard 22-250. They'll work fine and you'll fireform your brass to boot.  You do have some loading manuals???

[frogtog]

high speed, 220 swift data, what twist?  75 hornady a-maxes=  you will be well pleased with a 1 in 9 twist, a small bore 7 mag(trajectory wise!)

[Ladobe]

As Tom suggested you can make AI brass by just shooting factory 22-250 ammo, but use ammo with the heavier bullets to get a better form.   Better yet buy some 22-250 brass and load your own FF loads.   I'll assume you have a good load manual and know how to find data on-line.   Safe loads for any firearm are the ones worked up in it and not what somebody else might find safe in theirs.

H-322 is not a powder of choice for the 22-250 or AI IMO.   It was developed for the 222 Rem (medium size cases), is faster than those normally used for the 22-250 case.   The old standby for 22-250 is H-380, a powder that was named for the 22-250 load with 38.0 grains of it & 55 grain bullets.    Other powders that work well in the this cartridge are Varget, IMR or H-4895 & and RE-15.     

I shot the old war surplus 4895 in my first Browning 22 Varminter (early-mid 60's), and mostly H-380 and H-4895 in all the 22-250's I've had since except for one I shot Varget in (Browning 1895 High Wall) for a few years until I sold it.

[GWC]

The new Nosler manual has a section on the 22-250AI . Mine shoots best with 52gr Bergers and Varget in W-W cases and CCI BR-2 primers. You'll
be quite pleased with this cartridge when you get it squared away.

[iiranger]

Well. First, I applaud your safety concern, BUT, with a wildcat or an improved... You need great understanding to use the tools correctly and usefully. The gauges are "go" and "no-go" and "field." The "field" was military. If the gun took one of them then it would probably not fire. Way, way too much headspace. The "go" and "no-go" are manufacturing tools. In making a chamber the "go" should go in while the "no-go" should not. Point of fact, many used guns that have "loosened" up a bit will take a "no-go" gauge.

You can work with your chamber by affixing something to the base of a new case. Shim stock in various thicknesses is available in machine shop supply. Or you can find an old feeler gauge and cut it up. A thick grease like lanolin will hold it on. Headspace, correct, is usually in the .004-.005 range. If you can take a new case and stick a .003 to it and close the bolt, great. Stick a .008 and close the bolt easily (Mausers have a 15 to 1 leverage ratio... so you can  get it closed), BAD.

Pull the bolt and look up the barrel at strong light. If it has been fired much the rifling where it begins will be rounded. If not, nice and square.

Loads? Mr. Ackley (whose books are still available, covers thousands of cartridges, eabco.com had them. Ebay sometimes.) said, "Use standard Swift loading data."

Mr. Ackley also remarked that the brass after WW II seemed a bit different and harder to fire form. More likely to crack in the shoulder.  A preform with a super fast pistol powder and cream of wheat or corn meal AND NO BULLET seems to help. I lost some Remington cases fireforming for mine. No Winchesters. (good luck)

As said, H322 is a bit fast. But then if you are not trying for the hottest loads... Burn less powder and the barrel lasts longer. Performance might only be in the .222 Magnum range, but the furball you hit won't be able to tellllll... Great piece of history. Enjoy. Best of Luck. Please be careful.

[shinjin]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the assist!

I read about the Oatmeal fireforming trick just the other day in a relaoding magazine. Had never heard of that one before. 

Don't know if I told the forum but my Forester 22-250 Remington GO-GAUGE arrived and the bolt would NOT close on it. Makes me wonder if the rifle was ever chambered. Will finda gunsmith to verify chamber before shooting.

[Nobade]

An ackley chambered rifle better not come anywhere close to closing on a GO gauge! If it does it has way too much headspace.

To test it, take a brand new 22-250 case and prime it, no sizing. Close the bolt on that case. Does it have fairly hard resistance? It should be a bit hard, but not so much to hurt your hand. Now fire the primer. Remove the case, and look at the primer. Is it flush, or sticking up some? If it is flush, your rifle is fine. If it sticks up, the amount of protrusion is the amount of excess headspace you have. If it is very little, like under .003", no worries and you'll be fine. If it is more than that, your brass life will be short and it will likely break cases in half.

Now once you've done this, get a box of factory 22-250 ammo, and go shooting. When you are done, you will have a box of nicely formed cases to reload for going shooting again. That's all there is to an Ackley. Enjoy! 

[shinjin]

sounds like a weekend party!
I have the 22-250 Ackley to shoot and just got my Remington798 in 243 back from warranty work to test.

Its sight in or bust weekend with Jacque Dildoeaux, Cajun Hunter!