anyone with P O Ackleys books?

[cudatruck]

care to do a small favour? could one of you guys that own ackleys books look and see if there is data in them on a 6mm krag rkb? .244 krag? i just don't want to spend money on these expensive books if there is no data im looking for. any help would be great, Mike.

[Czech_too]

In volume 1, I find a 6mm Krag(Ackley short version), a 6mm Krag(Ackley Improved), a .243 RKB, it mentions that this one is very similar to the short 6mm Ackley Krag.  I don't see anything in volume 2, but I didn't go cover to cover either.

[cudatruck]

in donnellys handloaders manual of cartridge conversions there is one page on making brass from 30-40 krag for each of these. but no more information. does ackleys book provide load data, history developement, chamber dimensions anything more? i just don't want to waste money if there is not more info than i already have.

[Czech_too]

PM sent

[cwlongshot]

I also have a couple of his books and altho I'll likely never load 25% of his listings I find it a wealth of information.

I will scan and send you any you need.

CW

[cudatruck]

thank you czech, i read the pm with the few load data listed. one paragraph is all? wow, probably won't buy this book just for that. may get around to wanting to read it just because but right now looking for more info on this one project.
 
cw, does your book have anything more than one paragraph on these ? donnellys book only gives the cartridge one sentence but it does have the drawing with measurements.

[Drilling Man]

  Why don't you measure the "water" volume of the case, and use starting loads for something with a "similar" volume.
 
  I've always done that with all of the wildcats i worked with, and it works perfectly.
 
  It will certainly be as close as Ackleys loads are, as from what i've seen, most of his top loads are too hot!
 
  DM

[cudatruck]

Drilling Man, I don't even have a rifle chambered for this... Yet. I'm still doing reasearch. I aquired a set of dies no one claims to have manufactured. having trouble figuring out just which one this is, or if its even something else. running 30-40 brass into the form die and the FL sizing die still leaves rounded shoulders. they need to be fireformed. without the proper chamber im stuck. i've read about fire forming in the die... looks a little scary. thought about using cerosafe to cast the FL sizing die to measure? any ideas or information is helpfull.

[Drilling Man]

  Cerosafe the fl die, that's where to start...
 
  DM

[geezerbiker]

Since you guys have is books, could you look up if he did anything with the .25-35? 

Tony

[cudatruck]

.25-35 winchester? Donnelly's book "the handloaders manual of cartridge conversions" sources harnady 3rd pg 126. for the .25-35 win. he says to make cases from .30-30 or .32 win spl. he lists .25-35 ackley improved source ackley vol 1 pg 331. says to make from .30-30. Also a .25-35 ICL Coyote source ackley vol 1 pg 332 make from .25-35 or .30-30.  the .25-35 win is 35.68 grns of water, the ICL is 44.57 and the .25-35 AI is 45.72 hope that helps.

[geezerbiker]

Thanx, that's more info than I hoped for.  Someday I'd like to get a single shot rifle chambered for .25-35 or .25-35 AI.

Tony

[iiranger]

Mr. E.  Brown has a cute little single shot action from which he makes both pistols and rifles. eabco.com. In the past he has stocked the Ackley books, paperback. And he has chambered the .30/40 Krag, .30/40 Krag Improved, and the .25/35 Ackley Imp. His passions centers around the Donaldson Wasp case(s). Originally on shortened .30/30 case and later the "ACE" series on the .225 WCF case. Match winners. Many, many matches. With very good barrel life...

It was my great fortune to actually correspond a small bit with Mr. A. I bought the 2 volumes and was most impressed with the .25/35 Ackley Improved Winchester. 3800 fps with a 60 grain bullet. Only 2800 fps with the 120 grain bullets.  Then I thought, well, Mr. A was doing this in big, beefy Winchester single shot rifles... so I wrote. He said in a letter, "Nope, get this performace in 94's and 64's (94 with pistol grip) and Marlins right along." This is "efficiency."

I would also add from studying the books, the .25 Krag Improved full length (Mr. A made many variations of the Krag),  has the exact same case capacity and data interchanges for the .257 Roberts Ackley Improved. Now the .257 Imp has gone in many directions. .243 Rockchucker probably in the firsts. .244 Remington is just the .257 necked down to 6mm.

.25 Full Length Krag Imp was as good or better than the .25/'06 with powders available in those days until you reached the heaviest of bullets, 120/125 grain and slowest of powders. '06 holds more. Cf. Bliss Titus equaled the .270 WCF with the .300 Savage case necked down (or .250 Savage necked up) to .270 with powders available before WW II and in the Savage 99 rifle.

Best of luck. Books are a great investment even with inet. Happy New Year. Happy Trails.