.30/06 ackley improved

[thelaw]

wondering if there is anyone on the board that has experience with the .30/06 ackley round. a while back i had one that was a rem .700 w/22" barrel. i never really liked the accuracy of it and seemed i had to load real hot to get the velocity i wanted. ended up rebarreling to a .270 which will occassionally shoot 1/4" groups. i still have the desire for a .30/06ackley though. i've seen T/C chambers the encore in the .30/06 ackley through their custom shop. what do you think about it with a 26" heavy barrel? i think the velocities stated in the nosler manual would be easily obtainable. in feedback?

[Steelhead]

I avoid the AI anymore. Just one more step that is a pain. The 250/3000 is about the only round I would mess with as an AI anymore. JUST ME. Of course the "cool" equation is not considered in the above statement.

For what it is worth, just the added 4" of barrel in a standard 06 will make up the difference in your previous 22" AI.

I am getting 2970 with 165's and 3050 with 150's from a 25" custom barrel in a standard 30/06 chamber.

[dkhnt]

Personally, I like any gun that has been modified to an Ackley chamber.  I have a .280 Ackley that is a dream to shoot.  I am loading it to 3300 fps with a 140 gr. bullet.  I can shoot a 5-shot group that is literally one hole, not a clover shaped hole but a single hole at 100 yards.  It is built on a M700 action and has a 26" barrel on it with a removable brake.  The gun was built by Speedy Gonzales in Denton, TX and has his trademark spiderwebbed barrel on it.  I am obviously a huge fan of the .280 Ackley and would not go to the 30-06 Ackley simply because I have a great shooting gun.  There are a lot of good bullets to load in this caliber so I don't feel like my hands are tied in that way.  The only drawback to my gun is its weight.  The gun has not been lightened in any way so there is the possibility of having it lightened.  Kenny Jarret is high on this round and it might do you well to do a little research on the caliber if you haven't already done so simply to see what you are missing.  If you are a die-hard .30 caliber fan then this one would not be for you.

[onesonek]

hi thelaw,
  I really meant to reply to this sooner, just been really busy, sorry.
I'm not sure how you mean hot. But in my experince, it takes,(pending on parent case and cal.) 1.5-3 grs of extra powder to get back to the same velocity. The extra gain in velocity comes from more powder, and more pressure. A 5gr. increase over manual max's for the standard cartridge, isn't uncommon. Caution really needs to be exercised with AI rounds, as it's difficult to "read" pressure signs. If You go to the point where the bolt is stiff on opening, the gun is definately stressed.
But, because of the straighter tapered case it will handle higher pressures with out difficulty. As they "grab" the chamber walls better, resulting in less thrust.
Most new firearms are designed to handle pressures at the upper limit of the cartridges available commecially, plus a "cushion" Yet loaded ammo and loading manuals still keep pressures down for liability reasons. But just because modern 06 brass don't have a belt, don't mean it can't handle belted case pressures. From there, casehead size comes into play.
I hope you can see where I'm going with this cause beyond that it's a internal ballistics and physics game, And i'm going that "deep" with this post.
The plain and simple facts are, AI's are cool. And the extra work needed in some areas is saved in others, and they cost a tad more to shoot. Also proven, anytime you burn more powder, some velocity will be gained.
I also prefer longer barrels for several reasons, and personally don't see the need for anything shoter than 24",except brush or short ranges guns.

Are the AI's needed,,,, not really. Do the pros and out weigh the cons,or visa-versa,,,,, a matter of personal perspective.

I could go on, but all I really wanted to say was,, If the AI trips you trigger,by all means get one if thats what you want. I've had several over the years, and still enjoy them.
Dave

[handirifle]

I made a new post on this but saw this thread and wanted your input.

At the range today I spoke with an elderly gent that has a lot more years of handloading than I'll ever have.  He was telling me of his thoughts on AI rounds.  He was referring specifically to the 22-250.  It seems he is on his second and soon to be third barrel for his Ruger #1.  

He has shot out the other two.

he says his next rebarrel will be for the 22-250 AI.  He claims the more forward shoulder , in addition to the greater case capacity, straighter walls, less back thrust, also causes the powder to burn slower, or at least more evenly.  His theory was the sharp shoulder angle seemed to keep the powder from "blowing" out and causing a "fireball" (my words, not his) in the throat of the chamber.  Kinda like the new short magnums.  His theory seemed to make sense to me.  Any thoughts from you guys?

Would the same apply to the '06?  

Also do you get less case stretching as advertised?

[Fred M]

I have helped several shooter to build a 30-06 AI. it is a very fine cartridge and perfect for a handloader. No fussing with brass neck sizing with bushing dies most of the time unless you really make them smoke.
All the people have been very happy with them. If you make one up use a good barrel and have the action blueprinted.

There is not much gain in velocity but is is close to the 300H&H with the right powders. I never had one but I can vouch for its credibility.

The 280 Ai is famous all over the world and needs no introduction. Fred M.