Author Topic: 8mm06 Ackley Improved (Read 3292 times)

rd2903 · « **on:** July 23, 2003, 02:57:09 PM »

I made this rifle 12 years ago, I like the round but pain to make. Does anyone know of a source of factory brass, seems like years ago I saw some.

Mikey · « **Reply #1 on:** September 03, 2003, 04:31:28 AM »

rd2903: Please answer a couple of questions for me that I always seem to get various answers to: Is the 8mm-06 an 8mm bore or a 308 bore? Is the 8mm-06 made by using 30-06 brass opened up to 8mm? If so, couldn't you use 06 brass to make the 8mm-06 Improved cases????

I have this affinity for the 8mm - I think it is a great cartridge. To me, an 8mm based on a 30-06 case would simply be a 8x63mm cartridge rather than the 8x57mm. If you can 'improve' the case efficiency by squaring off the shoulder as Ackley was fond of doing, then you would have an 8x63mm Improved, which would be a great round, I think. If it is the 323 bore I think it is, then the 8mm 220 grain bullet oughta be a whomper from even just a 23" bbl and be capable of taking anything on this continent?

Am I anywhere near the ballpark on this? Mikey.

John Traveler · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2003, 10:47:39 AM »

Hey, Mikey!

the 8mm-06 is based on the .30-06 case necked UP to 8mm. It was mildly popular after WWII when thousands of M98 8mm Mausers came home with returning GI's.

IF you love the 8mm bore, you should like the hot performing 8mm Remington Magnum. However, that cartridge is almost dead. Even Remington has stopped chambering for it.

Charles Askins, Jr. was an 8mm fan too. Unfortunately, in the USA the caliber is either lukewarm (factory 8x57 ammo) or pushes too close to the popularity of the .338 Winchester Magnum to make it.

I dunno why 8-06 cases are hard to make. Simply resize, expand to 8mm neck, and trim, isn't it?

John

rd2903 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2003, 11:10:29 AM »

Making cases for this round is time comsuming. Especially if you use 30:06. First it must be annealed and necked up to 35 cal, then necked back down to 32 cal, then fireformed in rifle, with a light powder load topped with corn meal , or other substance. I usually shoot them in a 5 gal pail filled with rags. IF you do this procedure the case will stretch at the neck instead of the base. If you do not the case will stretch at the base , in which case it will separate on you. However I have found that 35 whelen works much better. But my point was I saw some factory brass couldn't remember where. If you try and shoot 8mm06 in and imp chamber the base of the case will stretch and seperate, on 1st or second reloading. Been through all of this and learned the hard way. The 8mm06 ack imp is a straight case with very short neck. Mine loves 175 hornady round nose.

John Traveler · « **Reply #4 on:** September 03, 2003, 11:29:37 AM »

rd2903,

Ah,, NOW I understand the problem!

But, the reason you are probably having head separations firing standard 8mm-06 cartridges in a Ackely Improved 8mm-06 is because:

1. the chamber was cut too deep. By "too deep" I mean Ackely himself always advocated that his Improved chambers be cut about 0.004" inch TOO SHALLOW, so that factory ammo will have a "crush fit". The crush fit is needed to fully support the case during that first fireforming. Thereafter, normal full-length resizing of the improved case is okay. That applies to handloaded 8mm-06 ammo too.

2. Your reloads are full-length sized too much and don't have enough chamber support. If you try sizinging your 8mm-06 case to give your reloads that critical "0.004" crush fit", your head separations will go away.

HTH
John

Mikey · « **Reply #5 on:** September 04, 2003, 03:58:54 AM »

Ah So..... Thankee Sai. Now Mikey unnerstand.

gutshot_again · « **Reply #6 on:** November 17, 2003, 07:01:18 AM »

Did you ever find your source? I would think that you would wish to form the cases yourself as the chamber may be a little different than mine, making a commercial cases a iffy solution. What I've done is neck up to 8mm. Then seat inexpensive bullets (either jacketed or cast) to fully engage the rifling - making that important crush fit. I've used small charges of fast burning shotgun type powders to fire form the cases as well as starting loads for the 8mm-06 using IMR4350. Both seem to work just fine and I end up with a case ready to go. Works for me pretty well.

Now for the real reason I jumped in so late. Was wondering if you'ld be willing to share any of the 8mm-06 improved loads?

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2003, 04:59:36 AM »

Hay Guys, isn't there an 8x62 or 8x63mm cartridge out there, and is it rimmed or a lengthened version of the 8x57? Gee, we go nutz trying to make or find suitable brass but I wonder if it doesn't already exist in one form or another. Sometimes when I look at the reloading die offerings in the Shotgun Blues I think I see something like that and wonder (1) would it work for an 8mm-06 and (2) where could ya find some? Mikey.

Wildcat Crazy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2003, 01:13:19 PM »

There is an 8x62 Durham Magnum,it is built on the H&H belted magnum case.

There is an 8x63 Swedish,cases can be made from the 10.75 x 68.

WC

Fla Brian · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2004, 09:48:22 AM »

I'm not sure whether my 8mm-06 Imp is an Ackley version or not (The CH dies that came with the rifle were simply stamped 8mm-06Imp.), but I fire form my cases by pouring 13 - 15 grains of Bullseye into a 30-06 case stuffed down with a sheet of toilet tissue. Then I simply chamber and fire. No great bother at all. I haven't had any separations, and much of my brass has been fired quite a few times.

dan belisle · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2004, 08:29:30 AM »

An outfit called Grayback (I think) Wildcats was making brass at one time. I have two fo the 8mm-06 AI version, I think it's a great cartridge. Yes, it won't do anything the 338-06 won't do, but so what? It will do anything that the 338-06 WILL do, and that's a good thing, plus it's just a little bit different. - Dan.

bufflernickl · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2004, 01:37:22 AM »

WEll, the .338-06 is a great round with a really poor selection of bullets. Nearly all the bullets you'd want to shoot are "magnum construction" and will not give optimum performance at the terminal velocities attained by the -06 case.

Now, before you jump on me with both feet, I will not deny the many kills this cart has given. This is a statement in praise of the broad performance capabilities of our fine modern bullets and the killiing power of a large diameter bullet even if it does not attain proper expansion.

The 8mm cal. OTOH, has a fine selection of bullets (might have to look to .eu to find 'em all :-) that are designed for terminal velocities just where the -06 case works best. So, personal opinion, the 8mm-06 is a better choice for all-round NA hunting. If I needed maximum penetration rather than maximum expansion, of the two I'd choose the .338-06.

I think that we in the USA are missing a great deal by rejecting (as a population, or at least as a "market") both the great 6.5mm and the great 8mm cals.

cheers/buffler