One of the great things about the '86 and 71 rifles is the terrific feeding characteristics. Mine will feed EMPTY 349 AI'ed cases all day long. AI'ing the round does not seem to affect it, for sure not in my rifle. P.O. Ackleys two volue set called "Guidebook for shooters and reloaders" Has a lot of info in it regarding doing the improved treatment to a rifle. The loads in it for the 348AI, rather than being sent in by some overzealous hack like many of the dangerous loads in these old books were done by then Guns and Ammo editor Bob Hagel. For sure benefits of the AI cases are much longer case life without case stretching and MUCH greater case capacity. Claimed benefit, but I do not know how one would measure such, is reduced bolt thrust or pressure on the breechface. Whether a valid experiment or not, 'ol PO Acklley took a 30/30 rifle that had been AI'ed and fired it WITH THE BREECHBOLT LOCKING BOLTS REMOVED and it worked fine. To him, this proved his point that the AI theory really did remove bolt thrust from the rifle. Dave Scoville writes, in this months handloader magazine however, that bolt thrust really is mininmal even with non AI rounds and that when and if a levergun fails, it is in the thin barrel area just ahead of or at the front of the chamber at the bottom and that it is nearly impossible to get a lever action rifle to blow its breechbolt backwards or even to damage it. A theory I have no need to test as the Hagel proved data that gives me a full 2500fps from 250gr Barnes original bullets out of my 348AI are quite enough, thank you very much.
I hope this hepls or adds fuel to the fire. I wish I could post some photos for you, thoes 348AI'ed cases topped with a big 'ol round nosed Barnes bullets look COOL!
One more interesting factoid, the BC on these bullets is not bad either! Easily a 200-250 yard Elk smacker.
