Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 338-06 Ackley Improved, any advantage?

Not only NO....but hell no!

Back on topic.....

I built one.. on a Model 70 action, rebore...The guy who did it, was one of the last guys to train under P.O. Ackley. Bob West in Eugene OR.

When he did it, he told me old P.O. Ackley saw no reason for it, because it gave no real world gains... so I just went with the 338/06 rebore.

Had several local buddies with the Ackley version... and at the range a couple of time, each with 24 inch barrels., mine had 50 fps more velocity than the guys with the AI's. so that kind of bore out what Bob West told me P.O. himself said.

He also was the guy who recommended to use H 380 for it, which I followed and it was a right choice... that or 4064...

He recommended 50 grains of 4064 as a charge for it also.... because the velocity for 200, 225 and 250 grain Hornady bullets was 2500 fps MV, with that 50 gr of 4064 charge. My chronograph verified that also... and also pretty much had the same general point of impact at 100 yds.

and here is Bob West , operating out of his garage. who had about 20 guns he was working on for Hank Williams Jr, about 10 for Tom Selleck and a host of others for celebrities......While I was at his shop, Hank Williams Jr called him like 3 times, so he finally took the call, when I said I didn't mind waiting.

Then all of a sudden, he says " Hank, I gotta go take a Whizz.... here talk to my friend John here, until I get back.." Then he just hands me the phone and takes off..... So I hear Hank Jr on the phone... "hey John, how's your day going?".. so I talked guns with Hank Jr for about 10 minutes, until Bob got back..

Hank had asked me what Bob was working on for me, and I told him the 338/06.... well that's a good caliber....I prefer the 35 Whelen.. but I've seen them on some of my hunts with others, and they certain work on Elk and Bears....

For a celeb, old Hank Jr was a real down to earth guy..... so my 338/06 has some sort of pedigree to it... kinda sorta...

Nice story. What was Magnum, PI shooting?

Cool story, Seafire!

Cool stuff Seafire... Bob West built my 338-06 also way back then...25 Inch Donnelly barrel on a 1948 pre 64.. Interesting for sure although I didn't get to talk to any celebrities'.

Who's Hank Williams Jr?

Since 1975 the .338 Winny has performed wonderfully for me on Alaskan game and the 30-06 has done the same thing since 1965 and a .338-06 worked also, but has only seen limited use. I have recently turned a new production Mod. 71 into a .348 Ackley Improved and if I get close enough I expect the wonderful 250 grain Kodiak Super Bonded Bullets at about 2,500 fps mv to work very well. Do I need an Improved .348, probably not, but I sure wanted 35 Whelen ballistics with a 250 gain bullet and the improved .348 Ackley version gives it to me. So the itch is scratched and I am happy about it.

The Deluxe Mod. 71 rifle has a beautiful walnut checkered stock, beautiful bluing and I will be feared by all beasts when I am carrying it. Once the XS receiver sight is zeroed for 150 yards all range shooting will be shot off of the sticks. I will be the envy of everyone and I will also look good with my Filson Packer oil skin hat, heck ya!

One thing they all have in common, if the right bullet is put in the right place at a reasonable distance they all kill well.

Does a 338-06 Ackley make sense, not to me because I don't want one, but if I did.........

I have not read all the responses. But I had a similar problem when I picked a 375 Whelen AI. It was what the reamer rental place had and the die retailer had. So I went AI.
The problem is the controlled round feed of the Mauser requires a bit of work on the rails and feeding ramp.
I also have a 280 AI on a 700 action. With that action there was no need to alter the feed.

I'll say the same thing I said in 10/10 if you want whatever performance increase in an AI over a std cartridge. Atleast put it in a std length action not a short box mauser 98 (3.25"). Mb

Do you find , while case trimming is much reduced, that the neck / shoulder junction will thicken over many cycles?
This is what I have found with a 6 Dasher and 280 ai. This makes closing the bolt a bit harder than normal , so neck turn the base of the neck.
Improving a cartridge is not about velocity (for me), but getting it 'right sized' to give more opportunity to hit an OBT at reasonable pressures.

[/quote] Do you find , while case trimming is much reduced, that the neck / shoulder junction will thicken over many cycles?
This is what I have found with a 6 Dasher and 280 ai. This makes closing the bolt a bit harder than normal , so neck turn the base of the neck.
Improving a cartridge is not about velocity (for me), but getting it 'right sized' to give more opportunity to hit an OBT at reasonable pressures.[/quote]

I have seen that--but it also can happen in non-AI bottlenecked cases. But have also seen it in brand-new factory brass with relatively sharp necks, say around 30 degrees. Had a batch of new 6.5 PRC brass that apparently had the "dreaded donut" to a certain extent in maybe 10% of the cases, because it showed up after the first firing. Like you, I neck-turned the base of the neck to solve the problem.