Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles To Ackley or not, that is the question

I use what has been working for years also. I've got one wildcatt it's a 6.5x06. Have never had a AI cartridge have never seen a need for one. Speaking of fast twist and heavy bullets, I don't go that route either. If I wanted to shoot say 60 gr or heavier bullet's I would not get a 22 cal rifle. No sir, I'd get a 243. Then if I wanted to shoot heavier than 100gr bullets, I'd step up to a 25 cal rifle.

My Ackley experience has been with the 260 AI & current 223 AI (heavy p/dog 9 twist set up)

First thing I'd look at is die selection

223 AI are common.....280 AI also

You are an AMAZINGLY Dumb Fhuqker. Hint.........

Dies are easy you can get a FL sizing made for whatever you want and if you have your own reamers a seater from a blank.
Ai's and Wildcats aren't for everybody I guess.

Talking of economics...once you spend $200+ for dies to get up & running

The benefits of an AI or Wildcat cartridge dwindle fast

About 2007 when David Tubb introduced the 6XC...had to have one

Built an 8 twist Pac Nor barrel screwed a Savage s/shot action on it

Great LR p/dog killer on 38 grs of powder with an 87 V Max

Dies were a chore at that time

Yes..AI & Wildcats aren't for everyone

Brokedick Stories from CLUELESS Fhuqks,are funnier than schit. Hint.

You couldn't pick the XC out of the crowd. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!............

To each his own on dies, and decent quality Type S bushing die set is gonna be atleast 200.00 -300.00.
Bushing dies are all i will own anymore started that atleast 10 years ago my needs are to control nk and when lots vary on brass its almost a must in wildcating.
Peoples requirements are different but I dont ever let dies pick my caliber choices if I did I wouldn't have half the rifles I do.

HINT

Fireing pin holes on rem. don't need to be bushed, it's just a sales gimmick.

I know catered primers are just a sales gimmick.

The irony is that AI will allow more firings of brass. My 260AI has approx. 6% more case capacity albeit I do not load 6% more. To AI the smaller calibers is a personal choice and you will not get the value if you sell. MTG

I prefer short barreled rifles and that is one more reason to chamber an AI. You can make up some, if not all of the velocity you loose between a 20" barrel and a 24" barrel.

Thanks to all for sharing your perspectives. ... I appreciate the insight.

The saga continues......

I have a 700 ADL in a short action that pretty much any reload or factory loading would make primers look like extreme over pressure. Sent to Jon Beanland and had the bolt bushed. Never had another issue. It was about 100.00 and a two week turnaround.

So far, I am enjoying the .233 Ackley

I have been fire forming brass with 60 grain v max and some 68 grain Hornady seconds that I have.....nothing crazy on the loads, just getting familiar with the cartridge.
primers look good...CCI 400 for right now.....( cause I had 200 primed cases ) but will likely move to the 450 down the road.


Powder selection is with TAC, N 140 , Lever, ........ Any others???


Also gonna give the new Eld V/T a whirl .... But will likely lean on 70 + grain projectiles for distance

The Lee dies seem to size well and fit/ finished really really well for the < $40 cost and the Redding seating die is working like it should.....

I appreciate the insight and information that was thrown my way.... Thanks much

In my limited experience. The 257 Robert’s seem to benefit the greatest by AI, ing. It seems to even defy mule deers 4 to 1,rule. However without pressure testing equipment a person , other than usual visual, ease of extraction , Mike cases and etc. can not say if one’s running similar pressures. All I have is a chronograph and in my three Robert’s, one a commercial 98 Lilja barrel 257AI , the other two a kimber hunter and Remington 700 classic standard Robert’s, with comparable barrel lengths. The AI version seems to exceed the 4 to 1 rule by a small margin. I have two other AI chambering along with rifles of the standard flavor in 280 and 30/06 snd neither of the two seem to defy the 4-1, and in truth the 06 doesn’t approach it.
Be interested to hear what John B and Charlie S. Has to offer as I’am nothing more than an old charmer.

I wouldn't tear apart a good shooting 223 to AI it but if starting from scratch I really like the AI.

Some have had feeding problems with them but I haven't

Mine are 1 in 8 and I like the 75 amax/eld-m for what I do

1-7” and 88’s,take things to a whole ‘nother level. Hint.

You gotta go .620 BC .243” 112’s to top it. Hint.

Just sayin’………..

It goes without saying that the aerodynamic advantages of the 1-8 twist capable projectiles are exponentially more than the 1-12.......however, I grant that a 1-7 might be a smidge better.


Perhaps I will do a 1-7 on my next one......and I figure there will be another one.

.223AI's are rad!