Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have some questions concerning loading the .30-06 Ackley Improved 40 degree shoulder cartridge.

I noticed recently that Qual-Cart has stopped offering all Ackley Improved cartridges on a general basis, although special runs are possible, This option depends on the quantities and $$$$$. I am assuming it is also influenced by other people ordering as well. Searching through their website, I get the impression something in excess of 2000 (two thousand) cases is the minimum order.

Now, Qual-Cart still offers .30-06 AI basic, that is cylinder brass for converting into any Ackley Improved cartridge. Just how difficult would this be: reforming the cylinder brass into .30-06 Ackley Improved cases? I understand neck length trimming and reaming maybe / will be necessary. However, prior to that, would I be able to run the cylinder brass through my RCBS full length forming dies, suitably lubed (extensively)?

I have a feeling this is not possible or undesirable operation with these dies and probably other necking down dies (what sort, where from?) are required..

I am beginning to think it would be simpler just to shoot good quality factory .30-06 in the Pacnor barrelled rifle, fire forming the cases in the process. I understand one of the big attractions of the Ackley Improved chambering's is you can still fire parent factory cartridges in the rifle safely.

Could those with experience of reloading this round please advise? Thanks in advance.

Yeah, just fire form. The CoW method is my favorite.

Thank you for the quick response.

What is CoW method - cartridges of the World?

Using a light load of a fast pistol powder, large pistol primer and Cream of Wheat to blow out the case to fit the chamber. miles

First, fill a case to the neck with a fast burning pistol powder. Then weigh the charge and drop 8 to 10 percent of that charge and fill up the rest of the case with COW. I use toilet tissue to seal the neck. Then just fire the load. If the case is not fully formed, add just a bit more powder until the case is right.

This is unnecessary to do with Ackley cartridges, but it is cheaper than firing factory ammo, assuming you have a stash of empty brass. I use this method to form .30 Herrett cases and 7-30 Waters cases from once fired or virgin .30-30 cases.

I do not know how important it is, but I was told to use large pistol primers when doing this, as they are softer and will not push the case forward. Hearsay, I know, but it worked for me. miles

Or you could load standard 30-06 loads and shoot your gun. Unless you don't like to shoot or don't need any practice. Fire form loads have been very accurate in every AI rifle I have loaded for.

You're not going to scorch the throat of a 30-06AI/30-06 by fireforming a couple of hundred pieces of brass . If I were fireforming brass for a 22-06 I might go with the COW method .
I'm thinking about making my 25-06 a 30-06AI when the time comes . Shot some 110v-max bullets in my 308win. - wow do those little buggers rip a critter a new one ... I'll just run 200pc. of Lapua brass varmint loads through the barrel and be set for a few years .

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. I should have guessed CoW stood for Cream of Wheat, a breakfast cereal.

Unfortunately, cream of heat is not sold here in the UK. Web research suggest it is like a coarser grained semolina type cereal grain. This got me thinking, maybe other breakfast cereals could be substituted, like bran or finer grained oats? Any experience. Fire forming using cereal filler and tissue / toilet paper may not be 'allowed' on the rifle club range I belong to, however, I do have access to a friendly farmer's slurry pit.

I am leaning towards just firing factory .30-06 rounds in the rifle - practice and fire forming in one step providing it is completely safe for both me and the rifle. As I mentioned before, that is a big plus with the Ackley Improved rounds. It can be useful to have correctly head stamped brass sometimes, but since it is a ".30-06", just improved, it should be ok most of the time, maybe just not international travel.

I think that you can use corn meal, or grits. Be careful about any thing really fine as it might be explosive. I know that grain dust causes explosions at granaries. miles

Just shoot the factory loads but do this...when you chamber a round, do it gently. Slamming the bolt forward on a round does indeed create a a mall amount of headspace. This will mean that the brass will be thinner above the case head. You may never have this issue, but you might! I have had two 30-06 Ackey Improveds and used (a)COW method, (b) seat out a long bullet in a reload to jam into the rifling to fire and the (c) gently loaded factory rounds if the chamber isn't too big. Just keep an eye on the case heads for any sign of a yellow ring forming. Use any rifle primer, no pistol primers. The thing about using "fillers" is it is "possible" to bulge a chamber using them. Slight chance w/o a bullet in the case, of course, but possible if not balanced out right. On the other hand, if you can get cylindrical brass, just lube well and run into your 30-06 AI FL die until you can close the bolt with just some slight resistance, fireform with any factory equivalent load. Its an easy round to load for, so don't worry too much, have fun!

Explosions at grain elevators occur because the fine dust suspended in the air has access to plenty of oxygen. This is not the case inside a cartridge. Also, I'm pretty sure the energy content of a few grains of grain dust doesn't even walk the same side of the street as the same quantity of nitrocellulose with maybe a bit of nitroglycerin thrown in.

I have found it better to shoot a standard load as the fire forming makes a sharper shoulder and no issues to speak of! Here is a list of Ackley cartridges i shoot
257 Bob AI
30-06 AI
338/06 AI
I have found in the 30-06 AI never really comes to bear until you get to bullets 180,190 and up! If your gonna shoot 150, just shoot the standard "06, just my itty bitty .02 worth!
Otis Campbell. USMC/0331

If the chamber on your Ackley is cut properly (crush fit) with factory or properly sized brass, head space will not be an issue. I use the same load for fire forming as I do in the already fire formed brass. IMHO the cream of wheat method is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard of.

I'm with you mountainbadger!