Anyone have some helpful tips on forming Ackley brass? I just got my new 30-06 Ackley back from my gunsmith and I am curious as to what loads to use to from brass that will have the least barrel wear. I reload so any froming/plinking loads would be helpful. Iam looking at low pressure loads with light bullets. Is this what I need? Also I am new to the wildcat scene so any tips on types of brass or fire forming would he helpful.

Thanks...JD

JD I would advise that you do NOT use low pressure light bullet loads to fire form your cases.I would suggest you start with new cases only.Take an empty case (no primer & no powder)and seat a 180 gr bullet approx 3/16 of an inch in the case.( seating die not screwed all the way into the press)Attempt to chamber this round in your rifle.It should not chamber. Turn your seating die approx 1/4 turn further into the press so the bullet will be seated a little deeper and try to chamber it again. Repeat this until you can close the bolt about 1/2 way before you feel some resistance.This will be the bullet engaging the rifling.The last 1/2 to 1/3 of the bolt closing should require a firm pressure to close. Measure and record this overall length. Prime your cases and select a suggested starting load for the std 30-06 for that bullet weight with the powder you are going to use.When you chamber these rounds the bullet engaging the rifling will ensure the case is held firmly against the bolt face.When you fire them the case will fireform perfectly with minimum case stretch and will result in the best possible case life.

I definately agree that fireform loads should have bullet firmly jammed into the lands. I've tried many different ways of forming cases on my 35 whelen ai, and the bullets have to jammed in the lands to prevent the shoulder from being set back, and you need decent pressure to blow the case out.

If the shoulders are set back on fireforming, easily noted by protruding primers, then future full power loads will lead to case/head seperation. I've never had a full seperation, but plenty of shiny rings ahead of the web. If brass is properly fireformed, this doesn't happen, you just size and load again and again.

Thanks for the info. guys. Also do you recommend full length sizing or neck sizing the Ackleys. I will be only loading for one rifle. Also what kind of barrel life am I looking at for this application? It is a new Rem 700 rifle with a factory barrel, originally a .308 win.

JD,

My hunting rifles are set up for reliability, hence, I fl size. Even with a cheap barrel, 2.5X scope, and military trigger, it'll put 3 shots in 1 - 1 1/2" at 100 yds, more then good enough. If I were target shooting, I'd neck size, but, I'd also do alot of things differently in the gun.

As far as barrel life, as long as you don't crank up the loads, you should be able to get 1000's of rounds down the bore w/o any notable degredation.

While seating the bullet into the lands do not crimp the case neck. This will allow a little movement. Very slightly oil (very slightly) the case walls below the neck, this allows the pressure developed by the primer and the initial burning powder to push the case back onto the bolt face before stretch occurs.

All,
If P.O. Ackley demonstrated that the Ackley Improved chambers were safe(read designed) to fireform factory ammunition without modification why are we going through all these machinations?
Just a question.
Bill

JD Regarding sizing your cases ,I would suggest you back your size die out of the press so you only re-size part of the neck. Adjust the die down in steps and stop when you are sizing the whole neck EXCEPT the last1/32 inch.This will ensure you do not move the shoulder back which would result in case stretching & shortened case life.

First thing to understand about a true Ackley Improved is that the neck to shoulder junction of the chamber is about .002" to .004" shorter than the parent chartridge/chamber spec. This was so that, in a pinch, factory loaded ammunition could be used afield. Thus, in chambering an Ackley, the GO gauge for a 30-06 would be the NO-GO gauge for an Ackley.

The primary reason for seating the bullet into the lands is not to hold the case, provided you have standard SAAMI dimension brass, but to ensure sufficient pressure to form the brass. When fireforming with loaded ammunition, use a heavier weight bullet, a medium burning speed powder, and a mid-range loading for the particular parent cartridge you are fire forming.

Because of the many "improved" styles of cartidges out there, be cautious of loading data. For instance, the 40 degree shoulder Ackley Improved .243 does not use the same loads as the standard shoulder "improved" .243 (case taper blown out while maintaining stock shoulder angle). The Ackley Improved uses a slight amount more powder before going over pressure.

Err on the side of caution.

I shoot anything and everything in my .375 AI to form cases. Because it headspaces on the belt, I assume that the discussion in this thread doesn't apply. Am I correct?

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Phil- Life Member NRA & SCI