I ran across a .450 Ackley for sale and am curious if one can run .458 Win ammo through such a rifle in a pinch. I did a search here on AR and found mixed opinions.

Thanks,

John

If inserted in chamber seperately, it should work, but if it would feed from the magazin is an open question.

I had a 450 Ackley built for me in 1970 on a Remington 30S action. P.O. Ackley did the chambering for me. In answer to your question, I don't think I would get another one since there are 45 caliber rifles that will do the same job and if need be, you can purchase factory ammo. Be very careful when trying to use 458 ammo in a 450 Ackley as you are talking about a 375 length case that is the basis for the cartridge. It also has a shoulder and the 458 does not. I would avoid the teptation at all costs.

quote:

Originally posted by Bent Fossdal:
If inserted in chamber seperately, it should work, but if it would feed from the magazin is an open question.

Why do yoiu think it makes a difference how the cartridge gets in the chamber? It headspaces on the belt.
You will lose velocity in the "improving" process of firing the .458 Win in the Ackley. Last spring we fired some .300 Winnies in a rifle that was susposedly chambered that way, but had been reamed, unknown to us, to .300 Weatherby. Barrel had not been remarked. It didn't cause any problems, but made a funny looking empty with about 3/32nds" of neck as I recall, maybe a little less.
In an emergency, I think it can be done, otherwise no practical reason to even consider it.

JTG,

My understanding is that the Ackley can shoot both 458 Win and Lott rounds safely. IIRC, that is what Alphin says in Any Shot You Want.

They both headspace on the belt so you can shoot 458 Win in a 458 Ackley but with my gun the point of impact was quite different. I once shot as wounded lion with a 458 win cartridge in my 450 Ackley but I didn't like the way it worked(hit quite low) and I only fired one shot. Not sure how well it feeds. I know it can be done in a pinch because I have done it but I don't think its a good idea to make a practise of it. The mouth of the 458 Win case opens out on fire fomring so maybe gas leakage might be a problem in some rifles but it was no problem in my rifle.

VBR,


Ted Gorsline

the ackley has what, a .30" ghost shoulder... the winmag will errode that shoulder, if done enough...

it'll feed fine

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
the ackley has what, a .30" ghost shoulder... the winmag will errode that shoulder, if done enough...

it'll feed fine

jeffe

Thanks, jeffe, for reporting about the feeding!
But, the Ackley sports a real shoulder, not a ghost shoulder like the .470 Capstik.

Bent,
it's not much of a shoulder (less than the 470 AR)... heh, rather than call it a ghost, we'll call it a whisper!!

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
Bent,
it's not much of a shoulder (less than the 470 AR)... heh, rather than call it a ghost, we'll call it a whisper!!

jeffe

Hey, jeffe, I like that!