When I first built a .450 Ackley I too didn't have any dies. I simply fireformed .375 H&H brass with 25 grs of bulleseye and some cream of wheat and used .458 win Mag dies and some home made spacers to get some neck tension. Seemed to work pretty well as I remember.

quote:

Originally posted by Robgunbuilder:
When I first built a .450 Ackley I too didn't have any dies. I simply fireformed .375 H&H brass with 25 grs of bulleseye and some cream of wheat and used .458 win Mag dies and some home made spacers to get some neck tension. Seemed to work pretty well as I remember.

Home made spacers???

Would you please explain?
Thank you

GS

To add the proper length of the die like adding the spacer in 38/.357 dies.

Without reading all the posts I believe some have missed the point on the Ackley..It actually has a shoulder and the purpose of that shoulder is to clutch the bullet the full length needed..This is a very intelligent approach as the big guns tend to move bullets in the magazine..

The Lott however has a taper to the end of the case and your stuck with the crimp holding the bullet..That advantage to the Lott is availability of being a factory round and availability of ammo..

Both will shoot std. 458 Win ammo..

Take your pick..I prefer the 458 Ackley or Watts myself based on the above, but the advantage of the Lotts ammo availability and cost involved in building and loading makes me think the Lott is probably more practical..

Adding a washer (that is a homemade spacer around my digs) to the die is not always the answer to the question, sometimes it works and sometimes not, depends on the rear of chamber and how many times the case has been fired, at some point it will need FULL length resizing.
I personally always want a die made for the specific caliber, better yet a die made from the fired brass of the rifle in question..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Without reading all the posts I believe some have missed the point on the Ackley..It actually has a shoulder and the purpose of that shoulder is to clutch the bullet the full length needed..This is a very intelligent approach as the big guns tend to move bullets in the magazine..

The Lott however has a taper to the end of the case and your stuck with the crimp holding the bullet..That advantage to the Lott is availability of being a factory round and availability of ammo..

Both will shoot std. 458 Win ammo..

Take your pick..I prefer the 458 Ackley or Watts myself based on the above, but the advantage of the Lotts ammo availability and cost involved in building and loading makes me think the Lott is probably more practical..

Adding a washer (that is a homemade spacer around my digs) to the die is not always the answer to the question, sometimes it works and sometimes not, depends on the rear of chamber and how many times the case has been fired, at some point it will need FULL length resizing.
I personally always want a die made for the specific caliber, better yet a die made from the fired brass of the rifle in question..

It seems to me, if I was going to make another big .45 (already have the Winnie and Rigby), I would cut the chamber for the Watts and if you have to or want to buy your ammo "over there", then the Lott will fit just fine. It seems to me to be a win , win situation, best of both worlds.

I think I built my first Ackley 20-25 years ago and got dies or made them myself years ago. That was in the days before Hornady Lott brass was even available. Remember that?
All I can add to this thread is I still like my pre -64 M70 .450 Ackley! I can and have fired Lott cases and .458 win Mags in it with no issues. I like the fact that I can get a honest 2400fps out of it with 500 gr bullets and like 7-8 reloads before I see any evidence of case separations. If you like cast bullets its definitely excellent for that purpose too. I like it more than anything else in the .458's because its different and everyone who has ever shot it has tried to buy it from me. No flies on that cartridge and as I've said its ridiculously easy to make from .375 H&H brass. Even though its a moot point for a 50 yrd DGR, The Ackley design is noted for accuracy. Certainly every ackley case I ever tried was more accurate than the parent case.
You show up in a hunting camp with an Ackley and its instant prestige. Everyone wants to shoot it and hear about it! The only advantage of the Lott is simply easily obtained properly headstamped brass. Thats it. oh yes, nobody particularly wants to shoot it either. Boring! I don't have first hand experience with the Watts other than I've fired Neals. I'd take it over the Lott though anyday. -Rob

Rob and African Hunter,
That about sez it all......

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Rob and African Hunter,
That about sez it all......

Ray,
Well, you ain't bad on agreements today!
Have a good one

Whitworth, if you decide to do the Lott, drop me a pm, I have the reamer and have converted a couple of MK 10's. Can tell you about my latest Hemi project also!

FWIW I still have a 450 Ackley reamer, too. So I guess you have a loaner reamer whichever way you go.

I've had rifles in Lott and Ackley and I like the straight neck of the Ackley better, too. I shot a lot of cast bullets in mine and I think the full length neck gave me better starting pressures and accuracy with the lead bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
Whitworth, if you decide to do the Lott, drop me a pm, I have the reamer and have converted a couple of MK 10's. Can tell you about my latest Hemi project also!

Hey Lee! This is a 5 year old thread that someone dredged up. I don't even have the rifle anymore! Would still love to hear about the new Hemi project!