i have just aquired a p o ackley bench rifle in .219 zipper ackley improved on a 1885 win. falling block with unirtel fixed 10 power scope large taper barrel... but rounds and dyes have been elusive it is made off 30 30 brass necked down and blown out.

lash

Since the Ackley Improved Zipper is a wildcat there is only one way to find out exactly what your chamber looks like. That is, a chamber cast. From there you can have dies made and then brass formed. Any of the "30-30" base cartridges can be used to make the brass but new 30-30 is probably your best bet. I'd be leery of any dies and brass that is said to be for the Ackley because there are so many different versions and every reamer was probably a one-of-a-kind. If it's a real Ackley it will have a 28 degree shoulder and a 1.9" case length.

Ray

Lash,

www.buffaloarms.com. Their newest catalog shows dies and formed brass and loaded ammunition IIRC.

hope this helps. They got me the above for a mauser in 219 Donaldson Wasp some time back. Great people to deal with.

Rich

CH dies, find them at www.ch4D.com

Brass can be had from www.eabco.com

I don't know if they have the IMP version, but even the standard case will save you a number of steps in reforming chores. You'll just find an appropriate load, shoot, and presto -- the .219 Zipper AI case will pop out...

Run a chamber cast and get back to us. I have a set of Redding Custom 219 zip imp 40* dies I will make you a good deal on, if they are what you need. Chances are it is a 28* Ack, but you never know. Lee

i will do i am not much familiar with ackley but this gun was built by ackley himself and is serial numbered 703 i originally was going to run a reamer up it and make it something more common but value is preventing that. off to the shop make chamber casting thank you will get back

My High Wall is chambered in 219 RCBS with the 28 degree shoulder. I would not want one with a 40 degree shoulder due to case splitting when fire forming.

I have made some brass from 30-30's with my CH FL die but the last batch of WW brass is too soft and the body of the case folds in.

I would just shoot a 219 Zipper factory load in it! Thats what its supposed to do! If the case splits then put some oil on each case for fireforming.

You might not need dies. Just use 22-250 dies, if you have them, to neck size and seat. A set of 22-250 Lee Collet dies would be ok.

The 219 RCBS is very much like the 225 Winchester. You might be able to use 225 Win. brass but be very careful the necks are too thick, without turning, for my chamber.

I was lucky a few years back, I stocked up on some of the 30 American brass when it came out. It seems to be much easier to form.

Rich

I have a 219 Donaldson Wasp that I form cases for. I took a 30/30 sizing die and cut some of the bottom off. This allows setting the shoulder at the right length and I have never had a problem with collapsed cases since I started doing it this way and use new brass. I then use a 6mm Saeco stubby die and finish with the 219 Donaldson die.

You might also want to try the old trick of a fast powder and corn meal to see what the cases look like. That way you do't have as much pressure as a regular load. I use Bullseye to form 220 Weatherby Rocket cases and it works great.

Those are some good ideas 338 guy.

I see HERE that new 219 brass is available. I am going to try this next. In the past the shoulders split on fireforming when Remington brass was used but that was just that lot.

I wiped some motor oil on each case before I put them in the chamber and that stopped the splitting.

I have made cases in the past from 30-30, 25-35 and 225 Win. The rims are smaller on the 225 Win's but the extractor works ok. The case has too thick a neck however for my chamber and it does not have the right headstamp either.

where is "here", I can't get it to come up on my computer.

Rich

Lee440,

I forgot what friday was...the official start of the crazy season. The line at the PO was a block long. Draft from my bank went in the mail.

regards,

Rich

I had a Savage 99 in .219 Zipper, and found that the .25-35 brass is much easier to use for a base case than the .30-30. The .25 has a narrower shoulder which is the same as the normal Zipper, but it is the right length, as .30-30 is a little long. C&H has about 13 different sets of dies for versions of the Zipper improved, so you might want to check with them.