I admit I don't know much about PO Ackley calibers so this may be a dumb question. But if I had a barrel chambered in 30-06 Improved and want to return it to 30-06 could this be done? Could you rechamber it and cut enough of the threads off to get it to headspace?

Mark

Changing the shoulder angle from 40 degrees back to the original 06 shoulder would only involve setting the barrel back a couple of threads. However, the original body taper is so much more in the o6 when compared with the Ackley that it would require setting the barrel back almost the entire case length. Not very practical unless you have a long cylinder section on the barrel and can afford to lose more than 2 inches in length.

Ray

quote:

Originally posted by Cheechako:
Mark

Changing the shoulder angle from 40 degrees back to the original 06 shoulder would only involve setting the barrel back a couple of threads. However, the original body taper is so much more in the o6 when compared with the Ackley that it would require setting the barrel back almost the entire case length. Not very practical unless you have a long cylinder section on the barrel and can afford to lose more than 2 inches in length.

Ray

Excellent and very correct reply.

Mark...you can shoot regular .30-06 ammo in the improved chamber if you wish and if it was built right in the first place.

Thanks guys Like I said I don't know much about Improved calibers, don't know that I've ever seen one.

Mark,

From what I gather from your questions you are looking at a used rifle for sale with an improved chamber. If the price is low now you should still ask for complete assurances that the job was done right.

If the headspace was set back as it should be on rimless improved cartridges then a factory load will be a gentle crush fit at the shoulder neck junction on the orginal case.

Ask the seller who did the headspacing and be completely assured that you can return the rifle if your not comfortable with it in any way. This is how my favorite stores sell to me.

Now if you get a good deal and the price should be a hundred or so less than if it were a standard 30-06 go ahead and buy it with the assurances.

As to handloading it the dies can be expensive but some companies make dies that are universal for neck sizing say .30 cal and also seating 30 cal. The Hornady New Dimension dies might do this.

If the chamber is round then you may be able to skip getting a FL die. If you do go for a new FL die set be sure to get RCBS as some brands like Redding don't have an air vent or lube vent hole in the FL die and they are just a pain to deal with on straight sided sharp shoulder cases.

Don't run a 30-06 headspace gage into that improved chamber. There is not a lot of metal there at the juction of the shoulder/neck in the chamber and it could be crushed. The tolarances are very tight for an improved chamber but when done right they work fine and in particular with little other problems on such a modest fireform such as that one.

Mark,
Your limited to rechambering to a 30-338 or 300 Win. I am afraid..something that will clean up the 06 Improved chamber...

You could have a new barrel traced to the same contour and chambered for a 30-06 and it would not mess up the inletting...Dennis Olson can do a good job of this...

I too am uninformed about Ackley Improved although I have one. Is the "imporvement" done to the barrel or the chamber? Could I convert back to Unimproved by a simple rebarrel?

Karl, it is done in the chamber, but most barrels won't have enough steel left over in the chamber area after the conversion to convert back. A "bull barrel" probably would, but not anything with a sporter taper to it. And as for your other question, yes, a rebarrel will solve the problem (new barrel, new chamber). - dan

I know there's a lot of Improved calibers around that really do add case capacity and performance to a round, so I was surprised yesterday to read in my Sierra Reloading Book that they feel the 30-06 Improved is not that great. I think their writer said "Questionable"

The Nosler book on the other hand feels it fills the space between the std 30-06 and the 300 Win Mag.