Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

[03psd]

I have a vague idea of what AI cartrigdes are: basically factory or other wildcat cartridges with a smaller and steeper shoulder to fit more powder thereby giving superior performance, or at least faster, than the basic cartridge it was made from. Brass is made from fire forming factory brass in the AI chamber. Can someone please provide a more complete explaination and include the pros and cons. I have a 22-250 that will need re tubed and I want to consider all chamberings.

thanks

 

[JCH]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

Pros:
increase in speed, increase in case capacity, less stretch on the brass, usually neck sizing is all that needs to be done to the brass and the brass has a lot longer life.

Cons:
Fireforming is necessary before you get the benefits of the improved chamber, which isn't always great when barrel life is short like on the 22-250AI (that is why i use CornMeal to fireform)

 

[JCH]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

also....use the search function...this has been discussed a lot lately

 

[exhogflyer]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

And yet more....

Pros:really cool looking case and exotic wow factor

Cons: not actually worth the gain for all the extra trouble

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

<~~Not understanding how fire forming is concidered "all the extra trouble"

 

[Powder_Burns]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

P.O. Ackley
Parker Otto Ackley (25 May 1903, Granville, New York – 23 August 1989)[1] was a prolific gunsmith, author, columnist, and wildcat cartridge developer. The Ackley Improved family of wildcat cartridges are designed to be easily made by rechambering existing firearms, and fireforming the ammunition to decrease body taper and increase shoulder angle, resulting in a higher case capacity. Ackley improved not only standard cartridges, but also other popular wildcats, and was the first to create a .17 caliber (4.5 mm) centerfire cartridge.

improve[im-proov]

–verb (used with object) 1. to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition: He took vitamins to improve his health.
2. to make (land) more useful, profitable, or valuable by enclosure, cultivation, etc.
3. to increase the value of (real property) by betterments, as the construction of buildings and sewers.
4. to make good use of; turn to account: He improved the stopover by seeing a client with offices there.

–verb (used without object) 5. to increase in value, excellence, etc.; become better: The military situation is improving.
6. to make improvements, as by revision, addition, or change: None of the younger violinists have been able to improve on his interpretation of that work.

 

[Cheyenne19]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

Being worth the gain is up to the end user to decide. I think it's worth it, but then again I have 3 ackley's and I'm working on a fourth.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Ackley Improved: Explanation Please

Old "Pissed Off" Ackley did two things with his "improved" chambers. He claimed much higher velocities than were obtained, because of the lack of reliable chronographs. The second, and most important, is that the cases stretch much less, especially with those such as the .22-250 with a lot of body taper. He specified that his imp cartridges would headspace on the junction of neck and shoulder...allowing factory cartridges to be fired in the imp chamber with good accuracy, but a bit less velocity. Typically you gained between 6 and 12 percent of powder capacity, which got you 3 to 6 percent velocity increase, depending on how steep the original case was. The .22-250 got closer to 3% and the .300 H and H was closer to 6 percent increase. Not a lot...but, with the cost of brass increasing, if you can increase its life from 5 reloadings to 15 or so, that is a substantial "gain". JMHO