ackley improved information

Kyote · December 4, 2005, 11:01 AM

I'm interested in finding information on some different P.O. Ackley loads. Specifically a 284 A.I. (if it exisits) 7mm .08 A.I. (again, if it exisits) and the 308 A. I.

After much crainial scratching, I've decided the 6mm class of round is not what I should be using for deer here in N.M. I want to look at the 7mm and the .30 cal. class with an eye on recoil (shoulder surgery). I am using an Encore receiver.

And as always, we thank you for your support!

Jim Watson · December 4, 2005, 11:59 AM

I looked around and found that E. Arthur Brown makes Encore barrels in 7mm 08 AI and in .308 AI.
http://www.eabco.com/barels01.html

Fox Ridge Outfitters has .308 AI

I have never seen mention of a .284 AI likely because it is large diameter, straight wall, steep shoulder as factory rounds go and there is not much for the Improved technique to work on. One writer said he made his own wildcat with AI body taper but factory shoulder angle so he could use a standard headspace gauge. He said that gained him about 2 grains of capacity.

Load data will take some searching or careful development starting from the standard round.

Just why are you particularly interested in an Ackley Improved? The cartridges you list are all plenty for deer, and going Improved will just add recoil, expense, and search for limited published data.

Jason280 · December 4, 2005, 07:21 PM

To be honest with you, I don't think you can really improve much on those two cartridges. You may geta few more grains of powder, but I doubt very seriously you will get any significant velocity change.

As far as recoil, the 7mm-08 would be the better choice of the one's you mentioned. You can load 130-140gr bullets, which will be a very effective deer load out to 250-300 yards. Of course, it really depends a lot on the gun and the barrel length.

Coltdriver · December 4, 2005, 08:32 PM

I can't help with the AI loads but I did put one of the fitted limbsavers on my Encore in order to shoot it with a 450 Marlin barrel. The limbsaver is amazing.

twoatlow8 · December 7, 2005, 09:39 AM

This is an amazing cartridge! One of those that gets forgotten. The fellows at the Sierra tech line told me that it holds the greatest advantage (over the parent cartridge) than any of the other Ackley Improvements. Burns less powder than a 25-06 with the same performance and less recoil. It will actuall do a little better than the 25-06 with a few combinations. Having had shoulder surgery, the recoil aspect might appeal to you. Just a tip, use WELL constructed bullets a this is a screamer, I get 3200 fps with 115-120 grainers (no overpressure signs). The books dont tell the whole story on this cartridge! I had no idea that it would be that fast and loaded 115gr.Nosler ballistic tips for our smallish NC whitetails. I shot a 150-160lb 6pt. @ 96 yds. that was perfectly broadside. I try to stay off of the front shoulder so as not to waste that roast. The bullet entered low and approx 4" behind the shoulder and hit a near side rib. There were 5 exit wounds. Two were perpindicular to the initial trajectory, exiting the front of the chest between the front legs. He ran about 60 ft. Everything in front of the diaphram was liquid except the bottom 1/3 of the heart. This round packs a whallop on the far end that is disproportionate to the shove you get from the buttplate. With WELL CONSTRUCTED bullets on the heavy end of the .257 offerings, I would not hesitate to use it on the biggest mule or whitetail. My dad still claims he lost out on the "worlds perfect antelope rifle" by giving it to me. Thanks POP.

Kyote · December 7, 2005, 05:57 PM

I have a limb saver installed and a muzzle brake. I feel the recoil now with the 300 win mag is about that of a 30.06 maybe less. Maybe I should give my shoulder a little more time (8 months so far)

The reason for the A.I. is that I've heard that they give more vel., less recoil, and with the straight wall, easier to extract from the chamber, and with the encore I'm tired of fighting the "belt" on the magnum when it comes time to reload fast. The belt cost me a nice 4X3 desert mulie this year.

I really like what I see so far on the 284. I kinda figured that it would be a little redundent to "improve" it.

December 4, 2005, 11:01 AM	#1
Kyote Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 183	ackley improved information I'm interested in finding information on some different P.O. Ackley loads. Specifically a 284 A.I. (if it exisits) 7mm .08 A.I. (again, if it exisits) and the 308 A. I. After much crainial scratching, I've decided the 6mm class of round is not what I should be using for deer here in N.M. I want to look at the 7mm and the .30 cal. class with an eye on recoil (shoulder surgery). I am using an Encore receiver. And as always, we thank you for your support! __________________ An armed society is a polite society.

December 7, 2005, 09:39 AM	#5
twoatlow8 Junior Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Posts: 7	Try the .257 AI 40 degree This is an amazing cartridge! One of those that gets forgotten. The fellows at the Sierra tech line told me that it holds the greatest advantage (over the parent cartridge) than any of the other Ackley Improvements. Burns less powder than a 25-06 with the same performance and less recoil. It will actuall do a little better than the 25-06 with a few combinations. Having had shoulder surgery, the recoil aspect might appeal to you. Just a tip, use WELL constructed bullets a this is a screamer, I get 3200 fps with 115-120 grainers (no overpressure signs). The books dont tell the whole story on this cartridge! I had no idea that it would be that fast and loaded 115gr.Nosler ballistic tips for our smallish NC whitetails. I shot a 150-160lb 6pt. @ 96 yds. that was perfectly broadside. I try to stay off of the front shoulder so as not to waste that roast. The bullet entered low and approx 4" behind the shoulder and hit a near side rib. There were 5 exit wounds. Two were perpindicular to the initial trajectory, exiting the front of the chest between the front legs. He ran about 60 ft. Everything in front of the diaphram was liquid except the bottom 1/3 of the heart. This round packs a whallop on the far end that is disproportionate to the shove you get from the buttplate. With WELL CONSTRUCTED bullets on the heavy end of the .257 offerings, I would not hesitate to use it on the biggest mule or whitetail. My dad still claims he lost out on the "worlds perfect antelope rifle" by giving it to me. Thanks POP.

December 7, 2005, 05:57 PM	#6
Kyote Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 183	I have a limb saver installed and a muzzle brake. I feel the recoil now with the 300 win mag is about that of a 30.06 maybe less. Maybe I should give my shoulder a little more time (8 months so far) The reason for the A.I. is that I've heard that they give more vel., less recoil, and with the straight wall, easier to extract from the chamber, and with the encore I'm tired of fighting the "belt" on the magnum when it comes time to reload fast. The belt cost me a nice 4X3 desert mulie this year. I really like what I see so far on the 284. I kinda figured that it would be a little redundent to "improve" it. __________________ An armed society is a polite society.

December 4, 2005, 11:59 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,539	I looked around and found that E. Arthur Brown makes Encore barrels in 7mm 08 AI and in .308 AI. http://www.eabco.com/barels01.html Fox Ridge Outfitters has .308 AI I have never seen mention of a .284 AI likely because it is large diameter, straight wall, steep shoulder as factory rounds go and there is not much for the Improved technique to work on. One writer said he made his own wildcat with AI body taper but factory shoulder angle so he could use a standard headspace gauge. He said that gained him about 2 grains of capacity. Load data will take some searching or careful development starting from the standard round. Just why are you particularly interested in an Ackley Improved? The cartridges you list are all plenty for deer, and going Improved will just add recoil, expense, and search for limited published data.

December 4, 2005, 07:21 PM	#3
Jason280 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2002 Location: Athens,Georgia Posts: 355	To be honest with you, I don't think you can really improve much on those two cartridges. You may geta few more grains of powder, but I doubt very seriously you will get any significant velocity change. As far as recoil, the 7mm-08 would be the better choice of the one's you mentioned. You can load 130-140gr bullets, which will be a very effective deer load out to 250-300 yards. Of course, it really depends a lot on the gun and the barrel length.

December 4, 2005, 08:32 PM	#4
Coltdriver Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2001 Posts: 683	I can't help with the AI loads but I did put one of the fitted limbsavers on my Encore in order to shoot it with a 450 Marlin barrel. The limbsaver is amazing.