2900fps with 180 grainer in 30'06 Ackley???

Fred in Boise

Since no reponse on earlier distress call....
Can anyone with experience reloading this cartridge tell me if it's reasonable to expecte to get 2,900fps out of a 22" barrel?

thanks

RCrosby

Sounds optimistic to me from a 22" tube but my experience in 30 cal. is limited to the Carbine, .308 and standard '06; and at that I tend to play around a safe distance from maximum.
I'm sure someone with a chronograph and A.I. will be along soon.

cash777

Not shooting this but nosler #6 manual shows only 1 load that clocked over 2900 with 180s and that was RL22 and a max compressed load out of a 24inch Lilja test barrel other max loads show 2890 2835 2812 2798 2787 I would guess no hope this is of some help Dave

Fred in Boise

Only problem with the books is that they tend to underestimate the AI rounds. Could be to protect their behinds. When you compare the '06 and '06 AI in books like Nosler, etc. they use almost the same amount of powder in each. Should be able to get 2.5 to 3.5 more grains of a powder like 4350 or RL22 into an '06 AI.

With all the web talk about the '06 AI, there must be someone who has actual experience with one.

Thanks for your input.

nononsense

Fred in Boise,

Welcome to the Gunbroker Forums!

Response times to questions can vary significantly depending on member's schedules and the seasons of course. Hunting season (now) brings us a longer response time since most members are outside hunting, whether traveling or local. Please bear with us.

"...if it's reasonable to expecte to get 2,900fps out of a 22" barrel?"

Expect? Reasonable? In general terms NO. This is due to several factors not the least of which is your barrel length. Simply adding more powder is not a solution when the barrel length curtails the efficient use of that powder. The chamber itself has the potential to use some powders efficiently but you still need barrel length to gain the most advantage from the gases generated by the burning of the powder. Most of the data I've generated from several rifles chambered for the .30-06 Ackley Improved yield about 2825 to 2850 FPS from a 24" barrel at accepted working pressure.

"Only problem with the books is that they tend to underestimate the AI rounds."

The reloading manuals are guidelines, not absolutes, to be all-encompassing reloading data for every level of all reloaders. This certainly entails the necessity of carefully gathered laboratory information and its dispersal to the masses but if you choose to to interpret that as underestimation of cartridge potential, including the Ackley cartridges, then so be it.

The greatest drawback to reloading manuals is the number of variable that can occur with rifles, powder lots, the individual chambers, barrels, the reloader's scales and worst of all, the reloader himself. Attempting to accommodate all of these and more variables while doing it safely, is a monumental task to say the least. So yes, they may be conservative but that's to insure the safety of all of the levels of reloaders and their equipment. Certainly this can be a little frustrating for the more advanced reloaders and the wildcatters but that's the context of our society today.

Ackley Improved cartridges are difficult to assess for pressure signs by examination, it's the nature of the design. If you are intent upon generating accurate information for your reloading I suggest you do what I did and invest in some top-of-the-line chronographing and pressure sensing equipment to help you with this task. It is by using this technology that you can derive the best information from your testing.

I have found the greatest velocities were accomplished with V V N-550, Ramshot Hunter and of all things, Winchester 760. Be aware that none of these powders made it to your goal of 2900 FPS but got close enough for me and my uses for this cartridge. At this level of working velocity (2850) I get about 27" of drop at 400 yards with a 100 yard zero. If I change my zero to 300 yards, then the drop reads about 11" or a tad more. So I can suggest that these slightly slower loads can be productive when you attend to changing a couple of the details.

As an aside, some of the data I generated was with a Winchester Laredo with B.O.S.S. that I chambered for the .30-06 AI. It has been summarily changed to a .300 RUM for more long term testing with a short barrel. Apparently this shorter barrel fad has hit its stride and now more folks are calling for larger capacity cartridges in shorter barrels without losing too much...

Best.

gunho1954

have a 22' ruger myself.-i use 165 grs and use ar2209. gave up on 180 and the 22' barrelto short to burn powder for heavier slugs. should have left it alone

stevecrea

Fred:

Your rifle is shooting very well with your load and a very good bullet. I have always gotten very good results from the Nosler Partitions, even at extended ranges. I would agree with the above comments, and I would be disinclined to try to get more fps by going the AI route. The difference is likely not going to be worth it.

I would be inclined to spend the time and money honing my skills by practice shooting at 300 and 400 yards at rocks, stumps, etc. with a good rangefinder, spotter, etc.