6.5-06 Ackley Improved Fireforming

konamtbiker

I have been thinking alot on a 6.5mm cal. I want to build a 6.5-06 AI. I would like to know what yall think of this chamber. Also how to fire form or make brass for this chamber. It is intended to be a Deer rifle and target rifle for 600yardBR. Thanks

charliemeyer007

The 256 Newton was way ahead of its time. The one I have was shot out to the point of a smooth bore. I rebarreled it to 30-06 and its ok. I would really like to bore and re-rifle the 6.5 out to 284 and make it a 7mm-06 Ackley Imp. For a 300 Gibbs I had to make brass for, I full length sized 06 brass. Next I ran an 8mm expander ball into the case. I then neck sized with 06 dies to the new shoulder point. Loaded with 196 gr cast bullet (Lyman cast bullet handbook) set out to enguage the rifling. Worked like a charm. You should be able to just size brass and go. You might need an inside neck reamer though mine and my dad's 256 Newton didn't require it. I use that Lee case lube inside the neck applied by q-tip and Imperial sizing die wax on the outside of the case.

eastbank

neck 3006 down to 6.5-06,trim if needed,then load and shoot to fireform, the nice thing about the ackley improved is you can fireform the parent casing in it and it will form right out. i don,t have a 6.5-06 AI but do have a 22-250 AI and thats how it works. i just slip a factory 22-250 in and shoot it (by the way when fire forming my 22-250 AI from factory shells it will still shoot in to 1 to 1.1/4 inch groups) as you don,t have factory shells you will have to load them and then fire form them. with the rifle you want to build you will have enough case capasity for out to 1000yds, the important thing to remember it to get a barrel with the right twist for the long range bullets you will be using. hope this helps. eastbank.

nononsense

konamtbiker,

Talk about a long way around the horn...

Neck up as many 25-06 cases as you want to fireform, load and go shoot. That's all there is to it. Make sure your gunsmith knows how to cut an Ackley chamber. Use inexpensive bullets and use a load that has some pressure to it so the fireforming completes the shoulder. You shouldn't have to do this twice, that would be a waste. Remember that a top end book load for the 6.5 x 06 standard cartridge will be a milder pressure load when the case expands to the larger capacity in the Ackley chamber.

JustC, the Moderator here, shoots the 6.5 x 06 AI. Let's see if he jumps in. My guess is he's out hunting.

For your consideration. There are several other high performance 6.5 cartridges out there also, some from slightly before the turn of the last century. There are even some new 6.5 cartridges currently being introduced that are worth looking at insofar as performance is concerned.

Don't forget to do a search for the .264 Thor or the 6.5 x 300 Weatherby as the penultimate .264" cases.

6.5 x 55 Swede
6.5 x 57 Mauser
6.5 x 54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer
6.5 x 68

.260 Rem.
6.5 x 47 Lapua
6.5 WSSM
6.5 Creedmoor
6.5 Rem. Mag.
6.5 x 284 Norma

Best.

JustC

I pretty much follow nononsense' method. I have used 270 brass and 25-06 brass. Simply size it, load it, and fire it. I actually work the load ladder while fireforming and find the accuracy node to still be in the same load range.

If I started with a long action,..I would look very hard at the 6.5x55AI.

I also jamm seat my pills by maybe .010"-.015" during fireforming to get the case growth to come from the shoulders and be drawn back from the neck rather than stretch the casehead portion.