Reloading Ackley Improved Cartridges

[clancy12]

I am looking into buying a 22-250 Ackley Improved barrel for my T/C Encore and was wondering how to obtain brass. I can't find any Improved brass for sale on Midway or any other website, so do you fire form the brass or how do you make it? Also, how much more powder and velocity can you reload an Improved to than a standard? Thanks.

 

[Wil Terry]

YOU fireform it from standard 22-250 cartrides as that is the whole point of Ackley's Improved Cartridges.

 

[berettashotgun]

Just fire "regular" 22-250 rounds; the accuracy is surprisingly decent most of the time, & you have "finished" A.I. brass formed to your chamber.
Make sure to order the correct dies - with the same shoulder angle you have.

 

[Snowbandit]

Looks like various shoulder angles were used. You will need to determine which you have before ordering reloading dies.

From Ackley's handbook:

Two versions of the Improved 22/250 are illustrated. One has the less radical 28 degree shoulder like the regular version of the 22/250 or .22 Varminter. The other has the more radical slightly venturified 40 degree shoulder. Both are very good cartridges and both use standard .220 Swift loading data giving practical identical ballistics. There is little choice between the two shoulders angles or any in between. Such a choice is always influenced by the shooter's own ideas and preferences. The cases are made by necking 250/3000 Savage brass down to .22 then firing it in the improved chamber to fire form. Good stiff loads are best for fireforming. Very few or no cases are lost in the fire forming step. The minimum body taper and sharp shoulder angle minimize the forward flow of brass or lengthening of the cases to the extent that case trimming is rarely necessary.

Use standard Swift loading data.

Standard twist: 14"

 

[41 Mag]

As mentioned, simply fire factory rounds or handloads loaded to close to factory specs through it and your cases will be formed.

One thing about using handloads, it is often mentioned to seat the bullets into the lands in order to keep the cases snug in the chamber. With a properly chambered AI, you don't have to do this as the datum of the shoulder should fit with an ever so slight compression when you close the action.

I have a TC barrel chambered in .223 AI and for the life of me I cannot duplicate the accuracy I get from standard 46gr Winchester Varmint Pack ammo. In fact it shoots so well I don't even bother anymore. Box list velocity at 3600 and I am getting just over 3250 from my 14" barrel. I have a WHOLE bunch of formed cases ready to load, someday when I run out of it.