.243 Ackley

[ant12hony]

Is it worth it to get the change your barrel just for aome speed and case life??
Like it would be frome the .243 winchester. Any information appreciated.

Thanks Anthony

[Pathfinder76]

I will say no. And I own and use one.

[58thecat]

Nope better off to turn the rig into a 6-284,

I did this and never looked back!

[243 wild cat]

It's hard work at the start but Its great to try getting more velocity and case life. I have two wild cats and love them but that's just me. I would say just keep with a good old 243 if you just shoot for fun it's cheaper. And if you like more for a punch go with a 25-06 or 260.

[Jordan Smith]

Definitely worth it to me. Then again I hate trimming case necks, and fireforming loads are perfectly usable.

[rembo]

Not worth it to me.

I rechambered a factory barrel to 243AI and fired 26 rounds before I realized what a waste of time, components, barrel steel and money fire forming is.

The tube came off and a SAAMI 243 tube went on.

now,....the 6-284 makes sense,....neck down 6.5-284 brass and you're there.

I still have the factory 700 243AI barrel if anyone is interested....comes with 26 fireformed brass...:-)

I find the case trimming thing rather interesting. Trim your cases to minimum or even .010 shorter and you'll likely toss them for other reasons before you have to trim again. Better yet measure your chamber length. I have made chamber length gauges for a few of the ones I shoot and most chambers are .030 to .040 longer than published max case lengths.

[double gun]

AI is never worth it.

However the 250-3000AI has appealed to me in the past.... Yet I've never used my reamer.

[rembo]

Originally Posted by double gun

No AI is worth it. However the 250-3000AI has appealed to me in the past.

If you ever feel the urge to chamber one,....call me,...I have a 25-284 reamer...[:-)...see fireforming notes above..:-)

[double gun]

Lol, I had a 25-284 cut with your reamer remember? Not sure I even fired that one.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by double gun

AI is never worth it.

However the 250-3000AI has appealed to me in the past.... Yet I've never used my reamer.

I know several people with a .280AI who would beg to differ with you...

[ant12hony]

Are there reasons the Ackley wasnt as good or was it just that it wasnt enough of a difference between it and the .243 winchester??

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

I know several people with a .280AI who would beg to differ with you...

I've owned it as well. Waste O time.

[rembo]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

I know several people with a .280AI who would beg to differ with you...

I have a 280AI, have the reamer and have chambered a few. It's not THAT much faster than a 280 in the same barrel length and it's not quite a 7 Mag.
But it's the only Ackley I'll own because you can get factory brass.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by rembo

i find the case trimming thing rather interesting. Trim your cases to minimum or even .010 shorter and you'll likely toss them for other reasons before you have to trim again. Better yet measure your chamber length. I have made chamber length gauges for a few of the ones i shoot and most chambers are .030 to .040 longer than published max case lengths.

x 1000

[double gun]

Originally Posted by rembo

It's not THAT much faster than a 280 in the same barrel length and it's not quite a 7 Mag.

How dare you. Don't you know the 280ai is magical and defies physics?

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by ant12hony

Are there reasons the Ackley wasnt as good or was it just that it wasnt enough of a difference between it and the .243 winchester??

It feeds like crap. Now I know someone will come on here and say that isn't true. But it is true. Yes you can make them feed, but not like it's standard brother.

[Pathfinder76]

It looks cool though!

[rem338win]

I'm happy with the .243AI, and as far as fireforming goes try this: use factory varmint loads in the winter for practice and now you have brass!

[Jordan Smith]

Originally Posted by rembo

I find the case trimming thing rather interesting. Trim your cases to minimum or even .010 shorter and you'll likely toss them for other reasons before you have to trim again.

Not IME. When I'm annealing every 4 firings and getting 20+ firings out of my good quality stuff, you'd have to trim several times before the cases are no good.

[Robmcleod82]

I really don't understand the phobia people have of fire forming? I haven't really had any issue getting ackley cases to feed, sometimes needs a little mag box/feed lip tweaking but isn't overly complicated. If you are interested in less case trimming, extra velocity, or something just a little bit different then ackley may be the ticket.

[Pathfinder76]

There is no "phobia" with fireforming. I just find that for my purposes it's a monumental pain in the neck. I can trim in my basement. I can't fireform there.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by chuck

I can trim in my basement. I can't fireform there.

well you could you just lack the testicular fortitude

[xring_assassin]

I own a 243ai - I love that thing.

Sometimes AI will grab a velocity boost - sometimes it won't - just depends on the star and planet alignment or something.

Some barrel/bulelt combos won't go fast - some will.

At any rate I hate case trimming. I've long said I will run AI cases just to avoid case trimming.

Enough case trimming and your case capacity changes. Ever wonder why it seems you load data shifts over time? If you're trimming brass an excessive amount every time - it's getting thinner. 22-250 and 243 being the worst two for growing that I've got experience with. AI knocked the suck right out of both of them.

8 twist barrel lets me shoot 105's also - totally worth the change IMO

[urcayuse]

Nothing wrong with the AI version. Some are better than others as far as gain, any half decent gunsmith can fix that feeding issue.

[David Henry]

Made up lots of Ackley improved chambers over the years and their owners cant dismiss the evidence on the chronograph. Some conversions do give a reasonable increase over their parent case while some do very little. The eye appeal of the improved case is undeniable though. My all time favorite one is the 30-30 Improved especially in a single shot with a minimal chamber, these can be stoked up a fair bit. Just my 2 cents worth. David.

[260 Rem]

Originally Posted by ant12hony

Are there reasons the Ackley wasnt as good or was it just that it wasnt enough of a difference between it and the .243 winchester??

I am neither a 243 shooter or AI aficionado, but having stayed at a Holiday Inn, feel somewhat qualified to comment. Based on "reading", it seems that none of the 308 Win case family benefits significantly from ackleyizing...as there is little taper in the parent case...and just pushing the shoulder forward to a steeper angle makes little more room for powder.

[ant12hony]

So pretty much if you hate trimming cases go with the Ackley otherwise stick with the winchester. Any more info will not be turned down��.

Thanks Anthony

[260 Rem]

Trimming is not an onerous task. Increasing the shoulder angle does decrease forward brass flow so reduces the need to trim. I doubt that if kept to normal 243 operating pressures, that trimming would be required too often?

[tchardy1972]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Trimming is not an onerous task. Increasing the shoulder angle does decrease forward brass flow so reduces the need to trim. I doubt that if kept to normal 243 operating pressures, that trimming would be required too often?

It's not.

[gunner72]

This has nothing to do with a 243AI so I shouldn't even get in here but looks to me like there's a bit a bashin goin on. LOL. I have a 257AI and it shoots 100gr sierra's right beside a 25-06 all day with less powder and recoil. The 257Roberts Is about 250fps slower. I'd consider that significant. Almost the same difference going from a 7-08 to 7 rem mag with 140's. That's an entirely better gun with just a ream. That means that the 257 with a 200 yard zero and 3050fps MV drops say 42" at 500yds and is just over 1000flbs at 370yds. The 257R with the same zero and 2800fps MV drops 51" at 500 and is just over 1000flbs at 280yds. A couple hundred fps makes a big difference. Think of it as a turbo for your rifle. You can still shoot factory ammo with not bad accuracy if you're in a jam but once the brass has been fired you have a totally new gun. Who doesn't want a turbo?? Use a chrony and crunch some numbers before you decide. Might surprise you. Just figured I'd slide one in there for old Parker.