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  1. #1
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    Default To Ackley or not

    Hey guys

    I need a bit of sane advice as it feels like I’m chasing my own tail at this time.

    I bought myself a Sako TRG in 260 rem, purely for target shooting and maybe the odd impala.

    Now before I even had the rifle I made the impulsive buy of a custom 260 rem AI reamer, specifically ground for Berger 140gr hybrid.

    Any way, long story short... I’ve put the whole thing together rings,scope etc all the while wondering if I should get the chamber reamed or not. So I thought let’s give it a bash as it is and I can always do it at a later stage.

    So I’m busy this week getting some loads together and aiming to get to node 5 on (OBT)

    Now I’ve been playing around on Quick load a bit and it doesn’t really seem that there’s much to be gained from the extra case capacity of a Ackley case.

    From what I can find on the net it’s 57.5gr h2o vs 53.5gr standard (although some people reported 55.3gr)

    And this gives you a extra 50-100fps

    So it’s not like I can move up to node 4 with this.
    So is it really worth stripping a brand new rifle to do this??

    I’m starting to think no....?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  2. #2
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Turbo, unless you have a very good reason to Ackley your rifle it is usually not worth the effort and cost.

    A shot-out barrel is one such reason.

    If, however, you want to do it for the fun of it, go ahead. A firearm is to a man what jewelery is to a woman. "Sommer net" is more than enough reason

  3. #3
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Increase in Acjley case capacity will give you higher velocity for same pressure, or same velocity for lower pressure conpared to standard.

    Ackley case will have less brass flow and less risk of doughnuts.

    Don't know if it's the same in TRG's, but heavier bullets in standard 260 often have to be seated deeper to shoot from magazine or not to have a jammed bullet. This decreases available case capacity. Ackley case will help make up the lost volume.

    Ackley case looks great

    Cons are stripping of brand new rifle and extra cost. Even the best gunsmith have made cocks ups, so you need to weigh pro's and con's.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    You have a pretty sweet set up as it is.
    A 50 to 100fps gain in velocity is neither here nor there.I would leave it as is for now.Shoot it,enjoy it and if you feel you are lacking that 'something' in a years time then re-consider.
    If you have an itch to do something different,then go big.Get hold of the book "Cartridges of the world" and look what is available,what has been done and what can be done.Some of these old cartridges are superior in some ways to the modern run of the mill stuff but died a premature death for various reasons.Build yourself a 458 Whisper or something exotic that will satisfy your itch.

  5. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bonedoc View Post

    Don't know if it's the same in TRG's, but heavier bullets in standard 260 often have to be seated deeper to shoot from magazine or not to have a jammed bullet. This decreases available case capacity. Ackley case will help make up the lost volume.


    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
    Ding, ding, ding! And the winner is... the old 6.5x55SE!

  6. #6
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Right, the 260 is not designed as the 260 ackley, the first thing people must do is understand to ackley something is NOT a cure for any flaws.
    For example the 260 is not known to be a problem when creating doughnuts like the 243 is known for.
    Secondly, creating a larger case capacity is not a cure for anything, since when people design stuff they factor in the case capacity, powder requirements, case fill and all the nonsense that goes into cartridge development. So to say in hindsight that the extra case capacity helps, that does not help, they could have done that but they did not.
    If you create more powder capacity then know that some cartridges are designed to shoot on node at 100% case fill, increasing that creates less case fill, which sounds great but sometime throwing in more powder means nothing, since you cannot use it.

    So if you ask me, when someone says they are unsure about whether to ackley or not, then you are already on the wrong path, you cannot fix something that ain't broke, and you cannot improve that which you cannot classify as being faulty.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Any TRG rifle is already sorted out and accuracy tested right out of the box. I would not risk messing it up by doing some irreversible changes to it. If you don't like it as is, you can always donate it to me...

    Keep you 260AI reamer for when you need to replace the barrel. Then you will know what you want to get out of it, eg. same MV from a shorter barrel or whatever.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    As always great advice!
    Thank you so much to everyone for highlighting some valid points!

    I’m going to leave it as it is and shoot it until she can’t no more. When and if I ever get to the point of replacing the barrel I’ll consider doing a Ackley.

    Like messor said pointless having the extra capacity and speed, but can’t use it anyway.

    If my calculations are correct... even with a load over max chamber pressure in a Ackley 260 I’d still be stuck between node 5 & 4.
    In theory to get it to node 4 I’d have to push it to just over 70000psi (10000 over the limit) ...

    And even with all that you only get an extra 170m extra distance before the Bullet goes transonic anyway

    To get to 5 I would have to back the load off anyway to first of all make it safe and once there it’s basically on node 5 anyway, exactly as a standard 260

    In hindsight I still have the 338LM and 50bmg to shoot well past what the 260 is capable of, so no need trying to rape the poor caliber and make it do something it can’t or wasn’t made for.

    Again thank you guys!!


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  9. #9
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Few Calibers really gain much when AI

    Three exceptions do however come to mind immediately, 243, .223 and 6mm Rem do indeed make awesome AI's

    However to take any new FA and have it AI is simply a waste of Money IMHO.

    When replacing the barrel, well now, thats a very different story.

    Modern, efficient Cartridges like your 260, 6.5 Creed and 6.5x47 dont really gain much by having them AI'd

  10. #10
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    Default Re: To Ackley or not

    Quote Originally Posted by Yeti View Post
    Few Calibers really gain much when AI

    Three exceptions do however come to mind immediately, 243, .223 and 6mm Rem do indeed make awesome AI's

    However to take any new FA and have it AI is simply a waste of Money IMHO.

    When replacing the barrel, well now, thats a very different story.

    Modern, efficient Cartridges like your 260, 6.5 Creed and 6.5x47 dont really gain much by having them AI'd
    The biggest gain IMHO is on the 30-30 AI.

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