223 Ackley Improved

[Baron85]

Initial pressure test and load sample for a new criterion 16” 223 ai.

Formed starline brass
Cci 450s
53 vmax
Benchmark, xterminator, and tac powders.

Pretty impressed with the velocities got to 3150-3300 before noticing pressure depending on the powder.

I shot the same loads back to back with my 22” 223ai and saw a 200-250fps increase with the longer barrel.

 

[Aftermath]

Initial pressure test and load sample for a new criterion 16” 223 ai.

Formed starline brass
Cci 450s
53 vmax
Benchmark, xterminator, and tac powders.

Pretty impressed with the velocities got to 3150-3300 before noticing pressure depending on the powder.

I shot the same loads back to back with my 22” 223ai and saw a 200-250fps increase with the longer barrel.

Cool deal. That thing shoots so well, it predicts the future.

 

[Potsy]

53 V-Maxes are pure evil.
My 16” AR does things with them that are not supposed to be done.
In my experience, they are NOT fur friendly.

 

[Baron85]

53 vmax are mini bombs on p-dogs. They are amazing.

 

[CaptArab]

As a added bonus they won't ricochet onto your neighbors.

 

[Redfisher60]

Anyone play with RL15.5 and 75-80s?

 

[Big-wals]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good gunsmith to rechamber a Tikka 223 to an AI? This thread has me wanting one. Lol

 

[CaptArab]

I'd just snag a prefit and jump to 7 twist.
I believe Patriot valley July 4th is still on.

 

[delinquent pleb]

Last week I threw together a load for a 300m match at my local club. 26.3gn 2208/Varget with 69gn SMK. Absolutely dynamite! 3075fps from my 26” 1:7 twist, SD of 9.9fps. Conditions were near perfect. Zero wind. Results in picture attached.

Ran it this week at 500m, again a very impressive performance from the same load in 5-12mth winds.

 

[delinquent pleb]

Honestly forgot to record data. Deleted the session from my Garmin.

This is a group from today with 24.7gn of Varget. Same specs/components as the 8208 load.

View attachment 8658455
View attachment 8658456
View attachment 8658458

Have you had a chance to run this load out to a reasonable distance?

 

[supercorndogs]

Which size compartor insert you guys use to measure shoulder bump?

 

[jpcowboy]

Which size compartor insert you guys use to measure shoulder bump?

330

 

[supercorndogs]

I just set up a remage barrel. My first run I set it up just a little tight on the case. After firing I had bad signs of case stretching and primers sitting proud. So on my second try I set it to feel some more crush. I think I might have over done it a little. I can see a little mushrooming around the shoulder after I chamber a peice brass. Kind of like when a seating die gets set a little low.

I also had to sand .004 off my shell holder to achieve desired shoulder bump. So mostly its all ended up just how I like it. Proper shoulder with shell plate contacting the die.

My first run after fireforing I was waiting for my FL die. So I neck sized them with a 223 Lee collet die.

 

[supercorndogs]

Would the Redding competition shell holders achieve the same thing?

They lift the case up in .002" increments, if I'm correct?

I don't think so. I beleive they give you less bump. I.E taller shell holder. I just had to sand .004 off a shell holder for a Lee die.

 

[SWgeezer]

jam the lands and let it headspace on the bullet when fireforming.

 

[Kiwi303]

Has anyone tried neck sizing AI brass with a plain 223 rem neck die? Have my eye on a wilson bushing die in particular.

 

[Denver_AR]

Has anyone tried neck sizing AI brass with a plain 223 rem neck die? Have my eye on a wilson bushing die in particular.

Not sure that would work if using any type of die designed for a 223. The shoulder being blown forward on the AI would limit how deep you could insert the AI cartridge into the die, thus limiting how much of the neck could be resized.
Also, the case on the AI has less taper, so using a 223 die could end up resizing the forward portion of the case.
Even if I could figure out a die to use that overcame these issues, it may work for the first couple firings but eventually I'd want to full length size the cases.
Redding makes a their "Type S" die for the AI that allows use of bushings.

 

[SWgeezer]

Like most other things in the shooting world, people tend to overthink it. Only resize enough that you can easily chamber a round. I do have 223 improved dies, I reloaded for a number of years without them though. You don't need dedicated "improved" dies if your chamber is to specs. I had a 25-06 rechambered to improved, they used a hand reamer and went too deep, made cases from 280 remington brass and short sized them until they would chamber. I could not use 25-06 brass as it was too short. Ackley designed the "improved" cartridges to allow firing new rounds and they came out formed.

 

[supercorndogs]

Has anyone tried neck sizing AI brass with a plain 223 rem neck die? Have my eye on a wilson bushing die in particular.

I have not but the 223 Lee collet neck die works. I would suspect most other neck dies would work also. The body taper is going to be the concern though. I can feel a little rub on the body taper seating bullets in the ackley case with my Lyman seater, and less but still a little friction using my rcbs seater. I have been looking for a hornady seater. Or I might just hone out my rcbs seater some.

 

[Redfisher60]

I have Redding Ackley dies they work great.

 

[lb6r]

What is your goal for the .223ai? Or should I say what should I be shooting for (see what I did there ) I am starting over with my load development. (for multiple reasons, but mainly I think I started too early on a new barrel.) I want to shoot KYL style at distances of 500-1200yds. sizes range from IPSC to sub-moa at each yard line. Should I just be chasing the fastest speed I can get without pressure signs? Any input would be helpful.

Components:
Lapua cases
75g Eldm
Varget

Thanks,
LB

 

[Redfisher60]

What is your goal for the .223ai? Or should I say what should I be shooting for (see what I did there ) I am starting over with my load development. (for multiple reasons, but mainly I think I started too early on a new barrel.) I want to shoot KYL style at distances of 500-1200yds. sizes range from IPSC to sub-moa at each yard line. Should I just be chasing the fastest speed I can get without pressure signs? Any input would be helpful.

Components:
Lapua cases
75g Eldm
Varget

Thanks,
LB

I would think you'd want chase acceptable speed with the best accuracy. I'm running the same cases and powder, but have been bounching around between Berger 75 & 80's, and Sierra 77 & 80's. I'd be happy with Mid 2800 and great accuracy; getting there but not quite yet.

 

[delinquent pleb]

What is your goal for the .223ai? Or should I say what should I be shooting for (see what I did there ) I am starting over with my load development. (for multiple reasons, but mainly I think I started too early on a new barrel.) I want to shoot KYL style at distances of 500-1200yds. sizes range from IPSC to sub-moa at each yard line. Should I just be chasing the fastest speed I can get without pressure signs? Any input would be helpful.

Components:
Lapua cases
75g Eldm
Varget

Thanks,
LBwiht

Obviously there are constraints inherent to the calibre and the components listed bring another set of constraints. All barrels will have different tastes.

In my experience playing with the exact same projectiles and powder (I was using ADI brass) getting the speed wasn’t hard, 26.1gn of varget got me to around 3100fps out of a 26” 1:7 tw barrel. Performance down range though wasn’t great with group sizes opening up a bit past 300m (100m group was about .85-.9MoA). Much better to find a speed that it likes (consistent grouping, minimal SD in V0) and develop a separate load with a heavier projectile to reach out further.

I found a decent load at 2960 with those same projectiles.