243 ackley Improved Question

catbegone

catbegone

New member
How do you reload a 243 ackley improved that the chamber is 25,000 short as regular 243 ai dies will not reload it to go in the gun.
 
Who ever did the chamber didn't cut is longer as they cut it 25,000 of an inch too short and most 243 case will not go in and let the bolt close.
 
yes and then after you fire form them after a couple shoots you cant resize them as the die dosent go low enuff to resize them
 
There is suppose to be some negitive headspace to start with. After that a good clean chamber should only need to be neck sized. You know for sure it's 25thou ?
 
Sure do as I had it measured and was told I had to have the 243ai resizing die cut off at 30,000 shorter so I could get the cases to work.
 
Not all smiths are created equal.

It would be cheaper to have a shell holder milled than a die. That way the die is not crap for any other rifle.
 
I agreee 100% about smiths. I got a buddy who can mill the die off 30,000 so I think I will do this. I think milling the shell holder would more then likely make it weak
 


Before you go cutting dies off, try taking the top of the shell holder down. I use medium emery clothe (80 grit) and a flat sheet of steel or thick glass. lay the emery cloth flat on the sheet and start working the shell holder in a circular motion. Keep checking with your mic. to make sure you are taking material off evenly. Every time you stop to mic. size a piece of brass and try it and see if it chambers.

That way when you decide to get the chamber done right you still have a good set of dies and are only out a couple of bucks for a shell holder.

I have a 22-250 that is a little short on head space, factory ammo will chamber snug but FL sized won't enter so I made a short shell holder, marked it bright red and keep it in with the short brass until I get around to renting a reamer and making the chamber right.
 
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Why don't you just rent a reamer and make the chamber right. It is already short so you don't have to set the barrel back. Just work slow and measure a lot. I do 223's to 22-204 and 6x47Rems to 6mm-204 without even taking the barrel off the action. just a hand reamer handle and a bushing to keep it centered in the action.
 
Seems to me the smartest and easiest would be, just bite the bullet and have the barrel fixed. JMO! If you ever sell or trade the rifle the next guy won't have the same problem and you won't have to keep track of special shell holders or dies. Like I said, JMO.
 
First, how did you determine how short the chamber was?

Yes, you would have to use the same reamer on a rechamber and NO, I would not rechamber it.

Production dies are all over the place in dimensions. Old RCBS dies with a 1970's production dates are actually small in size like Small Base dies.

I would take some off the shell holder, start there.

Keith
 
Originally Posted By: catbegoneI got the die milled and now it works great. Don't ever plan on getting rid of it as its a shooter

So , what happens if you shoot the barrel out ?
 


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