250 Savage Ackley Improved FL die...

[brians356]

I settled on bulletless fireforming for my own 250 AI. But I didn't like COW as it tended to leave clumps of the stuff inside the cases, so I switched to corn grits. I used Bullseye, ~10 grains but I need to dig out some long-buried notes. I did have to experiment to get just the right charge.

I used a ball of tissue between powder and grits, and a wax plug in the end of the neck. I applied a very thin film of something like Rem Oil to each case body just before firing. Since my chamber is unfortunately generous in the base area, the cases do swell there, but with this method, I don't get any undue thinning and the case OAL shortens a bit compared to the raw brass OAL, indicating brass is not flowing forward much.

Brian

[brians356]

Originally Posted by reed1911

While one would think it never needs to be said, if you do use the fast pistol powder, when you shoot, you need to do so either outside into the ground or at a good back stop. There is a small hole in the wall of the old shop from toilet paper. I'd have thought that it would not go through sheet metal, but indeed it did. Shot the rest into the sand backstop.

More fun and challenging to shoot at passing insects - outdoors, of course.

Brian

[Alan in GA]

I bit the bullet so to speak and spent a hundred bucks on Redding 250 Ackley Improved die set. And Brian356 you should try the Lapua 22-250 cases - they are the largest cases in diameter that I've found for MY generous chamber! Now I feel better about not seeing an excessive bulge on fired cases! Factory Winchester 250 Savage cases are smaller than spec (it would seem) so these Lapua are a welcome component for making 250 Savage Ackley Improved cases!...or for 22-250 chambers, too.

[Mntngoat]

after reading this thread I'm again getting excited for my .250 AI #1 to be completed by Mark Penrod

[brians356]

Originally Posted by Alan in GA

I bit the bullet so to speak and spent a hundred bucks on Redding 250 Ackley Improved die set. And Brian356 you should try the Lapua 22-250 cases - they are the largest cases in diameter that I've found for MY generous chamber! Now I feel better about not seeing an excessive bulge on fired cases! Factory Winchester 250 Savage cases are smaller than spec (it would seem) so these Lapua are a welcome component for making 250 Savage Ackley Improved cases!...or for 22-250 chambers, too.

Thanks! I will look into that. If you have a way to measure the virgin Lapua vs Win cases' diameters at the base (or just ahead of it) I would be interested in how generous the Lapuas are. (They cannot be that much fatter and still work universally in SAAMI spec chambers, but I believe you.)

FYI My Redding competition bushing neck die started life as a 22-250 and I had a gunsmith run my AI chamber reamer into it (the 250 AI was not yet available from Redding then, even special order.)

I just got Sierra's latest reloading manual (actually over 10 years old now!) which has 250 AI data, and notice that they trumpet RE-15 as the "be-all end-all" powder for everything up to and including 100-grain bullets.

Brian

PS Sierra shows 250 AI producing max velocities equal to 257 AI (both from 26" barrels) so that flies in the faces of the guys who recommended the "superior" 257 AI.

[Alan in GA]

just got the mics out and believe it or not the Winchester 250 Savage ammo (red/white box about 15-20 years old) measures 0.4625" at the widest part just forward of extractor groove . These new Lapua 22-250 cases measure a wonderful 0.4683" at the same point! (hallelujah!). Both are new cases (Winchester ammo unfired).
Finally some 'correct' brass, or for whatever reason brass much closer to what I want and need for my 'generous' chamber.

And a brief FYI- if I wanted to zip 25 cal bullets downrange as fast as possible I would have a 257 Weatherby in at least a 26" barrel. I can assure you there is a lot of 'efficient enjoyment' in loading and shooting the 'little 250' either in standard or Ackley form. I've owned and enjoyed 257 Improved and a 25-06 as well. Like em all.

Will add: There could still be a 'donut' inside the neck where the 22-250 shoulder was before die forming to 250 Savage. Even if there is I will deal with it to have proper size cases otherwise.