30/06 AI

[Barossa_222]

Hi all. Building a 30/06 ackley and was just looking for opinions on brass prep prior to fire-forming. The chamber has a .340 neck and I'm using Lapua brass. Thoughts and opinions welcome.

[Norm]

My .30-06ai has a no neck turn chamber and without checking I think it is .340" also.
I just load up a medium .30/06 charge with a cheap .30 cal bullet and let rip to fire form.
Seems to be an easy cartridge to form and fire forming loads gave very good accuracy.
Just do the usual case mouth trim to get cases to a uniform length after fire forming.
My barrel has a 1 : 12 twist so have not tried heavy bullets in it.

[Tim N]

Hi All
Another one to consider might be a 30/280AI as you would get a little more boiler room.

[Barossa_222]

Thanks for the info Norm. Wasn't sure if anyone was doing much more than that. I had a chat to Ian Pavy about it, who has been running one for F class for a while. He seems to think I'm right in the ball park with my expectations.

I don't know whether a 30/280 would make bugger all difference. The 280 is just a necked down 30/06 and the 280 ackley is just a blown out version of that. I think Nosler moved the body/shoulder or the neck/should junction forward FA when they standardised the round. With the 34" tube I'm putting on this gun I should be able to drive 215gr hybrids hopefully at 2850fps.

[Norm]

I have been getting 3107fps with 168gn Bergers with 59gn AR2209 so you should be able to get around that speed with 215gn pills without too much trouble.