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I am considering going the AI route on a 7mm-08 (stevens 200, CBI barrel). I know the velocity benefits are meager, I would be doing it mostly for the brass flow issue and the neat factor. Does anyone have personal experience on firing standard factory ammunition in an ackley chamber and if so is there any perception that accuracy is negatively affected in any way? Also, has anyone had feeding issues from a short action centerfeed after rechambering?
Many thanks, Bill
I have a few AI chamberings and they always shoot just fine with factory ammo. Matter of fact my 22-250 Ai is very good with factory 22-250 shells. I can't really comment on the centerfeed question cause mine is on a short action stagger feed. I would guess that feeding will work if your donor gun is a short action. I tried a 6MM AI from a 30-06 centerfeed magazine with zero luck at all.
Factory ammo is generally very accurate in an AI chamber - you do loose a couple of hundred FPS though (when compared to firing the factory load in a standard chamber) but that isn't an issue for me.
Never owned a centerfeed action so I can't speak to that - no problems in the staggerfeed actions I have tried though.
Every Ackley chamber SHOULD fire standard ammo. If it does not, then the chamber is not cut correctly or the headspace is off.
The centerfeed might need to have the lips tweeked just a touch, but probably not at all.
Thank you for your help!
Bill
My 243AI feeds fine from a Centerfeed unless I am running a very short bullet like the 58gr V-Max, then its about 75% reliable.
Could anyone expand on the possible negatives of shooting non AI rounds in an AI chamber? What are the chances of pressure issues and things of the like? Is it actually a preferred method to fire form cases?
In a properly cut and headspaced AI chamber the only "negative" is that you will loose a little velocity from what the round would have made in a factory spec chamber (because some of the energy is expended in forming the case rather than pushing the bullet).
It is certainly my prefered method to form cases and is the reason the AI concept was invented by Mr. Ackley. The only alternative is the "cream of wheat" or similar method. I only use that when forming brass in a non AI situation
AI chambers are set up to utilize standard ammo, that is why they are considered an Improved cartridge and not a true Wildcat. For my 243AI I have been loading up my usual load and pulling the trigger. It has worked great and cases always come out perfect. The only other way to form I would imagine would be the "Cream of Wheat" method and that's a lot of hassle that is just unnecessary when shooting standard ammo works so well. As far as pressures go, they should be less when forming cases due to the brass expansion into the larger chamber.
I shoot 223's loaded with the 52gr SMK and they're just as accurate being fireformed in the AI as when fired in the standard 223 chamber. You will have some velocity loss though.