6.5 GWI or BJAI

[Ackley Kid]

Looking at both these offerings with great interest . Other than 30* GWI vs 40* BJAI deg shoulder is there much difference in body taper ? Is there any real world difference in performance ? I see various spin offs of these from parent 6.5 x 55 Swede. IE addiction and what not ... If anyone has any info on the above two chamberings feel free to pm me or add to the thread . Could you please refrain from banter on other 6.5 offerings only interested in 6.5 Swede parent offerings . Chambering will be used for F open rifle so load data , free bore , bore life , dies , pros , cons all welcome !

 

[rardoin]

I was told a while back that the Greg Walley version has a 30deg shoulder and measures .460" at the shoulder origin vs 40deg and .465" for the Bob Jourdan Ackley Imp.. I shoot the BJAI with a 142gr Precision Ballistic at 2950-60fps using 49.4gr RL-23 which is probably 98% case fill with the bullet seated 0.016" OTL/ CBTO 2.512". My reamer is for .188" freebore. If I were to order a new reamer it would either be 0 FB and throat it pending bullet choice or go 0.200" FB as I would want the 140-150 class bullets boat tail junction definitely out of the N/S junction. At 0.188" it is a little short for my tastes. I was in the same boat as you....deciding between the two 6.5 x55 versions. My deciding factor was only that a member here had a once used JGS reamer for sale and custom dies as a turnkey package. I think Kelbly's could do the same with the GWI. I think one would be splitting hairs....like the .260, 6.5 x47L, 6.5 Creedmoor....although those in the know understand that the Creedmoor is superior. Now where is the $hit stirring emoticon when you need it.

Feel free to PM me for any info on the BJAI. Thanks to 'ShootDots' and others I am now compelled to start development on yet ANOTHER bullet...the 150 SMK....thanks again Ben.

 

[Ackley Kid]

I was told a while back that the Greg Walley version has a 30deg shoulder and measures .460" at the shoulder origin vs 40deg and .465" for the Bob Jourdan Ackley Imp.. I shoot the BJAI with a 142gr Precision Ballistic at 2950-60fps using 49.4gr RL-23 which is probably 98% case fill with the bullet seated 0.016" OTL/ CBTO 2.512". My reamer is for .188" freebore. If I were to order a new reamer it would either be 0 FB and throat it pending bullet choice or go 0.200" FB as I would want the 140-150 class bullets boat tail junction definitely out of the N/S junction. At 0.188" it is a little short for my tastes. I was in the same boat as you....deciding between the two 6.5 x55 versions. My deciding factor was only that a member here had a once used JGS reamer for sale and custom dies as a turnkey package. I think Kelbly's could do the same with the GWI. I think one would be splitting hairs....like the .260, 6.5 x47L, 6.5 Creedmoor....although those in the know understand that the Creedmoor is superior. Now where is the $hit stirring emoticon when you need it.

Feel free to PM me for any info on the BJAI. Thanks to 'ShootDots' and others I am now compelled to start development on yet ANOTHER bullet...the 150 SMK....thanks again Ben.

Thanks for the reply ! To funny on the emoji... definitely looking for turn key set up . I’ve sent mail to Kelblys in regards to the GWI see what they come with . I have had 4 barrels in 260Ai so a little bias to the AI 40* as brass stays put no trimming!I don’t see any dies available for the BJAI ? I was thinking Whidden as John has made me a few sets just looking at a little wait .... Like yourself looking at Sierra 150 and following that thread as well . Thanks again for the info.

 

[rardoin]

Huntington Specialties list dies for the BJ-AI. I just found it on a search and it is news to me. States Clymer reamer print based.

https://www.huntingtons.com/store/product.php?productid=19570

 

[glider]

Redding makes dies based off of BJAI I have confirmed this with Redding. Dave Manson Knows the design well .
Once I decided on spec for reamer Manson sent print to Redding to verify there dies work , This project was a side project for me I was not intending to go all in as my go to set up. That said Redding dies fit equation.
After shooting B.C. 141.7s pushed with H4831sc I was impressed, so called Whiddens who made proper dies , REMEMBER when altering cases to think about how much base is being resized , to much will lead to poor case life and head separation Custom dies are the way to go !!.
Send reamer with Redding comp seater die to Smith and have a sleeve bored , They are not hardened steel . Also ask to have a case modified for headspace comparing .
With 21st century NT lath Lapua brass cleans up nicely when turned .0001+- so in a .295 chamber your loade rounds should be more or less .2925 ish

 

[Gary O'Neal]

Glider, what scope is that?

 

[Ackley Kid]

Redding makes dies based off of BJAI I have confirmed this with Redding. Dave Manson Knows the design well .
Once I decided on spec for reamer Manson sent print to Redding to verify there dies work , This project was a side project for me I was not intending to go all in as my go to set up. That said Redding dies fit equation.
After shooting B.C. 141.7s pushed with H4831sc I was impressed, so called Whiddens who made proper dies , REMEMBER when altering cases to think about how much base is being resized , to much will lead to poor case life and head separation Custom dies are the way to go !!.
Send reamer with Redding comp seater die to Smith and have a sleeve bored , They are not hardened steel . Also ask to have a case modified for headspace comparing .
With 21st century NT lath Lapua brass cleans up nicely when turned .0001+- so in a .295 chamber your loade rounds should be more or less .2925 ish

Thank you very much for all your info ! Great stuff .... I shot 260AI for quite sometime .... crazy accurate but ... always had some woes with case life as I was running it pretty hot ( 2920-2950)and brass was toast in 3-4 firings . Looking at this case it falls somewhere between 260AI and 6.5-284 for capacity with a longer neck than both . Thanks for the print , will check with Dave next week on reamer for BJAI he made the 260AI reamer as well same .295 nk

 

[glider]

Thank you very much for all your info ! Great stuff .... I shot 260AI for quite sometime .... crazy accurate but ... always had some woes with case life as I was running it pretty hot ( 2920-2950)and brass was toast in 3-4 firings . Looking at this case it falls somewhere between 260AI and 6.5-284 for capacity with a longer neck than both . Thanks for the print , will check with Dave next week on reamer for BJAI he made the 260AI reamer as well same .295 nk

Yeah no problem, food for thought ;If you have a short action and use extended mags (without blinder plate and feed ramp cut ) theres enough room to push bullets out away from NSJ. with a .260 IMP 30
have a look . reamer ended up with .160 FB. H4350 gives a lot of options as far as fps and bullet weights with this chamber

 

[glider]

Glider, what scope is that?

Khales 624i AMR ret 34 mm tube

 

[Gary O'Neal]

Great looking rifle and scope.

 

[rardoin]

Glider, those Cauterucio 141.5's were fantastic bullets in my BJAI and 6.5 Creedmoor. Bob was a very great and helpful man...may he rest in peace.