6BR ACKLEY IMPROVED, (AKA: 6BR-AI, 6BRA) Who actually experimented with it First?

[SHall]

For the sake of giving credit where credit is due! I would like to think I was the first to experiment with this round, but after asking around in 2015 I found out I was not going to be the first. David Dorris was before me. Not sure what year he started it but but I do remembered him shooting on the bench right beside of me at IBS 600 Yard Nationals in St Louis somewhere between 2011 and 2013. He was telling me about shooting his own bullets and a new cartridge design I recall. I later was informed that people were experimenting with the 6BR not too long after its induction and blowing out the shoulder to 40 degree. I dont know who or exactly when. So does anyone know who may have played with this round before Davis Dorris and approximately when? Help me out guys I think I am suffering from Match Cancellation withdrawl! I have preloaded over 500 rounds and blown out over 300 cases. Help me by giving me some more posts to read lol. Samuel Hall

 

[Terry]

Jerry Simonson made them many years ago.

 

[dkhunt14]

I believe Rick Picceretta played with one along time ago. He played with a couple of 6BR variants. This was early 2000's, late 90's. Matt

 

[Stan Taylor]

Well Sam you could always drive up here an shoot in my back yard an teach me some of your gun handling skill an burn up the rounds you have loaded LOL.
Seriously though I think we all are searching for that magic round based on a 6BR case it in itself is such a deserving cartridge it's hard to beat as is.

 

[DJSBRS]

I see where I made mine from David Dorris reamer March 2012. His drawing is older than that but my copy of his drawing doesn't have a date on it. I'll check with him on the date of drawing.

DJ

DJ's Brass Service

 

[dmoran]

Jerry Simonson made them many years ago.

+1 .... I can attest to this as well.

In 2004, I had Jerry chamber my first 6Dasher barrel. When at his shop to drop off the action, he discussed it with me as another option. He had a 6BR Ackley reamer on hand, along with a matching die reamer for it. If memory serves me right, believe he had a couple customers using it in there prairie-dog rifles already at the time (possibly Terry McQuoid for one).

 

[BRGUY]

I know that I am not the first by any means, but I did my first 6mm Bench Rest Improved cartridge in 1989 with the following changes -

Brass: Remington 6mm Bench Rest / annealed / case left full length

Body taper: .003

Neck length: .200

Shoulder angle: 60 degrees

The cartridge was called the "6mm D-W" and was loaded using a set of modified Wilson hand dies.

The first gun built was on a Remington 700 short action set up as a single shot. Barrel used was a 29" Hart with a 1-14" twist rate.

Shooting Sierra's 70 gr. B.T. - H.P. Match King at 3,500 fps. produced a lot of groups in the 2's at 200 yards, and a personal best at that time of .062 which I thought was pretty good for someone that never shot a registered match or any form of competition.

Prairie dogs saw the biggest use of this modified cartridge, along with coyotes, rock chucks and crows, but just not by me.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Sam,
Below is from Dave Kiff regarding the 6BR Ackley improved. If Ackley died in 1989 and he had a drawing of the case it was certainly done some time before that. But I do think you are mainly responsible for getting it going again. Some people like to keep things secret, so if they were doing it before you, how would anyone know? I prefer to share with the BR community because thats what shrinks group sizes. None of us have the time to test EVERYTHING and we have all benefited from the ones willing to share.



Keith Francis and I used to grind them all the time back in the 80’s and early 90’s. Most of them back then had a .060 freebore. As a matter of fact I remember Herold Broughton building a Barreled Action with that chamber and kicking butt before the Arthritis got to him. When Dan Dowling and I built the first Dasher in 1998 the people used a Wall Dog and the Tall Dog for competition. Mr. Ackley had a print of the 6BR 40* case in his uncompleted volume 3. I was able to get a copy of the memos from the writing from Bevan King, Bevan and Mr. Ackley were close and worked together for many years. I make more Dasher Reamers with the 6MM BRA right behind it and the BRX is in there too. Let me know if you need anything my friend and I’ll get it going for you. Have a good Tuesday and Thank You,,

 

[SHall]

I know that I am not the first by any means, but I did my first 6mm Bench Rest Improved cartridge in 1989 with the following changes -

Brass: Remington 6mm Bench Rest / annealed / case left full length

Body taper: .003

Neck length: .200

Shoulder angle: 60 degrees

The cartridge was called the "6mm D-W" and was loaded using a set of modified Wilson hand dies.

The first gun built was on a Remington 700 short action set up as a single shot. Barrel used was a 29" Hart with a 1-14" twist rate.

Shooting Sierra's 70 gr. B.T. - H.P. Match King at 3,500 fps. produced a lot of groups in the 2's at 200 yards, and a personal best at that time of .062 which I thought was pretty good for someone that never shot a registered match or any form of competition.

Prairie dogs saw the biggest use of this modified cartridge, along with coyotes, rock chucks and crows, but just not by me.

That is interesting and a long time ago, but this sounds more like a Dasher or shoulder blown out even more with the neck only being .200! Plus the Ackley I am talking about and most are a 40 degree shoulder. I am not bashing your reply, just does not sound like the current BR-AI (BRA).

 

[SHall]

Sam,
Below is from Dave Kiff regarding the 6BR Ackley improved. If Ackley died in 1989 and he had a drawing of the case it was certainly done some time before that. But I do think you are mainly responsible for getting it going again. Some people like to keep things secret, so if they were doing it before you, how would anyone know? I prefer to share with the BR community because thats what shrinks group sizes. None of us have the time to test EVERYTHING and we have all benefited from the ones willing to share.



Keith Francis and I used to grind them all the time back in the 80’s and early 90’s. Most of them back then had a .060 freebore. As a matter of fact I remember Herold Broughton building a Barreled Action with that chamber and kicking butt before the Arthritis got to him. When Dan Dowling and I built the first Dasher in 1998 the people used a Wall Dog and the Tall Dog for competition. Mr. Ackley had a print of the 6BR 40* case in his uncompleted volume 3. I was able to get a copy of the memos from the writing from Bevan King, Bevan and Mr. Ackley were close and worked together for many years. I make more Dasher Reamers with the 6MM BRA right behind it and the BRX is in there too. Let me know if you need anything my friend and I’ll get it going for you. Have a good Tuesday and Thank You,,

Alex, I was going to mention you in my original post. It was not just me that revived it and made it public once again. You, Tom Mousel, James O’Hare, and locally Chad Jenkins, And Joey Combs picked up on it and tested it when I got put to a stop with colon cancer in April 2016. Thanks to yall testing and reporting it helped get the word out it was legitimate like I was seeing.
And you revived my memory, I did hear that Ackley himself had a 40 degree version of the BR. So, I would say he is originally the first and deserves the credit!

 

[jamesdmock]

Jerry Simison was my gunsmith for many years and he experimented with several wildcats. One I remember was called a 6mm Coyote. I can't recall the exact case but it could have been a blown out 6 BR. Not sure.

 

[TAJ45]

Interesting read.

Sam, glad you are on top of the C. I was at Piedmont one time when you shot. First year you won SOY there, maybe? It seems Mark Schronce stopped shooting BR in the C. time frame as well.

 

[SHall]

Interesting read.

Sam, glad you are on top of the C. I was at Piedmont one time when you shot. First year you won SOY there, maybe? It seems Mark Schronce stopped shooting BR in the C. time frame as well.

That would have been about 2007. A few older shooters told me I was about the only one that could possibly beat out Terry Brady. It took me by surprise, I did not think I had a chance. We had a great crowd back then, like family. I shot a straight BR back then. Won several SOY’ s and 2 Nats with a straight BR. They work well too!

 

[WIB3]

I believe Rick Picceretta played with one along time ago. He played with a couple of 6BR variants. This was early 2000's, late 90's. Matt

Matt, you are correct. Rick was playing with the round back around 1999. Unfortunately I was sold on the big .30 cal’s at the time. What a mistake on my part. Can’t turn back time.

 

[BRGUY]

I didn't catch the 40 degree shoulder angle part, so I guess my post was useless or irrelevant! My apologies. My reference was just a maximized 6mm Bench Rest case.

 

[geo.ulrich]

Jerry Simison was my gunsmith for many years and he experimented with several wildcats. One I remember was called a 6mm Coyote. I can't recall the exact case but it could have been a blown out 6 BR. Not sure.

James , The coyote was based on 30 American brass and designed by Harold Broughton.....

 

[dgeesaman]

I spoke with Jim Borden last summer and he said he and another guy played with something very much like a 6BRA a couple decades ago. It was an Ackley-ized 6BR Rem or 6BR Norma. I don't remember any specifics beyond that. FWIW.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Ya, Jim has a reamer for remington brass, so he's had it a while.

 

[JamesnTN]

Sam
When this BR improved got a kick start we both were on it pretty much same time. You were using 2 reamers to make the chamber and I was waiting on my reamer from JGS I was looking at date on my reamer print and it dates 1-11-16
I’m not sure when you actually made your first chambering but I recall we both were discussing it together. That’s been a few years back so I’m going on what my old mind remembers

 

[INTJ]

I'll bet that almost immediately after the original 6BR came out that someone blew it out to a 40 degree shoulder.