.223 ackley improved

[lpreddick]

have a 9 twist kreiger and thinking about this chambering. have one with a 14 twist and it one holes with 52-63 gr bullets. looking at 69-75 gr for this project. has anybody done this? i have the bullets and powders. thanks.

 

[GSRswapandslow]

i have a 1:9 223ai....my chamber was done with 0" freebore...so I'm fairly limited on my bullet choices, but it was more of an experiment than anything else....rechambered a factory barrel. I'm going to rebarrel later this year and am gonna go with 1:8 so I can run the 80 amax...but, if for some reason I had to go back to 1:9...i'd shoot the piss out of some 69gr SMK's for anything past 200yds and 53smk (1400) for anything 200yds and in. Both bullets shot wonderfully when i was still with a 223 rem chamber.

the 75gr bthp hornady's also shot really well....but never did get a chance to try the 73gr bergers or the 75gr amax's.

 

[kelbro]

I have a couple of them. Lots of fun. A little more velocity than standard 223. Brass lasts much longer. I have a 24" 1:8 Shilen bull that shoots like a laser and a 1:9 re-chambered factory sporter that is also quite accurate.

223 Ackley does not show pressure signs very well so your first indicator may be loose primer pockets. Work up carefully.

 

[FroggyOne2]

There have been several times i have thought about doing a 223 AI.

 

[Larryh128]

Think Nike, just do it. Fun round.

 

[areaone]

Got a Rock Creek button barrel, 1/8 twist with a .045 FB, 223 AI. 69 gr SMK deadly. Chambered by Bob Green, Ramshot TAC works well, so does 8208, and W748, but dirty, just off the lands.

 

[DogBuster]

Do it......been shooting an AI 223 nearly 10 yrs..........current 12 twist barrel is pushing 8K rds....have a new 9 twist waiting to switch...the high mileage tube will go back to Pac Nor to have rechambered...yes back to 223 AI...27-28 grs of powder pushes a 53 V or 55 BT to nearly 3600....whats not to like ?

 

[FroggyOne2]

When i would do it, it would be with a 7.2 twist 5 groove bbl. Can anyone guess the bullet i would be using?

 

[MarkS]

lpreddick,

I have done a few 223AI. I have a Savage with a 8tw now. It will shoot 50gr Blitzkings and 80gr Berger's great. I shot steel out to 1200yds this week. It worked well out to 1040yds , but went subsonic at 1200yds it is a super little round.

Mark Schronce

 

[MrMajestic]

I run an 8tw tube with the 80 grain A-Max. Using Varget I get 3050 fps from its 26" length. I plan on another for a Savage PTA but in 28". The PA Groundhogs hate it! Great velocities, accuracy and case life using LC and Lapua brass. I highly recommend the caliber!

 

[John from MN]

A friend of mine gave me a few old issues of the VHA magazine 7 or 8 years ago. Steve Timm's articles convinced me that the 223 AI was worth a try.

I've used 14, 8, and 7 twist barrels. 8 twist suits my need the best. It's an excellent way to fight the wind in pdog country without sacrificing barrel life or having to put up with large amounts of recoil.

 

[flatlander]

I chambered a 1:7tw Krieger for 223 AI for a M700 last year, and have had fine results shooting both of Berger's 90s (VLD & LRBT) through it, getting hits on steel clear out to 1400yds. My ballistics program predicted that the 90 VLD would go subsonic just before reaching the 1200yd target, which I missed twice. But I did get one hit out of two shots at both 1300 & 1400yds, even though my scope ran out of internal elevation adjustment and I had to use the MOA hashmarks on the scope's reticle to reach 1400.

What a neat little round - makes me wish I'd have done one years ago.

 

[alf]

22-204 - same same - no fireforming.

No it's not the same as a 222 RM......

 

[FroggyOne2]

What are the available sources for dies? What are the powder capacity differences between the 22-204 and the 223 AI?

 

[MrMajestic]

FO2, the H2O capacity is the same. My initial thoughts were that you would not have the availability of Lapua, L/C or once-fired Military cases. JMHO Of course with the current state of affairs .223 stuff ain't available either! ;D

 

[FroggyOne2]

Oh I have plenty of the ,223 brass and can get more. But I am not telling where I getting it.