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Case taper advice 25x47 improved

I'm designing a 25x47 lapua improved reamer and would like some advice on case taper.
I'm looking for enough capacity increase to make NRL power factor, would reducing the case taper from .014 to .010 have any downside?
 
762Ultra -

Howdy !

This use of the term “ Ackley Improved “ is sometimes somewhat of a misnomer.
If case oal growth after firing has already been minimized in the standard 6.5x47L case, what is gained by further sharpening the shoulder angle; especially when that in-and-of-itself reduces the case’ capacity ?

When Ackley designed his “ Ackley Improved “ wildcats, one of the reasons he
“ blew out “ the case’ shoulders; was to offset the loss in capacity driven by the sharper shoulder angle he used.

IMHO -
You should consider going the other way….. reduce the shoulder angle… a bit.
Why I say this:

I shoot a wildcat formed by necking the .35 Remington case down to .224” calibre.
The purpose of this wildcat was to give me a .224” cal case that had more case capacity than a stock .22-250, while having less capacity than a .22-250AI. I shoot groundhog.

I kept the standard .35 Remington case oal, base and a shoulder diameters; which gave my case a taper of .024”.

First pic on Lt shows a .22-35 case positioned behind a .22-250, so that their case tapers might visually be compared.

Second pic shows a columne of ( sample ) 6.5StaBal powder filling a fired .22-35 case to the case side wall/shoulder junction. This is used again in the fourth pic, to show you how much more 6.5StaBal powder .22-35 holds over a .22-250 case. The amount of this powder .22-35 holds beyond what a .22-250 can ( both filled to the same point ) is
2 grains… seen as a small pile of kernels in front of the .22-250 case.
Note: 6.5StaBal used as case capacity measuring medium.

Third pic shows .22-35 case positioned to Rt of an example .22-250 case, both shown with Hornady 55 SX seated.

My point: I have a significant amount of powder space available beneath the (example )
.22-35’s shoulder “ area “. In instances where the chosen rifle case will be fired w/ the neck filled with bullet body, the amount of powder storage allowed by the case’s shoulder “ area “ becomes an important consideration…. especially when/if slower
“ burning “/ bulky powders are being used. With my .22-35, the case was very nearly full of IMR4350 when shooting the 55SX, along with/ safe pressures and great accuracy.

With regards,
357Mag
 

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All -

Ooops, first pic on Lt above is the wrong wildcat case… and not the pic I intended to send.

Try this one: .22-25 Remington case positioned behind a standard .22-250 case.
Both had been previously fired, and both show a Hornady 55SX seated.

Sorry about the error !


Regards,
357Mag
 

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762Ultra -

Howdy !

This use of the term “ Ackley Improved “ is sometimes somewhat of a misnomer.
If case oal growth after firing has already been minimized in the standard 6.5x47L case, what is gained by further sharpening the shoulder angle; especially when that in-and-of-itself reduces the case’ capacity ?

When Ackley designed his “ Ackley Improved “ wildcats, one of the reasons he
“ blew out “ the case’ shoulders; was to offset the loss in capacity driven by the sharper shoulder angle he used.

IMHO -
You should consider going the other way….. reduce the shoulder angle… a bit.
Why I say this:

I shoot a wildcat formed by necking the .35 Remington case down to .224” calibre.
The purpose of this wildcat was to give me a .224” cal case that had more case capacity than a stock .22-250, while having less capacity than a .22-250AI. I shoot groundhog.

I kept the standard .35 Remington case oal, base and a shoulder diameters; which gave my case a taper of .024”.

First pic on Lt shows a .22-35 case positioned behind a .22-250, so that their case tapers might visually be compared.

Second pic shows a columne of ( sample ) 6.5StaBal powder filling a fired .22-35 case to the case side wall/shoulder junction. This is used again in the fourth pic, to show you how much more 6.5StaBal powder .22-35 holds over a .22-250 case. The amount of this powder .22-35 holds beyond what a .22-250 can ( both filled to the same point ) is
2 grains… seen as a small pile of kernels in front of the .22-250 case.
Note: 6.5StaBal used as case capacity measuring medium.

Third pic shows .22-35 case positioned to Rt of an example .22-250 case, both shown with Hornady 55 SX seated.

My point: I have a significant amount of powder space available beneath the (example )
.22-35’s shoulder “ area “. In instances where the chosen rifle case will be fired w/ the neck filled with bullet body, the amount of powder storage allowed by the case’s shoulder “ area “ becomes an important consideration…. especially when/if slower
“ burning “/ bulky powders are being used. With my .22-35, the case was very nearly full of IMR4350 when shooting the 55SX, along with/ safe pressures and great accuracy.

With regards,
357Mag
I've blown several 30 degree shoulders out to 40 and in my experience it always increases capacity by about a grain doing that alone.
The biggest benefit is I've never had to trim those 40 degree cases whereas 30 degree shoulders need it every 4-6 firings.
I'm thinking about reducing taper slightly to add just a tad more capacity, maybe 1.5 grains total over the parent case.
 
I've blown several 30 degree shoulders out to 40 and in my experience it always increases capacity by about a grain doing that alone.
The biggest benefit is I've never had to trim those 40 degree cases whereas 30 degree shoulders need it every 4-6 firings.
I'm thinking about reducing taper slightly to add just a tad more capacity, maybe 1.5 grains total over the parent case.
762Ultra -

Howdy ! Thanx for sharing your insights.

A lot of “ wildcatting “ is performed to attain a certain case capacity for the calibre
chosen.

“ Controlled capacity “…. makes sense to me.


With regards,
357Mag
 
762Ultra -

Howdy !

This use of the term “ Ackley Improved “ is sometimes somewhat of a misnomer.
If case oal growth after firing has already been minimized in the standard 6.5x47L case, what is gained by further sharpening the shoulder angle; especially when that in-and-of-itself reduces the case’ capacity ?

When Ackley designed his “ Ackley Improved “ wildcats, one of the reasons he
“ blew out “ the case’ shoulders; was to offset the loss in capacity driven by the sharper shoulder angle he used.
I need an explanation how increasing the shoulder angle while leaving the neck/ shoulder junction location essentially unchanged could possibly reduce capacity.
 
I need an explanation how increasing the shoulder angle while leaving the neck/ shoulder junction location essentially unchanged could possibly reduce capacity.
Doug & Alan -

Howdy !

762Ultramag asked this question in his original post:

1. “ …would reducing the case taper from .014 to .010 have any downside “ ?

2. In the same post, 762Ultramag also said:
“ I’m designing a 25 X 47Lapua Improved reamer… “

3. In his 03 Sep post input, 762Uitramaga stated: “ I’ve blown several 30 degree shoulders out to 40 “.

Commentary on item 1, above:
The way to reduce case’ sidewall taper from the standard ? X 47L taper amount, would be….to increase shoulder diameter.

Commentary on item 3, above::
When he used the term “ blown “ along w/ the term “ out “ when talking about 40* shoulders, what 762 Ultra maga was/is talking about; is sharpening the shoulder angle in-conjunction with a widening of the shoulder diameter…. same as noted in item 1.
That is how I understood the circumstance; after his 03 Sep follow-up post

In my 03 Sep post response, I asked a return question:
“If case growth after firing has already been minimized in the standard 6.5 X 47L case…”

- [ the “ standard “ case having a 30* shoulder and nominal .454” shoulder diameter ] -

“… what is gained by further sharpening the shoulder angle; especially when that
in-and-of-itself reduces the case’ capacity “.
I was talking about JUST a shoulder angle change, WITHOUT doing a shoulder blow out.

I suggested to 762Ultramaga that “ IMHO - you should consider going the other way…
reducing the shoulder angle… a bit “ . I did not suggest to him ( also ) “ blowing out “ case shoulders.

*** To give 762 Ultramaga an EXAMPLE of reaching desired case capacity via use of a more-modest shoulder angle ( shallower than even 30* ) with no shoulder “ blow out “,
I described my “ .22-35 Remington wildcat ***. I mentioned that it uses the stock
.35 Remington parent case’ base and shoulder diameters, and therefore….no shoulder
“ blow out “.

Consider different design iterations of an example “ wildcat, where case’ oal, base & shoulder diameters, shoulder location on the case; and calibre all remain the same. Given input parent case conditions * like those I mentioned for my .22-35 wildcat…

- Changing location of the shoulder/neck juncture on the case’ design by sharpening the shoulder angle, results in less powder space under the case’s shoulder area.
That is because some of the shoulder area was converted into increased neck length.
And…as a practical matter, when shooting long-er VLD bullets; the rifle cartridge’ case neck will typically be pretty well fully occupied by the long bullet’s body. Powder space will then likely only be found in the space covered by the case’ shoulder area.



This can be visualized by considering a 2D side view of the case. In such a view, case features like rim thickness, ejector groove “ height “, case sidewall “height”, shoulder
“ height “; and neck length…. all together combine or “add up”; to give the case’s oal. Using this visualization, it can be noted that the shoulder’s “ height “ ( 2D side view ) will be reduced as the shoulder angle is “ sharpened “, while neck length will increase at its bottom end; when other case dimensions remain constant ( as noted above ). When using bulky, s-l-o-w “ burning powders, this “ space “ needs to be put to good use.

762Ultramaga said… “ I’m looking for enough capacity increase… “
I suggested that a shallower shoulder angle to gain increased powder space under the
“ shoulder area “… in-lieu of a longer neck resulting from adoption of a “ sharper “ shoulder angle.

As always, whether responding to other’s posts, or… even when starting a new post of my own; my intent and fervent hope is to be accurate, clear; and concise.

If I failed to be clear in my responses back to 762 Ultramaga, or you other guys;
I offer my sincerest appologies . It was not my intent.

Oh… I almost forgot… again ! “ .22-35 Remington “ has a 26* shoulder angle.


With regards,
357Mag
 
It's very very rare for the shoulder angle to be increased by lengthening the neck. We don't think about doing it that way. Too many issues to deal with. I've only done it once in 40+ years, putting a 222 neck on a 223 case.
I like 30 degree shoulders vs 40
The most prominent example that comes to mind is the 20 Vartarg pushing the shoulder down on a 221 fireball from 23 degrees to 30. The biggest downside I know of is that you push thicker, creased shoulder brass into the neck creating a donut. Even when expanded with a mandrel and turned, bullet seating through this part of the neck always feels off so I don’t seat bullets that deep. Are there other pitfalls I’m not aware of?
 
The most prominent example that comes to mind is the 20 Vartarg pushing the shoulder down on a 221 fireball from 23 degrees to 30. The biggest downside I know of is that you push thicker, creased shoulder brass into the neck creating a donut. Even when expanded with a mandrel and turned, bullet seating through this part of the neck always feels off so I don’t seat bullets that deep. Are there other pitfalls I’m not aware of?
That's the main problem. Even neck turning has it limitations when working on that area.
 
That's the main problem. Even neck turning has it limitations when working on that area.
I had some plans to make a 22BR -.100 or so when 220 Lapua dried up the last few years. I tried the operation with my 22BR die and a 6mm Creedmoor case creating a 22 Creedmoor - 0.100. I was not pleased with the neck quality and that killed that idea for me. I ended up getting a PPC bolt and using 22 PPC norma brass that exceeded all my expectations for quality and durability. That whole exercise really changed what wildcats I will consider now.
 
22 PPC -.100 35 degree shoulder, Best shooting BR barrel I ever had.
Not to derail this thread too far, but I have a 222 for 1000yd BR that shoots 90gn bullets at 2680fps. It just has some wildness about it that I can’t get rid of. The 22 PPC and 22 BR downloaded to the same speed don’t have the same penchant for fliers that the little 222 does. I am still pondering if I want to try a 22 PPC-short to hit that node with normal pressure. It’s a lot of money and forming effort to try it when the straight 22 PPC shoots so well.
 

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