[Snipe]

I just lucked out and bought a M-700 long action from the local gun shop for 400$ all trued and blueprinted. I am thinking of building a ackly improved 06. What is u guys opinion on this cartridge the pro's and con's of this cartridge. Any help would be appreciated. lata

 

[K2]

I think you are creating a lot of trouble for yourself by picking a .30 caliber wildcat like that. There are sooooo many factory offerings in .30 caliber available that you are not going to get anything from the Ackley that you canot find in a readily available cartridge. With modern powders and components, the 30-06 is an amazingly capable cartridge without any alterations. If you're going to take on a wildcat, I would look at something that fills a niche not offered in factory loadings. The .338-06 is a good example. Hard-hitting, reasonable recoil, and efficient use of powder for the performance you get. I guess it also depends on what you are going to do with the rifle. If long range shooting is the goal, look at the 25-06. Good trajectory and handles wind well. It uses the same action as the 30-06 and cases and ammo are readily available. Don't let me discourage you if the Ackley is what you want. I have a couple of wildcats and I love shooting them. Just keep in mind that you will have to fire-form ALL of your cases and that loading data will be a little less plentiful. Also, resell value of the rifle will be less. I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into if you choose a wildcat. Good luck.

K2

 

[Snipe]

Well i already have a 300 wm but i want somthing with same power but cheaper to shoot and a 06 is the lowest i can go because the bolt face is a 06. lata

 

[Snipe]

I am just throwing around a few ideas right now nothing is set in stone. I am leaning towards somthing a little differnt though. I really want a 338 lapua but it wont fit. I will just have to see. Thanks lata

 

[K2]

If you're thinking about something in the .338 Lapua's power range, then take a look at the .338-06. Like I said above, it is hard-hitting and very efficient. If you want to look at another good thumper, you might also consider the .35 Whelen. You can get factory cases and ammo for it and like all the other cartridges I mentioned, it uses the same action and bolt face as the standard 30-06. Also, as I said in my first response, the plain old 30-06 will give you a lot of bang for the buck. With modern components you can get awfully close to the .300 Win.'s performance without excessive pressures. I have gotten up to 2850fps in my favorite 30-06 with 180gr Noslers without exceeding pressure limits, but to be honest I get better accuracy at around 100fps less so that's what I use. Just make sure you work up slowly to what your individual rifle will handle. With all of the cartridges to select from that utilize the same action/bolt face as the 30-06, you've got to be like a kid in a candy store. Figure out what mission you want the rifle to fulfill and the choice will get easier. Again, good luck.

K2