[brinky]

Looking for some one who has experience shooting a 30-06 AI. I'm looking at having my Ruger #1 RSI re-chambered into the AI. It currently is a 30-06 and I really like the rifle but would like to get a little more out of it. Should I have a new barrel made or can someone simply run a reamer in the existing barrel? It has a somewhat "tight" chamber and short throat compared to my old Rem 700 and is finicky with minimal neck growth. What I'm hoping for is to minimize neck growth with adding a few FPS to put it between standard 06 and 300 mag velocities with the shorter 20" I have a ton of 06 brass so rechambering to a 300 mag is what I want to avoid and the AI would be more "fun" and interesting to me.

 

[kdub]

Should be a simple job for a 'smith or yourself to run a reamer into the present chamber to clean up for the AI configuration - no need for a new barrel.

As long as you recognize the limited benefit of AI'ing the 30-06, you're OK. As Ackley himself pointed out years ago, the 30-06 is a cartridge that doesn't gain much benefit from improving. The sharper shoulder will help in case growth and easily fire-formed.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Huntdaddy1]

If memory serves me, when I had a rifle rechambered to AI years ago, The barrel had to be set back about 1/2 a turn and then rechambered. I gained a little velocity with lighter bullets, but not too much. Reloading was easy, I just used a 30 cal. universal neck-sizing die. Accuracy actually improved a bit too. HD1

 

[brinky]

Sounds like what I'm expecting. Maybe a little velocity gain. About what I'm losing with the 2 inch shorter than normal barrel length I have on the RSI ( 20" v 22") But gain in cartridge life once fire formed. NEXT QUESTIONS...... Can I shoot my already loaded 30-06 ammo in the new AI chamber or should I pop the bullets out and start over with reduced loads? It just so happens that the rifle likes reloads that are max or close to max. And is there any issue shooting longer, say 200 or 220 grainers with the AI shoulder/neck?

 

[Tom W.]

I sent my Ruger #1 to Harvey King in Selma, Alabama. He did a really good job and I had a quick turnaround. I'm still shooting the loads I had worked up before the conversion, and they still shoot as well as before, with the same results. I guess I don't want to mess with a good load. I have some loads worked up, and tried a few for groups, but I won't change my settings until I finish the other loads.
My rifle shoots the 180 gr. Sierra GK the best, but the 165 grain bullets look promising, as well as a 150 gr GK with H414

 

[Huntdaddy1]

You can shoot factory rounds in the AI chamber with no ill effects, it's just expensive to fire form cases that way !!!! HD1

 

[big dan]

the barrel really needs to be set back in order to get the headspacing right. in an ackley improved chamber the "go" gauge for the std chamber is used as the no-go gauge. the headspace for an ackley improved rimless cartridge is .004" less than for the std. version.
on a rimmed cartridge the barrel does not have to be set back so long as the induvidual doing the chamber work is paying attention to what he is doing.

 

[Huntdaddy1]

I found my old pet load: 30-06 Imp. 150 gr. Bronze pt. (Rem.), 59.0 grains IMR 4350, 3,070 fps. It worked well with very good accuracy !!! It was fired from a Springfield 03' sporter w/ 23" barrel, my first wildcat. HD1

 

[gunho1954]

i own an ai 06 and wouldnt recomend you go down the improved road. the barrel will have to be set back a full turn,to effect a full clean chamber and head spaced to the centerline of the shoulder.you need at least a 26" tube to get any benefit worth talking about.mine is a 22" tube and i think the exercise was a waste of time and money.couldnt pick much difference in velocity and when i did,extraction became sticky.you can fire std ammo,but be aware that some smiths dont understand that the shoulder dimensions are gauged at the centre of the shoulder.-if cut to shoulder and neck junction as i have seen many times,the std ammo will not fire as the firing pin pushes the case forward.this occurs when you dont set the barrel back a turn and try to clean the chamber out.shoulder angles dont match.--good luck with your gun and hope you enjoy the project.

 

[bulletmaker]

Yeah,I have to agree with the above...It is a waste of time and effort and money for what you end up with..And I doubt you can do it yourself unless you have a lathe...As Ackley said himself,there is little gain..But if you want one then go ahead and do it.....God luck..John