New Calibers........

[bobcat]

correct me if i am wrong , the ackley-i 25 will shoot a 25-06 shell, so is the reverse possible?  will a 25-06 gun shoot a  improved ackley 25 shell.?  i dont know what the big deal is and at what extra cost?  no diff till you get out to 400-500 yards. mike w

An Ackley Improved would not fit in the chamber of a standard 25-06. But I do agree that the velocity increase in the "improved" version is negligible, especially when you consider all the extra steps you have to go through in handloading cartridges for it.

[addicted]

I don't think there are any niches to be filled these days.  Every once and awhile something comes out that slightly outperforms something already there, but still not filling a new empty niche.

8x57 replaced by 338fed
7mmmauser replaced by 7mm08

[TwoSixFourWins]

Doing many ackley improved cartridges is very easy. I have a 22-250AI and with handloads this thing will send a 35 grain bullet over 5000 fps. Yes i said 5000. Typically the idea with an AI round is to get better performance with heavier bullet though. All i do is find a hotter load or factory ammo and shoot it in the gun. Bang....there is your AI brass. Now you just reload it using the AI data instead of standard data. Another reason for doing and AI cartridge is the case and neck angle.  Most guys who do any type of benchrest shooting will tell you there is "magic" in case and neck angle that increases burn efficiency as well as accuracy because there is less bolt thrust. That is why many Bench rest calibers have a nearly straight case with a steep shoulder. I believe in them in most cases. If you reload your own ammo especially.

[Bofire]

  Too damn many cartridges now! 
Carl

[Biggerhammer]

I don't think there are any niches to be filled these days.  Every once and awhile something comes out that slightly outperforms something already there, but still not filling a new empty niche.

8x57 replaced by 338fed
7mmmauser replaced by 7mm08

I don't know how other than factory offerings, the 8x57 is a better cartridge than the .338 Federal. Same as for the 7x57 compared to the 7mm08. The 7x57 is a superior chambering over the 7mm08.

[addicted]

I don't think there are any niches to be filled these days.  Every once and awhile something comes out that slightly outperforms something already there, but still not filling a new empty niche.

8x57 replaced by 338fed
7mmmauser replaced by 7mm08

I don't know how other than factory offerings, the 8x57 is a better cartridge than the .338 Federal. Same as for the 7x57 compared to the 7mm08. The 7x57 is a superior chambering over the 7mm08.

not the last time i looked in a speer reloading book.

[addicted]

difference regardless, nothing filled an empty niche.

[dontgetcrabs]

I have a 25-06 AI. It will shoot factory loads the same as before the improvement, and reloads 250 fps faster. It's not a huge gain, but for the $200 bucks it cost me I'm happy with it. Not to much money to have something just a little different. I really like the looks of the AI rounds.