22-250 AI dies

Brad Y · 03-26-2008, 03:37 AM

Who, apart from redding make a 3 dies set (neck, full length, and seater die) for the 22-250 AI? Its not really possible to get lee ones made for me as im in australia. Not sure if RCBS make them or not. I have a lee single stage press too if that helps.

Cheers

SwedeSteve · 03-26-2008, 04:19 AM

Why can't you get/use Lee dies? MidwayUSA — Shooting Supplies, Reloading, Gunsmithing, Ammunition, Gun Parts & Rifle Scopes lists them.

rfc357 · 03-26-2008, 06:53 AM

I shoot a .22-250 Ackley Improved. You don't need to full-length re-size. If you are loading for a bolt gun, and the brass is already fire-formed, all you need is generic .22 neck sizer and generic .22 seater. Mine come from Hornady.

Brad Y · 03-26-2008, 07:16 AM

Well I will be getting a heap of factory remington 55gr soft point loads and shooting them first to build up fireformed brass. I currently use remington brass in the rifle and it works well. The only thing is, I will need a full length die sooner or later as when the cases get harder to extract and close the bolt on, it usually means a full length size is needed.

I can get a full length lee sizer and seater, would prefer one of the lee dead length seaters, apparently they are supposed to be better than the standard ones though i cant tell the difference between the two. But I need a necksizer. Always have used the lee collet neck sizers and they are great, but they dont make them in factory run dies... hard to obtain here compared to america. Would prefer to buy here if possible.

Can the hornady 22 cal neck sizing die fit with the 22-250 ackley? It just says 22 cal, not 22-250... not sure what cal it exactly is???

samuel · 03-26-2008, 08:41 AM

Brad-y:Yes it will neck resize any case in .224,but I dont like it as you set it for whatever case trying not to resize the full length of the neck and you will get neck stretch.It works ok but I like the collet better which will neck resize your AI,s as it was designed to keep the demensions of fireformed cases.I always squeeze the neck and turn 1/2turn and squeeze it again.It is near impossible to push the shoulder out but I set it up so it only resizes about 3/4ths of the neck. sam.

Brad Y · 03-26-2008, 08:50 AM

Cheers sam,

So are you saying my current standard 22-250 collet die will work on the ackley improved 40 degree case? If so, I only have a seater and full length die to get and that makes it really easy.

I do the same thing with my collets, punch the primer out give it a squeeze, lower the ram, turn it half or a quarter then squeeze again. Have made some very accurate ammo with it. As much as it gets bagged, the lee stuff works great and is really good value. Never used anything else and im too stingy to part with alot of money for a deluxe redding set.

rfc357 · 03-26-2008, 09:00 AM

You don't need a full-length resizer if you are reloading for one, and only one, bolt gun. I never size case bodies. This improves accuracy.

Brad Y · 03-26-2008, 04:45 PM

Dont your cases ever get hard to close the bolt on? and hard to extract? Mine do, and im sure it would happen for alot of people. When you have neck sized a few times, it will start to get harder to close and open the bolt. This is time to full length size the case back the SAAMI specs, trim it, and re fire form. I know neck sizing improves accuracy, but the must expand to a point that its hard to extract from the chamber. Happens all the time with the current 22-250 regular chamber. Usually after four neck sizes.

samuel · 03-26-2008, 07:02 PM

They wont get hard to chamber nearly as fast if you lighten up on loads and you gain in accuracy and just dont loose that much in performance.Try a slower burn rate powder.3031 isnt the only #,you can go clear to 4350. sam.

lefty o · 03-26-2008, 07:28 PM

if you run 'em hot, and that is the point of an ackley improved- after a few times, you will need to full length size your cases.

Brad Y · 03-27-2008, 02:22 AM

Thanks guys, I will get a full length die and seater die and continue to use my standard 22-250 collet die. I will be running hot loads, its how i like them, thats why im getting it ackley improved, to reduce the case stretch.

03-26-2008, 03:37 AM	#1
Brad Y Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Australia Posts: 98	22-250 AI dies Who, apart from redding make a 3 dies set (neck, full length, and seater die) for the 22-250 AI? Its not really possible to get lee ones made for me as im in australia. Not sure if RCBS make them or not. I have a lee single stage press too if that helps. Cheers

03-26-2008, 04:19 AM	#2
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,279 Images: 1	Why can't you get/use Lee dies? MidwayUSA — Shooting Supplies, Reloading, Gunsmithing, Ammunition, Gun Parts & Rifle Scopes lists them. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-26-2008, 07:16 AM	#4
Brad Y Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Australia Posts: 98	Well I will be getting a heap of factory remington 55gr soft point loads and shooting them first to build up fireformed brass. I currently use remington brass in the rifle and it works well. The only thing is, I will need a full length die sooner or later as when the cases get harder to extract and close the bolt on, it usually means a full length size is needed. I can get a full length lee sizer and seater, would prefer one of the lee dead length seaters, apparently they are supposed to be better than the standard ones though i cant tell the difference between the two. But I need a necksizer. Always have used the lee collet neck sizers and they are great, but they dont make them in factory run dies... hard to obtain here compared to america. Would prefer to buy here if possible. Can the hornady 22 cal neck sizing die fit with the 22-250 ackley? It just says 22 cal, not 22-250... not sure what cal it exactly is??? Last edited by Brad Y; 03-26-2008 at 07:28 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

03-26-2008, 08:50 AM	#6
Brad Y Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Australia Posts: 98	Cheers sam, So are you saying my current standard 22-250 collet die will work on the ackley improved 40 degree case? If so, I only have a seater and full length die to get and that makes it really easy. I do the same thing with my collets, punch the primer out give it a squeeze, lower the ram, turn it half or a quarter then squeeze again. Have made some very accurate ammo with it. As much as it gets bagged, the lee stuff works great and is really good value. Never used anything else and im too stingy to part with alot of money for a deluxe redding set. Last edited by Brad Y; 03-26-2008 at 08:53 AM.

03-26-2008, 06:53 AM	#3
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	I shoot a .22-250 Ackley Improved. You don't need to full-length re-size. If you are loading for a bolt gun, and the brass is already fire-formed, all you need is generic .22 neck sizer and generic .22 seater. Mine come from Hornady.

03-26-2008, 08:41 AM	#5
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,087	Brad-y:Yes it will neck resize any case in .224,but I dont like it as you set it for whatever case trying not to resize the full length of the neck and you will get neck stretch.It works ok but I like the collet better which will neck resize your AI,s as it was designed to keep the demensions of fireformed cases.I always squeeze the neck and turn 1/2turn and squeeze it again.It is near impossible to push the shoulder out but I set it up so it only resizes about 3/4ths of the neck. sam.

03-26-2008, 09:00 AM	#7
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	You don't need a full-length resizer if you are reloading for one, and only one, bolt gun. I never size case bodies. This improves accuracy.

03-26-2008, 04:45 PM	#8
Brad Y Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Australia Posts: 98	Dont your cases ever get hard to close the bolt on? and hard to extract? Mine do, and im sure it would happen for alot of people. When you have neck sized a few times, it will start to get harder to close and open the bolt. This is time to full length size the case back the SAAMI specs, trim it, and re fire form. I know neck sizing improves accuracy, but the must expand to a point that its hard to extract from the chamber. Happens all the time with the current 22-250 regular chamber. Usually after four neck sizes.

03-26-2008, 07:02 PM	#9
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,087	They wont get hard to chamber nearly as fast if you lighten up on loads and you gain in accuracy and just dont loose that much in performance.Try a slower burn rate powder.3031 isnt the only #,you can go clear to 4350. sam.

03-26-2008, 07:28 PM	#10
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,785	if you run 'em hot, and that is the point of an ackley improved- after a few times, you will need to full length size your cases.

03-27-2008, 02:22 AM	#11
Brad Y Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: West Australia Posts: 98	Thanks guys, I will get a full length die and seater die and continue to use my standard 22-250 collet die. I will be running hot loads, its how i like them, thats why im getting it ackley improved, to reduce the case stretch.