.357 rifle loads of P.O. Ackley

[crs]

Ackley illustrates "concise":



This was his only .357 magnum rifle load.

[Warhawk]

Wow, I'd like to see the rest of that book. What is the title?

[FWiedner]

Pocket Manual for Shooters & Reloaders?

[flatnose]

How in the heck do you get 20 grains of 2400 under a 160grn bullet? must be a nice mild load.
Ackley did a lot of experimenting, but I didn't realise they had crack back then.

[JP_TX]

amazin what you can find out from this site. I didn't know they had Crack back then either.... Too funny.

[1886]

How in the heck do you get 20 grains of 2400 under a 160grn bullet? must be a nice mild load.
Ackley did a lot of experimenting, but I didn't realise they had crack back then.

I have both of his volumes. They are entertaining from an historical perspective but much of the data seems rather optimistic and should be viewed with much skepticism. Caution is in order. 1886.

[KCSO]

That had to have been a different 2400 that we use today. Man oh man would that 20 grain load pour on the pressure! I would be leery of the starting load.

[oic0]

Man way ahead of his time I guess lol
And here I thought the buffalo bore 158g at 2153 was an example of new age experimentation and ballistics... meanwhile he had 160g at 2135 before I was born.

Ok now one of you guys go load this up and see if your gun holds together

[Lobo]

Hi All,

When I bought my Marlin 336 (35 Rem) in the early 1970's, I bought Speers reloading manual at the same time. I was using a load of IMR 3031 and the Speer 180gr flatnose bullet, and the loading data from Speers' manual to get 2400 fps. My load development took one range session. I had five rounds of each of five loads increasing the powder charge slightly with each group. The fourth group gave 2400 fps and 1.75 inch groups at 100 yards off the bench. I bought five pounds of 3031 and enough primers and bullets to cover the powder and was set for years!! When I needed to buy more powder, I found that IMR had reformulated 3031 and the old loading data was dangerously over the limit!! I sure wish they'd bring back that old recipe with a new name on the can!!

A word to the wise!

[2X22]

My Dad has always used 19grs 2400 behind a 160gr cast out of his old '92. Since the early '50's to now. Of course, he's still loading from the same 2400 that he bought kegs of in the '50's.......

2x22

[1886]

Hi All,

When I bought my Marlin 336 (35 Rem) in the early 1970's, I bought Speers reloading manual at the same time. I was using a load of IMR 3031 and the Speer 180gr flatnose bullet, and the loading data from Speers' manual to get 2400 fps. My load development took one range session. I had five rounds of each of five loads increasing the powder charge slightly with each group. The fourth group gave 2400 fps and 1.75 inch groups at 100 yards off the bench. I bought five pounds of 3031 and enough primers and bullets to cover the powder and was set for years!! When I needed to buy more powder, I found that IMR had reformulated 3031 and the old loading data was dangerously over the limit!! I sure wish they'd bring back that old recipe with a new name on the can!!

A word to the wise!

My apologizes, not to take this thread in a different direction but try H-4895 in your modern, post 1975, Marlin .35 Rem. Great ballistic potential with both the Speer 180gr. and the 220gr. Hot Core bullets. 1886.

[Buck Elliott]

When Ackley wrote that, W-296/H-110 was still just a dream.

I cherish my copy of the POCKETBOOK...

For a REAL treat, find a set (Vol 1 & 2) of Ackley's HANDBOOK FOR SHOOTERS AND RELOADERS.

[crs]

oicO - I bought this little black book back when I first reloaded the .357 pistol and rifle - about 1970-71. The owner of SPS Guns studied under PO and recommended it. He also has been known to push the envelope with handloads.

I used H110 to approximate Ackley 2400 load for the 160 gr Speer copper jacketed flat nose bullet. The bullet looked like a 158 gr Keith bullet set into a copper cup. It shot well, but was not a plinking load and I hunted deer with a scoped .308 back then, so I stepped down to the 146 grain Speer jacketed hollow point at a calculated 2200 fps. All my loading stuff has been moved to the farm or I could dig out the records. In my 1892 .357 with the Douglas barrel, slow bullets did not stabilize, so I usually loaded or bought lighter, faster loads, which also had less recoil for shooting by the wife and kids.

1886 - good advice to ALWAYS approach max loads with caution, if not downright suspicion.