What did the boy go and do this time?
We went over to Cabela's Saturday morning. I had a fair pile of gift cards that were just aching to be turned in...
I came home with a older, sporterized Mauser. Lovely, dark wood, older 2.5-8 BalVar scope with the adjustable mounts, custom trigger (turned out to be a Canjar), a Geo. Lawrence sling with push-button release swivels. The tag read: "7mm Remington Ackley Improved Magnum". A little negotiating and a pile of gift cards later and I scratched a check for a total of $185. Regardless of what it was, I had more than that in parts.
A little research later and I can find no such thing as a "7mm Rem AI Mag" as the 7mm Mag pretty much started out with all of the Ackley improvements when released.
At this point, we are confused.
Last night I pulled the stock and took a good look. The barrel is stamped "7MM ACKLEY MAG" (was partially obscured by the wood) with no mention of 'Improved' or 'Remington'.
The bottom of the barrel was also stamped: "R.EXE" or maybe "EXF"---gunsmith maybe?, "4...27...72"---assumed to be the build date and "1...10"---assumed to be the twist.
This lead me to read a little more in Ackley's books and experiment some.
I have exactly 1 empty 7mm Rem Mag case. It does not chamber, being too long. I also had a distorted .300 Weatherby Mag case (long story) that I cut off at approximately the shoulder length of the 7mmMag. That also would not chamber. I cut off a little more and finally got it to chamber.
I'll make a chamber cast next after I pull the scope out of the way.
Everything is clean, well done and apparently not abused. Whatever it is, I expect it will shoot.
The trouble is, I cannot find any drawings of the Ackley Magnum so I don't know what it should be or is.
Got anything on the 7mm Ackley Magnum?
Also, from a little reading, it looks like the 1:10 twist will probably only work up to about 150gr or so. Sound about right?
Thanks!
Sounds like time for that chamber cast...
I looked in my references and all I could come up with was Ackly improved cartridges in 7mm. It appears that the 7mm/08, 280 Rem and 7x57 were all popular cartridges to receive the Ackley treatment.
Ask and you shall receive......
Not the best pictures, taken from a book but readable..........
Gunner
THANK YOU!!
Appreciate that.
Hoot...
you have the most unique talent of anyone I know for rooting out the darndest of things.
It's easy to line up a collection of .243's, .270's...30/06's..etc. But to come up with the ones you have? Not everyone can do that. Awesome stuff my friend!
Murphy
What did the boy go and do this time?
Hmmm....... Could this be the last thing a Missouri hog hears this spring?
Thank you Murphy.
I am a sucker for old Mausers and odd things. I can't tell you how many good deals I've passed up because it's a "boring" old .30-06. Nothing wrong with the caliber and I do have several but I'd rather chase something that's tough to find.
Good to see you here Joel!
One day, probably. I'm still on my 35 calibre kick...the last 5 hogs were all taken with a .358 bore. I have two more .35 rifles to try out. This year will probably be the .356 Winchester with the FTX bullets. That rifle seems to want to shoot. There's still a fair bit of work needed on the .358 Norma and we're running shy on time.