Parker Otto Ackley (May 25, 1903, Granville, New York – August 23, 1989)[1] was an American gunsmith, barrel maker, author, columnist, and wildcat cartridge developer. The Ackley Improved family of wildcat cartridges are designed to be easily made by rechambering existing firearms, and fireforming the ammunition to decrease body taper and increase shoulder angle, resulting in a higher case capacity. Ackley improved not only standard cartridges, but also other popular wildcats, and was the first to create a .17 caliber (4.5 mm) centerfire cartridge.[2]
Ackley began gunsmithing full-time in Oregon in 1936, but was interrupted by World War II. In 1945, he established a new shop in Trinidad, Colorado, and soon became one of the largest custom gunmakers in the United States. He was also on the staff of the magazines Guns&Ammo and Shooting Times, and was an instructor at the Trinidad State Junior College from 1946 to 1951, where he did much experimentation in the field of firearms.[3]
Wildcats and Ackley Improved Cartridgesedit
.280 Remington and its Ackley Improved variant
The following is a list of Ackley cartridges, both "Improved" versions (requiring only fireforming) and more complex versions involving case length reductions or caliber changes. In addition to being easy to form, firearms chambered for the "Improved" cartridges could fire standard factory loaded ammunition as well, allowing a shooter to use commonly available ammunition if the wildcat loads weren't available.[4][self-published source][5]
.17 Ackley Hornet, a .22 Ackley Hornet necked down to .17 caliber (4.5 mm)
.17 Ackley Bee, a .218 Improved Bee necked down to .17 caliber (4.5 mm)
.22 Ackley Improved Hornet, an improved .22 Hornet
.224 Belted Express, formed from .30-06 brass; very few die sets were made by RCBS
.228 Ackley Magnum, an improved 7×57mm Mauser necked down to .228 caliber (5.8 mm); bullets in this size are hard to find but provide greater weight than .223 caliber bullets, up to 100 grains (6.5g), without excessively quick twist rate.
6mm AR Improved / 6mm AR Turbo, an improved 6mm AR (itself a necked-down 6.5mm Grendel).
6 mm/.30-30 Improved, a .30-30 Ackley Improved necked down to 6 mm (.243)
7×57mm Mauser Ackley Improved, an improved version of the 7×57mm Mauser cartridge with 40 degree shoulder, dies readily available.
.280 Ackley Improved, an improved version of the .280 Remington cartridge with 40 degree shoulder, dies readily available. It duplicates the ballistics of the vaunted 7mm Remington Mag, with 30% less propellant used and less barrel erosion. Registered with SAAMI by Nosler.
.30 Ackley Magnum No. 1 and No. 2 short, based on the Holland & Holland belted magnum, the No. 2 version designed to fit in standard length actions (.30-06 class)
.303 Ackley Improved, an improved version of the .303 British Mark VII service cartridge
.338-06 Ackley Improved, an improved .338-06 A-Square (which is a .30-06 necked up to .338 caliber)
.348 Ackley improved, an improved .348 Winchester which gets about 200 feet a second more velocity over the standard.
.35 Ackley Magnum No. 1 and No. 2 short, based on the .30 Ackley Magnum cases; there is also an Improved version of the No. 2.
.475 Ackley Magnum, based on a .375 H&H Magnum necked up to .475 (12 mm)
Other researchedit
Ackley was not just a wildcatter but a researcher as well, often testing firearms to destruction in the search for information. He also produced a number of experimental cartridges, not intended to be practical, but rather to test the limits of firearms. One of these experimental cartridges was the .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer. This humorously named cartridge was developed by Ackley for Bob Hutton of Guns & Ammo magazine, and was intended solely to exceed 5,000 ft/s (1,500 m/s) muzzle velocity. Ackley's loads only managed 4,600 ft/s (1,400 m/s)(Mach 4.2), firing a 50-grain (3.2 g) bullet. Based on a .378 Weatherby Magnum case, the case is impractically over-capacity for the bore diameter, and so the cartridge remains a curiosity. The advent of new slower-burning smokeless powders may have changed the equation.[8]
A .243 Winchester (right) beside the Ackley Improved version; only the shoulder angle is changed to the sharper shoulder angle typical of the Ackley Improved cartridges. In this instance the shoulder diameter of the Improved normally remains the same as the original case at .456"-.457" with no significant change in body taper. However, minor variations exist with some drawings showing a slightly larger .460" shoulder diameter.
Referencesedit
^Deseret News | SERVICES PLANNED MONDAY FOR GUNSMITH PARKER ACKLEY.
^Dave Moreton (May 1968). . Guns & Ammo. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007.
^P. O. Ackley (2011). Handbook for Shooters & Reloaders. Plaza Publishing. ISBN978-99929-4-881-1.
^Ackley, P.O. (1927) [1962]. . vol I (12th Printing ed.). Salt Lake City, Utah: Plaza Publishing. p. 442. ISBN978-99929-4-881-1. Archived from the original on 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
ackley, parker, otto, ackley, 1903, granville, york, august, 1989, american, gunsmith, barrel, maker, author, columnist, wildcat, cartridge, developer, ackley, improved, family, wildcat, cartridges, designed, easily, made, rechambering, existing, firearms, fir. Parker Otto Ackley May 25 1903 Granville New York August 23 1989 1 was an American gunsmith barrel maker author columnist and wildcat cartridge developer The Ackley Improved family of wildcat cartridges are designed to be easily made by rechambering existing firearms and fireforming the ammunition to decrease body taper and increase shoulder angle resulting in a higher case capacity Ackley improved not only standard cartridges but also other popular wildcats and was the first to create a 17 caliber 4 5 mm centerfire cartridge 2 Parker Otto AckleyBorn 1903 05 25 May 25 1903Granville New YorkDiedAugust 23 1989 1989 08 23 aged 86 Salt Lake City UtahNationalityAmericanAlma materSyracuse UniversityOccupation s Gunsmith authorKnown forAmmunition designs Contents 1 Biography 2 Wildcats and Ackley Improved Cartridges 3 Other research 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBiography editAckley began gunsmithing full time in Oregon in 1936 but was interrupted by World War II In 1945 he established a new shop in Trinidad Colorado and soon became one of the largest custom gunmakers in the United States He was also on the staff of the magazines Guns amp Ammo and Shooting Times and was an instructor at the Trinidad State Junior College from 1946 to 1951 where he did much experimentation in the field of firearms 3 Wildcats and Ackley Improved Cartridges edit nbsp 280 Remington and its Ackley Improved variantThe following is a list of Ackley cartridges both Improved versions requiring only fireforming and more complex versions involving case length reductions or caliber changes In addition to being easy to form firearms chambered for the Improved cartridges could fire standard factory loaded ammunition as well allowing a shooter to use commonly available ammunition if the wildcat loads weren t available 4 self published source 5 17 Ackley Hornet a 22 Ackley Hornet necked down to 17 caliber 4 5 mm 17 Ackley Bee a 218 Improved Bee necked down to 17 caliber 4 5 mm 22 Ackley Improved Hornet an improved 22 Hornet 218 Ackley Improved Bee an improved 218 Bee 219 Zipper Improved an improved 219 Zipper 22 30 30 Ackley Improved a 30 30 Ackley Improved necked down to 22 caliber 5 56 mm 22 250 Ackley Improved an improved 22 250 Remington 223 Ackley Improved an improved 223 Remington 6 224 Belted Express formed from 30 06 brass very few die sets were made by RCBS 228 Ackley Magnum an improved 7 57mm Mauser necked down to 228 caliber 5 8 mm bullets in this size are hard to find but provide greater weight than 223 caliber bullets up to 100 grains 6 5g without excessively quick twist rate 6mm AR Improved 6mm AR Turbo an improved 6mm AR itself a necked down 6 5mm Grendel 6 mm 30 30 Improved a 30 30 Ackley Improved necked down to 6 mm 243 243 Ackley Improved an improved 243 Winchester 25 Ackley Krag a 30 40 Krag necked down to 25 caliber 6 2 mm 25 06 Ackley improved an improved 25 06 Remington with a 40 degree angled shoulder 25 Ackley Krag Short a slightly shortened 25 Ackley Krag 250 3000 Ackley Improved an improved 250 3000 Savage 257 Ackley Improved an improved 257 Roberts 260 Ackley Improved an improved 260 Remington 270 Winchester Ackley Improved an improved 270 Winchester 7 7 57mm Mauser Ackley Improved an improved version of the 7 57mm Mauser cartridge with 40 degree shoulder dies readily available 280 Ackley Improved an improved version of the 280 Remington cartridge with 40 degree shoulder dies readily available It duplicates the ballistics of the vaunted 7mm Remington Mag with 30 less propellant used and less barrel erosion Registered with SAAMI by Nosler 30 30 Ackley Improved an improved 30 30 Winchester nbsp 30 30 Ackley Improved Left 30 30 Winchester Right 30 06 Ackley Improved an improved 30 06 Springfield 30 Ackley Magnum No 1 and No 2 short based on the Holland amp Holland belted magnum the No 2 version designed to fit in standard length actions 30 06 class 303 Ackley Improved an improved version of the 303 British Mark VII service cartridge 338 06 Ackley Improved an improved 338 06 A Square which is a 30 06 necked up to 338 caliber 348 Ackley improved an improved 348 Winchester which gets about 200 feet a second more velocity over the standard 35 Ackley Magnum No 1 and No 2 short based on the 30 Ackley Magnum cases there is also an Improved version of the No 2 450 Ackley Magnum based on 375 H amp H Magnum necked up to 458 475 Ackley Magnum based on a 375 H amp H Magnum necked up to 475 12 mm Other research editAckley was not just a wildcatter but a researcher as well often testing firearms to destruction in the search for information He also produced a number of experimental cartridges not intended to be practical but rather to test the limits of firearms One of these experimental cartridges was the 22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer This humorously named cartridge was developed by Ackley for Bob Hutton of Guns amp Ammo magazine and was intended solely to exceed 5 000 ft s 1 500 m s muzzle velocity Ackley s loads only managed 4 600 ft s 1 400 m s Mach 4 2 firing a 50 grain 3 2 g bullet Based on a 378 Weatherby Magnum case the case is impractically over capacity for the bore diameter and so the cartridge remains a curiosity The advent of new slower burning smokeless powders may have changed the equation 8 nbsp A 243 Winchester right beside the Ackley Improved version only the shoulder angle is changed to the sharper shoulder angle typical of the Ackley Improved cartridges In this instance the shoulder diameter of the Improved normally remains the same as the original case at 456 457 with no significant change in body taper However minor variations exist with some drawings showing a slightly larger 460 shoulder diameter References edit Deseret News SERVICES PLANNED MONDAY FOR GUNSMITH PARKER ACKLEY Dave Moreton May 1968 17 Caliber Ultra Bomb Guns amp Ammo Archived from the original on December 28 2007 P O Ackley 2011 Handbook for Shooters amp Reloaders Plaza Publishing ISBN 978 99929 4 881 1 Wildcat cartridges ReloadBench com Frank C Barnes ed Stan Skinner 2003 Cartridges of the World 10th Ed Krause Publications ISBN 0 87349 605 1 Dave Anderson April 2003 Pumping up the 223 experiments with a self loading 223 Ackley Improved Guns Magazine Retrieved 2008 06 10 270 Winchester Ackley Improved Ackley P O 1927 1962 Handbook for Shooters amp Reloaders vol I 12th Printing ed Salt Lake City Utah Plaza Publishing p 442 ISBN 978 99929 4 881 1 Archived from the original on 2017 07 08 Retrieved 2008 02 13 Further reading editZeglin Fred 2017 P O Ackley America s Gunsmith F W Media ISBN 9781440247590 External links editP O Ackley s wildcats PO Ackley His Life and Work Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title P O Ackley amp oldid 1185793696, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
