Thoughts on 30-30 AI convertion for a pack rifle

Stefan

Lil-Rokslider
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Jan 27, 2016
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I have a Marlin 336W that I was thinking about reaming to a 30-30 Ackley Improved. Any thoughts or experience with this?

Thank you.
 
If it floats your boat- go for it.

My opinion? Most of the AI cartridges gain very little over their parent cartridges with modern gunpowder and cartridges like the 30-30 just don't benefit much from an extra 100fps of muzzle velocity. The 30-30 was perfected a century ago, nothing wrong with it "as-is". The 30-30AI has some cool factor, but gives you very little practical gain in the field.
 
I've also read on the Marlin Owners Forum that some folks are having feeding issues with there .30-30 Ackers. Were I you, I'd leave it standard. If you can't kill it with a 170gn round nosed hammer, traveling at 2200ish fps, then the same thing doing an extra 100fps ain't going to make a difference.
The idea of one in the chamber & another the mag with pointy Spitzers is just damn weird to me. The original .30-30 is as fine a 150-and-in rifle as you're ever going to find in standard trim.
 
There is a badass factor to the AI setup. But as mentioned above, the flex tip 160gr factory loads basically match a 150gr AI load in terms of energy/velocity.

But, with the AI setup, you can choose your bullet weights and styles etc.

So ease of use, the 160 flex tips.

Overall flexibility if you roll your own: the AI setup. And I guess you could actually load the 160 flex tip component bullets in an AI setup and presumably drive them even faster than the hornady factory ammo...
 
Thanks, I had been considering it and not sure how I really felt about it adding in the cost since I already have 30-30 dies.
 
Stefan, I am a big fan of PO Ackley and have considered the same conversion in my Marlin, but I am not sure the cost is worth the benefit. I just loaded up a batch of the Hornaday 160gr flex tips and they are very accurate zipping along at ~2350fps. I think investing time and $$ in good bullets and good load is probably a better way to go.
z

I have a Marlin 336W that I was thinking about reaming to a 30-30 Ackley Improved. Any thoughts or experience with this?

Thank you.
 
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