Rifle · Wildcat
.30-06 Ackley Improved
The .30-06 with a 40° shoulder and reduced body taper — gains 150-200 fps over the parent case by reducing brass flow into the chamber.
- Caliber
- 0.3079″ · 7.82 mm
- Introduced
- 1960
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .30-06 Springfield
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target
- Status
- Limited
- Introduced
- 1960
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- P.O. Ackley
- Manufacturer
- P.O. Ackley
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Limited
- Availability
- Scarce
- Case capacity
- 70 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 62,405 psi
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
- Max range
- 4300 yd
- Recoil
- 14–18 ft·lb
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .30-06 Ackley Improved, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .30-06 Springfield
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.82 | 0.308 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.63 | 0.340 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 11.52 | 0.454 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 40° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.96 | 0.471 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.01 | 0.473 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.24 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 10.05 | 0.396 | ≈ |
| Case length | 63.35 | 2.494 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 84.84 | 3.340 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .30-06 Ackley Improved is highlighted below.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .30-06 Ackley Improved, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Created by P.O. Ackley by fire-forming .30-06 brass to minimum body taper and 40-degree shoulder. Increases powder capacity ~6-7%. Never commercialized but remains popular wildcat. Standard .30-06 ammo can be fired to form cases. Provides significant velocity increase over standard .30-06 with same pressures. Popular with custom rifle builders and serious handloaders.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .30-06 Ackley Improved use?
- .30-06 Ackley Improved typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .30-06 Ackley Improved?
- .30-06 Ackley Improved uses a 0.3079″ (7.82 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .30-06 Ackley Improved still in production?
- .30-06 Ackley Improved is limited; typical availability is scarce.
- What is .30-06 Ackley Improved used for?
- .30-06 Ackley Improved is primarily used for hunting, target.
- What is .30-06 Ackley Improved based on?
- .30-06 Ackley Improved is derived from the .30-06 Springfield case.
- What are the best powders for .30-06 Ackley Improved?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .30-06 Ackley Improved include Reloader 19.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →