30-06 mystery shells

[Tallestsniper]

My bud picked these up from a shooter that was shooting his grandfathers 30-06 for me to reload and Im stumped. The neck is shaped quite odd and I was wondering if they can (or are worth it) be reshaped or if anyone uses a 30-06 that can utalize these. I hate to see them go to waste, so cover shipping or pickup and they are yours. (13count) I know im bordering the wrong forum, but my original question is "What the heck are they?" See photo below. Thanks in advance!

[sfonelson]

It looks like they might be previous reloads, and when they went to seat the bullet, they crimped too much. They didn't back the bullet seating die out enough. It will cause the neck to crunch down like that.

[Tallestsniper]

Added a second picture, the one on the left was fired from 1917, the one on the right is the mystery shell. Notice that the non-neck area is longer on the mystery shell than the other. Im not saying youre wrong, but wouldnt crimping push this area down further? Thanks for your reply.
(also, the grandfather was a WWII expert marksman, and had passed, leaving the son boxes of handmade match rounds and the rifle.) Would/could the rifle shoot standard 30-06 springfield rounds?

[sfonelson]

I don't have an Enfield, but I do have an M1 Garand that I handload for so I can just speak to that.

I believe the 30-06 150gr M2 Ball ammo is pretty much what these rifles are designed for, however I do shoot 155gr Hornady A-Max bullets which are spitzer points through my M1 with no issues.

Maybe whoever loaded these before used the wrong die, or used the die improperly.

I made that first post because that's a mistake I made for about 5 rounds. After looking at the neck, I could totally tell that it was messed up. It was bulging and dented and smashed in. These look to be smashed in, in a "uniform" way.

Added a second picture, the one on the left was fired from 1917, the one on the right is the mystery shell. Notice that the non-neck area is longer on the mystery shell than the other. Im not saying youre wrong, but wouldnt crimping push this area down further? Thanks for your reply.
(also, the grandfather was a WWII expert marksman, and had passed, leaving the son boxes of handmade match rounds and the rifle.) Would/could the rifle shoot standard 30-06 springfield rounds?

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Those appear to be Ackley Improved .30-06 cartridges...

They are fire-formed in the ackley chambered rifle and then reloaded using special dies. If they are AI cartriges, I'm surprised the owner left them there. Ackley shooters are usually militant about policing their brass...

[Tallestsniper]

Those appear to be Ackley Improved .30-06 cartridges...

They are fire-formed in the ackley chambered rifle and then reloaded using special dies. If they are AI cartriges, I'm surprised the owner left them there. Ackley shooters are usually militant about policing their brass...

Ahh, so it is!
From a website (http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w3006imp.html) : The 30-06 Ackley Improved is made by firing the standard 30-06 in the Improved chamber. Headspace is the same, but the Improved case has a more abrupt shoulder, less body taper and a larger shoulder diameter. The most popular version was developed by P.O. Ackley in 1944, but there are other versions as experiments go back to 1940 or even earlier. This has always been a controversial cartridge with its detractors claiming it was not as good as the standard '06, and it defenders claiming it was better than the 300 H&H Magnum. Actual chronograph tests have proven it to be definitely superior to the standard 30-06 cartridge with slow burning powders, but not with medium to fast burning powders.

So, who wants them? Freeeeebies!

[sfonelson]

Mystery resolved! I learn something new every day!

Those appear to be Ackley Improved .30-06 cartridges...

They are fire-formed in the ackley chambered rifle and then reloaded using special dies. If they are AI cartriges, I'm surprised the owner left them there. Ackley shooters are usually militant about policing their brass...

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Ahh, so it is!
From a website

So, who wants them? Freeeeebies!

You can re-form them into .30-06, if you load. It's not a big deal...

To an Ackley shooter, they would be worth it to have. The brass becomes exponentially more accurate after it's fire formed but if you don't have an Ackley rifle, you might as well re-form it and shoot it.

[Tallestsniper]

My bud said the grandson was shooting them in a "burning through ammo" rate. Also, he was shooting at the 25yard area. (sad day) But anyone that can use them can have them, Ive got plenty of 30-06 brass and would hate to disrespect this brass by makeing it common.

[Munk]

My bud said the grandson was shooting them in a "burning through ammo" rate. Also, he was shooting at the 25yard area. (sad day) But anyone that can use them can have them, Ive got plenty of 30-06 brass and would hate to disrespect this brass by makeing it common.

Perhaps he was burning through the regular '06 in order to fire-form them into the improved?

[TKM]

Nothing gets past the CGN braintrust.

[Tallestsniper]

Perhaps he was burning through the regular '06 in order to fire-form them into the improved?

Negitave, but good thinking. He was kicking them past the fireingline and my bud asked if instead of him kicking them out of reach if he could have them for me. Either way, I deprimed them and they are ready free for the first person that needs them.

[Antihero47]

Negitave, but good thinking. He was kicking them past the fireingline and my bud asked if instead of him kicking them out of reach if he could have them for me. Either way, I deprimed them and they are ready free for the first person that needs them.

I'd reform them. All the guys that have the AI chambers are most likely hand-loaders and can fire form their own. It doesn't sound like the other guy reloads so no big deal. I'd probably keep one and seat a bullet for a keepsake maybe.