info for potential Sako .223 purchasers

[stubblejumper]

I have been developing loads for my new Sako Varmint Stainless Laminate in .223 for the past few days,and I have made some discoveries that potential buyers should know.The main one is that the maximum overall cartridge length that will fit the magazine and eject unfired loads,is 2.260".The 50gr v-max is at the lands at 2.260" so it functions fine and shoots best in my gun at 2.250".The 55gr ballistic tip,68gr hornady match,and the 69gr matchking,don't touch the lands until past 2.300",so if you seat them at all near the lands,they won't fit the mag or cycle properly.My rifle has the 1 in 8" twist,and it shoots five of the v-max bullets into under 1/2",so I am a happy camper.However,if you intend to shoot the longer bullets,be prepared to seat them well off of the lands,or use the rifle as a single shot.Interestingly,I have not been able to get the longer match bullets to shoot as good as the v-max in my rifle,no matter what overall length I try,which is strange considering the twist rate.It's a nice gun,but the 1 in 8" twist model,should have been built on the short action,instead of the extra short action,to allow the longer bullets to function properly.

 

[JasonS]

Good point about the action length. They forget that handloaders want a longer magazine for touching the lands length rounds.

 

[struff55]

unfortunately the curse of the clip magazine it happens with many differnt calibers .

 

[Cinch]

That's unfortunate as my 8 twist 223AI loves the 75gr Amax, but even at 2.425" COAL it still requires a slightly compressed charge of Varget.

 

[350tracker]

This is good to know. I thought the Sako with the 1 in 8" twist would be the perfect rifle for heavier bullets but I guess not. That's to bad. Thanks for the info...

 

[M12shooter]

Sako caved in to popular demand and went to a detatchable mag. That's why I like the older AI,II, and III's. They can take their DM's and stick em where the sun don't shine IMO.

 

[stubblejumper]

Sako caved in to popular demand and went to a detatchable mag. That's why I like the older AI,II, and III's. They can take their DM's and stick em where the sun don't shine IMO.

The detachable mag isn't the real problem,you can't eject a loaded round longer than 2.260" because it hangs up on the ejection port.The magazine will accept a loaded cartridge longer than what will function in the action.The entire action,is just too short to work properly with many .223 bullets.

As for detachable magazines not being as long as the fixed box magazines,the detachable magazines on my long action 700s,had the same interior length as the fixed magazines.

 

[Brad34340]

There's always Tikka or Maybe the A7 .... but I don't know if A7 comes in 223. It comes in 22-250 with a 1/14 twist, which may negate using the long projectiles anyway.

In terms of a magazine system it is difficult to beat Sako. Feeds great from the top, double stack, nothing protruding from the bottom of the rifle. Wonderful short throw silky smooth action that feeds flawlessly (present circumstances notwithstanding) and the models are action specific. I'd be hard pressed to name a better dm set up than they offer.

I don't have a tikka but have seen the mags. I don't love them but have not heard reports of them failing. Perhaps they would accommodate the longer pills.

 

[stubblejumper]

The gun works fine for me,because I never intended to use the longer match bullets anyways when I ordered the rifle.The only reason that I ended up with a 1 in 8" gun was due to a mistake by the distributor,who sent the wrong gun.I thought that if the gun didn't like the 50gr v-max or ballistic tip,I would just use a 55gr or 60gr version.The heavier v-maxes likely share the same ogive,and may well work fine in the gun.Since the gun shoots the 50gr v-max so well,I will just shoot the rifle until the throat is gone,then rebarrel with a 1 in 12" twist.

I am just passing on the information to potential buyers that may buy a Sako in 223 with the intention of shooting the heavy match bullets.

 

[blargon]

Sako caved in to popular demand and went to a detatchable mag. That's why I like the older AI,II, and III's. They can take their DM's and stick em where the sun don't shine IMO.

If other DM manufacturers would copy Sako's DM we'd all be better off. They have the longest detach mag of any OEM, and allow you to seat bullets out where they should be...

 

[stubblejumper]

If other DM manufacturers would copy Sako's DM we'd all be better off. They have the longest detach mag of any OEM, and allow you to seat bullets out where they should be...

The detachable mag on my 7mm stw, built on a 700 action,was longer than the detachable mag on a friends Sako in the same chambering.

My Sako .223 definitely does not have a magazine or action long enough to seat many bullets out where they should be.That is the entire reason for me starting this thread.

 

[blargon]

They don't allow for people loading 69gr bullets in a 223 I guess...

My comments were geared more toward the III, IV and SM actions, which will allow you to use heavy for calibre bullets without seating past the neck/shoulder joint...I've never played with their 223 based rifles...

 

[stubblejumper]

They don't allow for people loading 69gr bullets in a 223 I guess..

Then why use a 1 in 8" twist rate?The 55gr ballistic tips are in the same boat,way off of the rifling to fit the magazine.

My comments were geared more toward the III, IV and SM actions, which will allow you to use heavy for calibre bullets without seating past the neck/shoulder joint...I've never played with their 223 based rifles...

As I posted,the 700 long action magazine is longer than the Sako L action magazine.It isn't a lot,but it is longer.

 

[blargon]

Then why use a 1 in 8" twist rate?The 55gr ballistic tips are in the same boat,way off of the rifling to fit the magazine.

Not sure why they would bother doing a 1:8 and a 1:12, which may be a better choice for the lighter bullets...I assume thats the one you ordered, but got the 1:8 instead?

 

[stubblejumper]

.I assume thats the one you ordered, but got the 1:8 instead?

Yep.But since it shoots the 50gr v-max so well,it will serve the purpose just fine.And I am going to spend some more time with the heavier match bullets,to see if I can come up with a super accurate load for target only.Seeing as how I never use the magazine at the range,it's not a big deal for range work.It just would have been nice if Sako had warned potential buyers of the situation.