dollydip Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 hi all i realise that this may be a common question but after searching didnt come up answers to my question i have just bought a sako 85 in 243 and would like to know what grain ammo would be best to zero the rifle some target time etc and any brands wieghts etc other sako owners have found do well/ok /bad in their rifles thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully shine a little light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Depends if you reload or factory, reloads = 70g sierra blitzkings, factory = norma or hornady 70g vmax for foxes there deadly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 (edited) i intend to hoe load but for now will be factory loads till i can get some reloading gear are 70g vmax ok for targets too or is there an economical , lighter option for the amount of lead im likely to send down range lol Edited April 2, 2014 by dollydip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtaylor Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 PPU ammo is about as cheap as it gets factory wise. But your rifle may not like them. I tried the 90gr in .243 and they were terrible. It might be worth asking the shop if they have any part used boxes you could buy of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olliesims Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Yes there fine for targets, if you want to buy cheap you can get ppu ammo what's soft point, they do they job but depends if your rifle likes them, you can then save the brass for home loading, I use 70g blitzkings for foxes and 90g nosler for deer both great bullets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 thanks for the replys guys ill ask some local shops if they have any part boxes in fact ill put an ad in the wanted section lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholiath Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Worth trying the geco rounds. Just a bit more expensive than ppu and good brass to reload Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 cheers ill have a look round the area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 i intend to hoe load but for now will be factory loads till i can get some reloading gear are 70g vmax ok for targets too or is there an economical , lighter option for the amount of lead im likely to send down range lol only in practice and depending if your range allows practice with expanding.Try fedral power shock factory with the 70grain nosler bt they give good accuracy in mine and good on fox, for deer you need something a bit tougher and slower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 only in practice and depending if your range allows practice with expanding.Try fedral power shock factory with the 70grain nosler bt they give good accuracy in mine and good on fox, for deer you need something a bit tougher and slower. What kind of weight would be more suited to deer won't be practicing. On a range as yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 What kind of weight would be more suited to deer won't be practicing. On a range as yet firstly try and forget weight some although a guide its a rough one to go off weight (its construction that matters, impact speed and quarry size). There are for instance some 87 grain bullets that lay firmly in the varmint and some 80 and 85 s that are good for deer.As a guide based on many years with the .243 win I recommend. 95 grain Nosler B/Tip on anything up to fallow as long as its not real short range as they get a little too frangible real close and fast 100 grain Seirra ProHunter (or gameking which are the same with a boat tail) were the law requires a 100 grain (or for reds were impact speed is reduced, Fallow Bucks and Sika hinds) 100 grain Nosler Partition at any large UK deer up to 200 yards max To learn the gun if your loading get some 6mm target bullets in the lowest weight range you can preferably with flat bases, as these as bullet heads do not need special carriage to your home. You wont find .243 win factory target ammo so forget trying in loaded factory stuff, best bet is get what you can locally that works in your gun, some get along fine with PPU others do not. If your going to reload though there is a lot of logic in buying stuff with good brass and saving it up for when you do, Federal, Winchester, Norma, RWS all offer factory ammo with fair to great brass quality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 just enjoy yourself with it.....that's my advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 some great advice folks thank you very much anything else you think off please post again is the ppu ok for reloading as target rounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtaylor Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I am by no means an expert on reloading. But I believe all brass is fine for reloading. The different brands produce better or worse quality brass. As PPU is a cheap factory round it stands to reason the components are cheap, now if your rifle likes it all well and good. You can reload the brass but it won't last as long as say Lapua brass. More expensive factory rounds, better quality components, longer brass life. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Luck of the draw somewhat with brass. I have found PPU to be quite good and also had Remington failing early! PMC was hard and brittle but nowt use to beat RWS and Norma years ago. Lap is ok though. Don't worry about it. U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Luck of the draw somewhat with brass. I have found PPU to be quite good and also had Remington failing early! PMC was hard and brittle but nowt use to beat RWS and Norma years ago. Lap is ok though. Don't worry about it. U. factory remmington brass often splits on first firing of their own factory, it is the only factory I have seen this in. PPU isn't going to give you the even neck tensions of Norma, RWS or Lapua, that said the average shooter aint going to be able to tell the difference this side of say 200yards with a decent enough hand load with quality bullets the gun likes in a .243 and its cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon driller Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Hi mate I shoot a sako 85 in 243 varmint barrel iv shot prob most bullets from light 55 too 100 grain iv finally settled on 70 grain blitzkings with 42 grains of imr 4320 large fed match primer in lapua brass iv shot .2 groups at 100 yards great fox round at the minute I'm shooting at longer ranges so I'm using 87 grain vmax with 40 grains of ramshot big game in lapua brass with fed primer will shoot under half inch at 200 yards always remember work up your loads be safe and have fun I seated both loads 5 thou off lands atb ady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Some more very usefull info but the one constant seems to be enjoy it lol which I will but some usefull info on brass and bullet weights think ill find some sites with recipes for home loads too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
provider Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Before I started home loading I always used Sako ammunition either in 90 or 100g. I also had goos results with federal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Some more very usefull info but the one constant seems to be enjoy it lol which I will but some usefull info on brass and bullet weights think ill find some sites with recipes for home loads too 6mm br .com have a page on .243 that contains various favoured loads (very American in powder choice etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulboy1957 Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 I have a sako 85 in .243 and it seems to shoot most ammo well. I have settled on two heads/lo ads that shoot very well and have the same zero. First is 38g Varget 80g sierra blitz,I use this on fox etc. Second is 37.5 Varget 85g Speer soft point,I use this on all deer up to and including fallow. Both of these are capable of sub half inch at 100 yards. Now I know there's lots of of keyboard shooters that will have great pointe critique on the above,but it works for me. Oh and I'm using Norma brass which is great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon driller Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 How do u rate Norma over lapua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollydip Posted April 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 80 +g bullet weight seems to be the most popular with various different powders etc been some very interesting reads hope its been usefull to others who have been reading also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 How do u rate Norma over lapua I rate it higher in the 243 (which is very hard on brass). I think the Ackerley Guys like it also but both are good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 6, 2014 Report Share Posted April 6, 2014 I've not been working with my .243 for long, but I've found that home loads made with well prepped Prvi brass have been more than acceptable accuracy wise. I've loaded it with 55gr Nosler Varmageddon for fox (and it makes a nice big hole in them too). My groups were just over an inch at 200 yards. I consider that good enough for the field! 90gr factory prvi shoots within 1" of the 55gr home loads at 100 yards and drops 3" more at 200. As I don't tend to shoot at deer at long range I'm quite happy with that. I'll shoot the deer with the factory and save the brass to load fox rounds. That is of course assuming that the Prvi bullets work out ok for me when I shoot a deer with them. I haven't as yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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