Sako 85 Laminate 243 20 inch

[Scotty99]

Hi,

 

I am thinking of getting the above rifle for foxing and smaller deer species, so I want to know if anyone has got one of these and what bullet weights it prefers (I thinks it's a 1:10 twist). I am planning on using mainly 100 grain so would like to know if these stabilise well.

 

Any views or opinions?

[Dougy]

Good rifle and calibre. May be a tad heavy for stalks.

I.have the older.75 in 22.250

[Scotty99]

Thanks for the input guys, yes muzzle velocity and energy are an issue on shorter barrels but I am expecting 100 grain bullets to generate sufficient to be legal.

[Dougy]

You'll need to get 2800 with 100 grain bullets to stay legal.

[Scotty99]

You'll need to get 2800 with 100 grain bullets to stay legal.

I guess I will need to chrono it.

[Scotty99]

Well you cant fault a chap's enthusiasm. Just bear in mind of the four I have tried, NONE in 243 made the numbers.

Mmmmm interesting........maybe I will need to restrict it to foxes and keep using my 308 for deer, although it is a bit overkill for Muntjac.

[Dougy]

What else do you have Scotty ?

[al4x]

Mmmmm interesting........maybe I will need to restrict it to foxes and keep using my 308 for deer, although it is a bit overkill for Muntjac.

It will be legal whatever for muntjac and cwd the limits are lower, with an 85 grain my sako fin light makes the limits for larger species just fine.

[Scotty99]

What else do you have Scotty ?

Dougy,

 

The full story is I have a Remington 700 in 223 which is a VSSF with a 26 inch Varmint barrel that I use for foxing but it is very long and very heavy when a moderator and bipod is attached, it is very accurate but only of use for sitting out for foxes and calling them in. No good for a truck or for lamping on foot.

 

I also have a Sako 85 synthetic in .308 with a 20 inch barrel this is my go to deer rifle. I also have a 30-06 with a 23 inch barrel that is for large deer, boar and hopefully African plains game if ever I get the chance.

 

What I am looking for the 243 to do is to be a more mobile foxing rifle hence the 20 inch barrel and also to use on Muntjac, but I want to ensure that it is deer legal.

 

Ian,

Edited October 15, 2016 by Scotty99

[Dougy]

Ah !

Now that makes it more understandable.

I'm in a similar position as yourself, but duplicated a 22.250 as one is a tad heavy for when I'm on foot. That's fine for munty and fox. If I go out solely for muntjac I'll take my 30.06.

The other stuff in my cabinets are all a bit heavy for walking around with.

I am sure you'll get factory ammo that will meet the requirements.

[Scotty99]

You'll need to get 2800 with 100 grain bullets to stay legal.

Dougy,

 

You are absolutely right. I have been doing a bit of research and I have seen the general rule of thumb is that you lose 50 fps for each inch you reduce barrel length below 22 inches and gain the same for every inch above it.

 

So looking at the ballistics section of the Hornady website a 100 grn will develop 2960 fps from a 24 inch test barrel, therefore from a 20 inch barrel it will be 200 fps less so generating only 2760 fps giving 1692 ft lbs so not deer legal for anything other than Muntjac and CWD.

 

Looking at the numbers for 95 grn it develops 3185 fps so again losing the 200 fps for the 20 inch barrel gives a muzzle velocity of 2985 fps which for a 95 grn bullet will generate 1880 ft lbs of muzzle energy so deer legal for the larger species.

 

So a 20 inch barrel puts it under the limit of being deer legal depending on what bullet weight you use.

 

Of course this does not take into account bullet type or if a sound moderator is being used or not.

 

All in all looks like it will be good for foxing and for Muntjac and CWD (muzzle energy of 1000 ft lbs and bullet weight of 50 grn or over), but dubious for the 4 larger deer species.

 

Ian,

[Dougy]

I would certainly check it on a chronograph, just get the chrono as close as you can, ;-) bet you a pint your over 1700.

[Scotty99]

I would certainly check it on a chronograph, just get the chrono as close as you can, ;-) bet you a pint your over 1700.

When I get it (just put in a variation for 243) I will chrono it and I will let you know, might be me buying the beer!

 

Ian,

[Dougy]

Nah! I am tight so and so, you'll be over 1700 with a good number of factory rounds I'm sure. Need to be 100 grains though.

[TONY R]

If you pick a fast load out the factory offerings you should meet the criteria ok. If you load a round or two with a powder like H4350 or Reloader 15 or 17 these give about the fastest speeds in .243, no change of powder will give you any more speed with a shorter barrel but whats fast in a 26 inch will still be fast in a 20 inch, and those three powders are pretty good on 100s and making velocity in the .243.

[Alycidon]

Some of you are talking about a minimum bullet weight of 100gr for deer, this as far as I am aware is only a legal requirement in Scotland.

 

Unless things have changed and I have missed it in the UK min energy for Roe and above is 1700 ft lbs with no minimum bullet weight. A 68gr bulllet driven at 3500 fps just achieves that, that what I use in my 6PPC at restricted ranges on Roe. A .243 has significantly more case capacity so should be abel to achieve 1700 ft lbs somewhat more easily.

 

Apologies if the original thread starter is talking about deer in Scotland.

 

If you are now needing min 100gr personally I would look at a 6.5mm of some sort. Some estates north of the border will not let you out on the open moor with a 243.

 

A

Edited October 16, 2016 by Alycidon

[Dougy]

I only mention the 100 grain as it's (as far as I am aware) easier to meet the legal requirement of 1700 energy. That's the only reason. Not sure about others.

[TONY R]

Some of you are talking about a minimum bullet weight of 100gr for deer, this as far as I am aware is only a legal requirement in Scotland.

 

Unless things have changed and I have missed it in the UK min energy for Roe and above is 1700 ft lbs with no minimum bullet weight. A 68gr bulllet driven at 3500 fps just achieves that, that what I use in my 6PPC at restricted ranges on Roe. A .243 has significantly more case capacity so should be abel to achieve 1700 ft lbs somewhat more easily.

 

Apologies if the original thread starter is talking about deer in Scotland.

 

If you are now needing min 100gr personally I would look at a 6.5mm of some sort. Some estates north of the border will not let you out on the open moor with a 243.

 

A

Im with you all the way on this one, .240 being the minimum has this caliber sensitive gun fraternity here going for as ever the minimum rather than the most suitable, this is not helped by some police forces attitudes to various calibers etc either.

The .243 was before its adoption by winchester labeled 243 varminter every basic reloading book out there gives you this onfo.

I never feel .243s give their best with a 100 grain not saying they wont work with 100s but everything taken into account, i think they are better with a bullet in the 80 grain to may be 90 area, bullets in between the typical weights can offer some velocity increases that in this case may help.

By way of illustration i will use a .2506 load, which by the way i would recomend the .2506 over the .243 anyday its a capable varminter and a genuine deer round .2506 is where varminters step off and real rifles start in my opinion.

The .2506 in 110 grain bullet as nozler accubond are rin at very close to 100 grain velocity rather than 120 grain velocity, so you loose little if any velocity yet gain ten grains.

Im no heavy bullet .243 fan and dont know if there are any 95 grain bullets that might favour say 90 grain velocity or not but you might gain 5 grains over a 90 grain and a few more FPS in hand than a typical 100 grain.

Could be worth looking into, but if i were you just get a 2506 its got it all and with ease why struggle with a .243.

If your determined to stick with 6mm why not get a .244 you will make the speeds easy with that 6mm round. choice is yours just saying.