sako factory load data ???

jimmy milnes

Well-Known Member
hi all, does anyone know the spec "ie powder type/weight" for sako rounds ?, there 25/06 cal 117grs gamehead sierra, reason being is im getting respectable groups with them on the whole but get the odd flyer so wondered if i was to use there data but as a more accurate hand load if things would improve any.
thanks
jimmy
 
hi all, does anyone know the spec "ie powder type/weight" for sako rounds ?, there 25/06 cal 117grs gamehead sierra, reason being is im getting respectable groups with them on the whole but get the odd flyer so wondered if i was to use there data but as a more accurate hand load if things would improve any.
thanks
jimmy

Unlikely you'll be able to replicate factory loads as they don't use powder in the same way a homeloader does.
Better off using a bullet of the same weight and profile and working up a load. You should be able to match or beat the performance of a factory round if you put the time in.

P.S. what makes you think they're sierra bullets? They're more likely to be lapua I would have thought.
 
jimmy sako have some of the tightest tolerances of any factory stuff and have won loads of benchrest stuff with ppc's etc. so if your getting flyers i would say the load might not be quite right for your gun or pilot error mate.
as said start from scratch and work up
H414(light bullets) and H4831sc(heavier bullets) always worked well in my .25
 
I'm inclined to agree the bullets in the Sako ammo are less likely to be of USA origin, but I guess it's not impossible.

I've not found bullets greater in weight than 110gns much good in my rifle and 120gn bullets appalling.
I put that down to the 1-10 twist and a failure to have found a load that will stabilise bullets heavier than 110gns.

The best bullet performance I have found in my rifle is from the Sierra Prohunter 100gn #1620. I use IMR 4350 &
H 4350 propellants with Rem. 9 1/2 primers :tiphat:
 
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100 gr nosler bt
49 grains h4380
cci long rifle primers
mine didnt like the 110 gr either
in my sako 75 hole in hole they hit hard and dont always exit as speed below 2000 fps
 
Sako used to print all of their cartridge loads in the older Sako and Tikka gun brochures on the Sako ammunition page. They used Viht powders and gave the powder no. and weight for each cartridge. Try and get hold of a 3-4 year old brochure and the data will be there.
 
Sako used to print all of their cartridge loads in the older Sako and Tikka gun brochures on the Sako ammunition page. They used Viht powders and gave the powder no. and weight for each cartridge. Try and get hold of a 3-4 year old brochure and the data will be there.
you are right and i might have 1
 
If it has 6.5 x 55 on the sheet, any chance you could ping me a copy please.


Just starting to reload and my Sako loves the 120 grn norma, talking to a very experiencd loader over the weekend and he only uses 100grn BT in his 6.5 , Big learning curve coming methinks
Thanks
Phil
 
Sako used to print all of their cartridge loads in the older Sako and Tikka gun brochures on the Sako ammunition page. They used Viht powders and gave the powder no. and weight for each cartridge. Try and get hold of a 3-4 year old brochure and the data will be there.

A succinct post at last!

The catalogue shows sako 117gn bullets are charged with 45.5gns of N160. Looking on the viht reloading guide, this is right on the maximum - so be careful.
 
Sorry to contradict Brian243 on his post, but the loading data given at the back of Sako catalogues for many years, and reproduced on the link below isn't necessarily the recipe for Sako cartridges.

http://www.sako.fi/pdf/datatables/SakoCartridgesDatatable2012.pdf

I've taken quite a few Sako and Norma cartridges apart. As far as I can determine, quite often the powders in Sako rounds are bulk lots of Norma proprietary powders such as N201, N202, and N204. Norma powders are quite distinctive, with coloured flecks, and irregular 'stick' lengths. I have some of these on my shelf. They aren't the same visually to Vihtavuouri, so it's not difficult to distinguish what brand might be in a particular lot but it's a best guess only.

Some aren't 'Norma type' powders, but that doesn't mean Vihtavuouri powders have been substituted. Often the charge-weights don't correspond to the Sako datatables either. Bofors powders are available in Scandinavia, so they're another possibility.

There isn't any claim from Sako that the loadings they print are what they actually use in their own cartridges. The SAKO data is only a loading guide for VIHT powders, and should be treated as such IMO.
 
Unlikely you'll be able to replicate factory loads as they don't use powder in the same way a homeloader does.
Better off using a bullet of the same weight and profile and working up a load. You should be able to match or beat the performance of a factory round if you put the time in.

P.S. what makes you think they're sierra bullets? They're more likely to be lapua I would have thought.

The Cartridges page on the Sako website states the bullet type where they are a commercial product, e.g. the "Racehead" is a Sierra Match King, the Powerhead is a Barnes TSX. http://www.sako.fi/cartrid_bullettypes.php?racehead
 
hi all sorry to revive this old thred of mine but cant be vit n160 they use as pulled a bullet head the other day and powder weight was 50.9 grains so using vit data this is way over 160 limit, anyone any wiser as to powder type please ??
kind regards
jimmy
 
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