Sako 140gr GAMEHEAD 6.5 Creedmoor

[Shroughaun]

Has anyone else any experience using the above mentioned ammo.

I used the 130gr over two years ago and they were excellent. Then they couldn’t be got so I moved to Hornady Superperformance 129gr SST these were excellent out of my Tikka also.

However, went to get more yesterday and they were out so I got a box of the Sako 140gr gamehead. Excellent at 100m but at 200m I was seeing a 4 inch drop. Still grouped well but seems a big drop over an extra 100m

 

[SikaSeeker]

Are you zero at 100, if you go an inch high at 100 it’ll probably be 2-2.5 inch drop at 200.

 

[Shroughaun]

Are you zero at 100, if you go an inch high at 100 it’ll probably be 2-2.5 inch drop at 200.

Yeah Zero at 100.
Most areas I shot are 100 to 130m shots. Except one place can often be 150 to 250.

I just thought 4imch at 200m seems excessive that’s all.

 

[SikaSeeker]

Yeah Zero at 100.
Most areas I shot are 100 to 130m shots. Except one place can often be 150 to 250.

I just thought 4imch at 200m seems excessive that’s all.

What I’ve learned is not to believe the ballistic data on the side of the box of bullets (not saying you are). I alway zero an inch high, so I don’t need to think too hard when using my Howitzer(.308).

 

[tackb]

just had a quick look , and all those loads you mention with a 100m zero will drop 4'' at 200m (or thereabouts)

what did you get before?

 

[Mungo]

Has anyone else any experience using the above mentioned ammo.

I used the 130gr over two years ago and they were excellent. Then they couldn’t be got so I moved to Hornady Superperformance 129gr SST these were excellent out of my Tikka also.

However, went to get more yesterday and they were out so I got a box of the Sako 140gr gamehead. Excellent at 100m but at 200m I was seeing a 4 inch drop. Still grouped well but seems a big drop over an extra 100m

Seems exactly right for factory 140gr from a 20” barrel.

Chances are it’s only doing about 2550fps out of your barrel.

I’ve always worked with 2MOA drop at 200 for Creedmoor.

 

[tackb]

Seems exactly right for factory 140gr from a 20” barrel.

Chances are it’s only doing about 2550fps out of your barrel.

I’ve always worked with 2MOA drop at 200 for Creedmoor.

not that it matters or helps but i get 2700 from factory hornady match from my 20'' gun and 2750 from my 24'' comp gun with the same eld-m ammo (140gr) bartlein 20'' and kreiger 24''

 

[Shroughaun]

The tikka is 22inch Barrel and with the superperformance it was a 2 inch drop at 200m.

So I was always comfortable out to that distance. With the 140gr Sako it’s giving me a bit of uncertainty and for €60 per box it’s tough to just blow them on paper.

Might just revert back to the Hornady although not much cheaper at €56 a box.

 

[tackb]

The tikka is 22inch Barrel and with the superperformance it was a 2 inch drop at 200m.

So I was always comfortable out to that distance. With the 140gr Sako it’s giving me a bit of uncertainty and for €60 per box it’s tough to just blow them on paper.

Might just revert back to the Hornady although not much cheaper at €56 a box.

not with a 100m zero it wasn't are you sure you had a good 100m zero?

 

[Shroughaun]

not with a 100m zero it wasn't are you sure you had a good 100m zero?

Yes pretty confident. As I set at 100m move back to 200m take a couple of shots measure the distance down and then make it about for 200m aim point allowing for the drop.

This gives me an idea of hold over.

 

[Mungo]

The tikka is 22inch Barrel and with the superperformance it was a 2 inch drop at 200m.

So I was always comfortable out to that distance. With the 140gr Sako it’s giving me a bit of uncertainty and for €60 per box it’s tough to just blow them on paper.

Might just revert back to the Hornady although not much cheaper at €56 a box.

You’re trying to compare 129gr with 140gr.

There is going to be a big difference. They are different loads designed to do different things.

If you want to minimise drop, then the 129gr will do better. If you want to minimise wind drift or maximise terminal energy/penetration, the 140gr will do better.

Pick what you’re aiming to do - you can’t have them all.

Personally, drop is the least of your worries. It’s completely predictable and if you have a rangefinder, can be accounted for with complete confidence. Drift is much harder to deal with, so I always go for something that minimises it.

 

[Mungo]

not that it matters or helps but i get 2700 from factory hornady match from my 20'' gun and 2750 from my 24'' comp gun with the same eld-m ammo (140gr) bartlein 20'' and kreiger 24''

I think Tikka barrels tend to run slow. Certainly all the 20” ones I’ve got chrono data for sit in the 2500-2600 range for 140 class bullets.

Not that it really makes enough difference to worry about when shooting out to 200m.

 

[Shroughaun]

Ah yeah I get the difference in 129gr and 140gr.

I’ve nearly always used the 129gr and 130gr and it being the first time using any of the 140gr weights it just came as a surprise at how much more of a drop there was.

They’ll be testing this evening on an animal (hopefully) and I’ll see what comes of that.