South Pender
Well-Known Member
I've been on the lookout for a heavy-barrel Sako in one of the .22 cartridges and have discovered that today's HB models have a much heavier barrel contour than those in the past. I've run across a 75 with the .865" muzzle diameter (same as on my HB 6 PPC A1), and I believe that the 85 HBs have that contour as well. On the other hand, the early L46s seem to have a lighter contour (although I don't have any measurements, having just seen pictures), and the L461 HBs appear to have had a muzzle diameter of about .74". An A1 I ran across in .223 has a muzzle diameter of about .75". (I'm omitting the Browning/Sako HB Safaris, with their stepped barrels and muzzle diameter of only .625".) Since my A1 6 PPC has the heavier (.865") contour, obviously not all A1s had the lighter form.
I think that Sako regarded their two HB PPC offerings as possible bench guns (the box that mine came in has the word "bench" on the flap), but the other A1s were probably seen as true varmint rifles--heavy barrel, but not bench-heavy. I'm curious about what motivated Sako to increase the weight of their HB varmint rifles in the 75 and 85 series.
I think that Sako regarded their two HB PPC offerings as possible bench guns (the box that mine came in has the word "bench" on the flap), but the other A1s were probably seen as true varmint rifles--heavy barrel, but not bench-heavy. I'm curious about what motivated Sako to increase the weight of their HB varmint rifles in the 75 and 85 series.