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Fast twist .224 on AI action

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

barreltwister

Well-Known Member
I have an NIB , never barreled Sako AI action and I'm thinking I should do an 8" twist 223 on it.

Of course fast twist means you want to shoot heavier bullets which of course are long. How does the mag box length work out in this combination?
Anyone ever do a fast twist 222?...or a Fireball? I have the 223 and FB reamers and a friend has a 222 reamer so I can do any one of them.
 
The L461 & AI have a very limited magazine with regard to OAL. IIRC, the longest I can use in my AI & have it fit in the magazine is 2.30" & the longest I can eject a loaded round is 2. 28". Long heavy bullets are not a good choice for this action. In the 223 & 222 they won't fit well & in the Fireball they lack effective velocity. Get a 12 twist & shoot 40's & it is a laser to 300 yards in any of the chamberings you mention. My L46 Fireball is one of my "go to" rifles & it fits the AI like a glove. IMHO, long, heavy bullets & fast twists are not well suited for any of the rounds you are considering. Just my two cents.
 
Thanks Paulson, kinda what I expected. I have an L461 223 with a 12" twist Gaillard barrel already. I had a Fireball in a CZ and it's a great little round.
Maybe I should do a 6x45 and shoot 75's or 80's.
 
I have a 6x45 on a custom L469 that the magazine allows a OAL of 2.30" with 75's & 85's, but they will easily work with a 2.26" OAL. Bullets 90 grains & heavier will need a longer OAL, but the round isn't suited for bullets heavier than 87 Grains anyway, IMHO. Great cartridge!!! Get a 10 twist, as it will stabilize up to 90 grainers. Much better choice than trying to shoot heavies from a 22 cal. Traded posts here with a fellow from Holland that had a 6x45 on a L461 & he loved it for Roe deer. My 85 Sierra GK's go 2950 fps & still have 1000 ft/lbs energy @ 200 yards so that's my self imposed limit on midwest deer. The 75 V-Max @ 3150 fps anchors coyotes like a sledge hammer. Easiest wildcat I've done & Cor-Bon, Black Hills, & HSM offer loaded ammo! BTW, if the round was around when I did my 6x45, I would have taken a hard look at the recently introduced 25x45 Sharps. It was designed for the AR magazine length (no OAL problems for your AI) & shoots heavier bullets faster. Sharps offers loaded ammo as well! Could be the perfect match for the small action Sakos.
 
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A bit tangent to the subject here, but I've just gotten an L46 (originally .222) back from the gunsmith who I had install a 20" very light contour barrel in .300 Blackout, 1-8" twist. The .300 Blackout (.30 caliber on a .221 Fireball case) is short enough for the L46 even with the very long 200+ grain bullets used for subsonic loads in this caliber. This conversion required nothing other than fitting a new barrel as the L46 magazine, bolt face, etc. work to perfection with this stubby little round.

I doubt that I'll use any (or many) of the long-bullet subsonic loads, but there is plenty of room for them in the magazine and the 8-twist barrel stabilizes them just fine. Much more useful (in my view) is a 130 grain spitzer bullet at 2170 fps. I shot two consecutive three-shot groups with these handloads which measured about .530" and .460" each. It was no challenge to knock over bowling pins at 200+ yards with these loads.
 
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