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Question on handload for S491 Vixen HB 17 Rem.

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Trapper105

Active Member
I just acquired an older Sako vixen s491 with a varmint barrel and I want to work up a decent load for it. 25 grain vmax and Nosler Varmegeddon bullets will be my start. Question is, will I encounter barrel fouling issues due to the age of the rifle?. It was. Mfg in the mid 70’s? I know later barrel manufacturing/metelurgy improved upon fouling promblems along with better bullets and powders. Just curious if these older Sako barrels need something special to reduce accuracy issues. I appreciate any knowledgeable imput. Thanks!
 
Short answer is you should see less fouling than a Remington. Your rifle was actually made in the early 90's. It is a pre- 75 model if you will. Sako had a good handle on making .17's by then as they produced it in two earlier versions. Not knowing how much it's been shot before, I would thoroughly clean it. Removing all copper fouling to reach a starting point. Then go shooting. Track your number of shots. When accuracy starts to noticeably diminish, subtract 10 shots and you'll have an idea how often you should clean. Seventeen's demand a sturdy primer cup I would suggest trying 7.5 benchrest Remington's. I'm old school and like IMR 4320 powder, it meters well and produces fine accuracy in my rifle. And finally, lucky for us, there are lots of bullet makes out there. As with any rifle, dont heat up the bbl too much with high volume shooting, as that will contribute to increased fouling and faster Barrel wear and shorter life. Let us know how it shoots. PS get a quality 1 piece cleaning rod and a bore guide.
 
Gowyo: Thank You! Exactly what I needed to hear. Dewey rods on order. I will also go with your recommendation on primers and IMR 4320. Kinda makes me laugh at times when someone asks for advice/information from the Sako community...They get really good advice but then decide to go completely away from what was suggested...Doesn’t make sense to me.

I would be interested, if you wanted to share what your powder grain recipe is or would be if you were shooting 25 grain vmax bullets. Thanks again gowyo.
 
Howdy Trapper,
I will refrain from giving you my recipe but it's pretty standard out there if you just do a search. Somewhere between 23 and 24 grains. 17 is a pretty finicky cartridge you really need to work up a load as each rifle can be different. Unless you have a very precise powder measure I would hand weigh each charge. I've had good luck with Berger's and Hornady. I have a good stock of Remington PSP pills too. 25 grain bullets seem to work best in mine. Good luck! If you can find that new Nosler brass or Norma 17 Remington brass I'd give those a whirl. I imagine their quality is a little bit better than Remington. The price will be reflective. I haven't tried any yet because I'm sitting on a cache of RP brass.
 
gowyo: my fast reply shows I’ve been waiting, hoping to hear from you again. Thank you, again...All good on what you’ve recommended. Quality brass for sure! I will post back at you once I get all in order. I’m a fan/owner of several 222 Rem vixens that I will request being buried with. .17 is a new flavor for me. Appreciate the assist. Best, Mark “Trapper105”
 
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