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Sako .220 Russian (confirmed) not Swift

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I am today sending six pages of serial numbers to L61R, taken from a 1983 issue of Finnmark (the SCA newsletter). There are no listings for the 220 Russian or the 220 Swift. These serial numbers end in 1979, so that I assume the Swift came later (I have an AII HB that I special ordered in 1989). However, there is a L461 .223, S/N 113140 produced 1-3-70. That is close to the S/N you report. I cannot find an L46 produced in any caliber after October, 1961. Perhaps someone can provide Swift production dates and serial numbers.

Take an empty .220 Swift (remove bullet and powder) and try it but do not force it. If it fits, you have your answer. If the chamber seems to be shorter, either try an empty .220 Russian or have someone with go and no go guages check it.
 
sakonut,
Good advice on determining the chambering for the .220 Swift vs: the .220 Russian. More than that, thanks for the serial number information. Maybe the .220 info will pop up from someone out there.
S-A
 
The 220 Russian is one sweet little cartridge. I would love to have a Sako chambered in 220 Russian. Plus, Lapua makes excellent brass for it (which is commonly used by Benchrest shooters to make 22 and 6 PPC brass).
 
It's hard to imagine this rifle being a L461 action with a PPC bolt face and accepting a 220 Swift case in it's chamber, especially since the bolt won't take it. I think the barrel marking will be the key, if it's been rechambered from a swift the Sako marking will be gone, a swift chamber would have to be shortened at least .75. Personally I hope it's a L461, with a PPC correct bolt and shroud with an uncut original barrel that says nothing but 220 in the correct spot chambered in 220 Russian, that will throw everyone into a tizzy!!
 
rpatowers,
Welcome to the forum. I saw your post on the AI action thread. Good stuff. And yes, the .220 Russian is the parent cartridge for the infamous 6 mm PPC.
S-A
 
Tizzy Has begun, officially. Let's wait until the man shows his pictures and results. I'm not quite to the "Want fries with that?", yet. :bigsmile3:
S-A
 
naphcon,
Sure am looking forward to seeing that. If it is the ,220 Russian as you say, you will have a real find - Personally, I hope it is. I've always thought what's been offered in the export market wasn't ALL that Sako had to offer across the board. The model here isn't relevant to me. It is the mere production of a piece like this that is interesting.
S-A
 
Good luck with that Dave. Guess we're all sitting on the edge of our seats to see just what you have there. Can't wait to see the stampings. No matter what, it should be a lot of fun.

While I was aware that Sako 220 Rus brass was used in original developement of the PPC, I had thought their production of it began sometime in the early 70s. An internet article I've attached says otherwise - looks like Sako was messing around with the 220 Rus early enough to have possibly made up some rifles with the Bofors stamped barrels...? Bolt diameter is the main thing that still looks a problem to me. I assume the later PPC Sakos used a larger diameter bolt...? On a .554 od bolt, and a .440 case head, it would only leave about .050 for a rim dimension. Dunno, but that just doesn't seem prudent to me. Anyway, here's the article by unknown author - he does seem knowledgable. Luck, Dick




The 220 Russian and Derivatives
There can't be a benchrest shooter alive today who hasn't heard of the 220 Russian. After all, his PPC brass carries that very headstamp. Todays shooters almost exclusively use Lapua 220 Russian brass but anyone who was around before the 1990s will also recognize the Sako 220 Russian cases. Sako brass is what Dr. Lou Palmisano used for his very first PPC case and most benchrest shooters adopting the round in the 1970s and 80s used it too.
But how many shooters have actually seen a 220 Russian cartridge? I don't mean the brass made in Finland by Sako or Lapua, but a real 220 Russian made in Russia. Not too many, I'd say. And probably not many more know the story behind the origins of the 220 Russian.
Pictured above are a 7.92x33mm Kurz, a 7.62x39mm Soviet, an original box of 5.6x39mm Russian ammunition, a steel-cased 5.6x39mm Russian cartridge, a brass cased Sako 220 Russian cartridge, and the descendant and end of the line for them all, a 6mm PPC.
You might say that the 220 Russian was inspired by a cartridge that was inspired by another cartridge. For the beginning we have to go all the way back to 1942. In that year of World War II the German army first tested its new 7.92x33mm Kurz cartridge in actual combat against the Russian army. A shortened 8mm Mauser cartridge, the Kurz and the MP43 "assault rifle", or Sturmgewehr, caught everyone by surprise and the idea was quickly copied by the Russians themselves. By the war's end they had developed their own version of the assault rifle, the SKS, and later the AK and AKM. All used a cartridge very similar to the Kurz, one that is still used today, the 7.62x39mm Soviet.
During the Cold war there was very little exchange of information between the east and the west particularly when it came to weapons and ammunition. But we do know that by the late 1950s the Soviets had necked down the 7.62x39mm to 5.6mm (actually .221 bullet diameter) and were using it in a steel cased cartridge for running deer competition. With Finland so near, and with the 7.62x39mm being the official Finnish military cartridge, it was no surprise that the 5.6x39mm cartridge was also manufactured and used in that country. Both Sako and Lapua began production of the 5.6x39mm brass cartridges around 1965 and when imported to the United States they were headstamped SAKO 220 RUSSIAN and LAPUA 5.6x39 (later changed to LAPUA 220 RUSSIAN).
 
Good info, I had no idea the 7.62x39 was the official military cartridge of Finnland. I had always assumed that because of the large number of 91-30's converted to M39's and their variants that the 7.62x54R would hold that spot. I guess it just makes sense that they would have moved away from a bolt action cartridge to a newer semi or full auto capable cartridge.
 
Yes, and I don't know the evolution of powders back then, but the 7.62x54 had very corrosive properties. Maybe there were some improvements by then for better barrel life. Good article , Dick. I have sent an email to Finland to see if Sako ever actually chambered a rifle in this cartridge in any model or action.
S-A
 
OK Guys, Good news and Bad News.

Good: All the markings on the barrel are present (proof marks and cal), and in the proper orientation to the action and and stock. Also the barrel has the proper fit in the barrel channel of the stock, and the front site is vertical. So I don' think it is a cut down .220 Swift barrel. And the bolt face will accommodate the base of a 7.69x39 round, there is not much meat left but it does fit and fit correctly.

Bad: The state I live in mails new drivers licenses to your home, you don't pick them up at the DMV and it takes 7-10 business days for them to ship, so I don't have the proper ID to get the gun from the FFL until my new license arrives.

This is killing me, but I'm confident it is a .220 Russian! Does anyone have some brass and dies that they want to sell?

Thanks again for all the help and information.

Dave
 
Dave,
Congratulations, for sure. Looks like a week until dinner :angel2: Fedora A La King? Just kidding. I'd really like to know the history on this one.
S-A
 
You can look at the cartridge dimensions of the .220 Russian, .22 Russian, and .22 PPC here: https://stevespages.com/page8d.htm

The only difference in the .220 Russian and the .22 PPC is that the case of the PPC is less tapered and its shoulder is sharper. You could actually use a FL .22 PPC die to neck down 762x39 cases for your chamber, as well as use the .22 PPC die to seat bullets.

.22 PPC cases would actually be much easier to use, but unless you can find a .220 Russian FL die, the shoulders might be too wide for your chamber. It is possible that new .22 PPC brass might fit; if I were you I'd try some and see. Another soution to the wide shoulders on .22 PPC brass might be to squeeze them a bit in a .223 Rem die. At any rate, if the gun were mine, I'd find a way to cobble together acceptable ammunition. If you can ever get a case in the chamber and fire it, you've got it made!
 
Lapua 220 brass is easy to find, every online retail guy has it, ie Midway, Grafs, Midsouth. Just about any Hornady 22cal seater will work as they are not cartridge specific and you can buy them by themselves. As long as the case will chamber without an issue there is no need to run the brass through a FL first. Obviously you'll want dies to reload with and being a repeater you'll want to FL size, Wilson makes a nice set of bushing dies for it. Can't wait to see some pics.
 
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