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Has Anyone Here Used Sako Ammunition?

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

South Pender

Well-Known Member
I've been researching Sako ammunition available in Canada and the US and have discovered that it can be had with a number of different bullets that Sako has developed. The most common of the Sako bullets in their loaded ammunition is the Hammerhead, but loaded ammo can be had with the Twinhead (partition), Powerhead, Gamehead, and Arrowhead bullets, and possibly more. In fact, Sako lists 15 different lines of bullets, most of which are for hunting--big-game, dangerous game, or varmints--although there are some lines intended for target and tactical applications. It's possible that not all of these are available in loaded ammunition.

For some reason, Sako ammunition is currently being sold at greatly-reduced prices. For example, on the Beretta USA website, a box of 20 .270 Win. rounds with Hammerhead bullet is listed, at the moment, at $21 (a 65% reduction from its usual price of $60), and many cartridges are listed with reductions of 60% to 75%. I'm curious about the reason for this. Has Sako ammo been found to be sub-standard?

Has anyone on this forum used any of the recent Sako loaded ammunition? I'd be interested in knowing how it has performed in terms of both accuracy and killing power.
 
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I can't see it being sub-standard. At that price maybe just trying to get the market's attention. Might have to look into that myself.
 
Only a couple look like any kind of long range bullets. Most are old style semi round nose. Probably low BC and short range hunting rounds.
 
I tried some a few years ago, My rifles didn't like it too much,

I have much better accuracy with my handloads.
 
Glenn, any experience with it? If so, what have you found? Accuracy, performance on game....
I haven't used it for about 12 months as you don't always find it in the shops in Brisbane but I am pretty sure it was the Hammerheads and they roll red deer out of a 30-06 like lightning. I was more keen to keep the brass as it is very good and when I bought mine it was very similar price to Winchester but much more consistent. A lot of Sako components are not readily available here but I have also used them on scrub bulls to good effect.
 
It is good ammo and better brass, bought a bunch in .223 when Cabela's was clearancing out 100 round boxes for around $50. Shot really nice compared to other off the shelf ammo. Also, bought it in .338, .300, and .308, all shot better than any other ammo I had for respective rifles. I looked at the Beretta site, looks like it was severely overpriced and is now on the cheap side. It is really good brass and well worth the price just to have the brass to reload. Personally haven't taken any game with them, but they are a bonded bullet, so should perform well at shorter distances.
 
Europtic offers it for sale in the USA. Now they only list 7mm and larger calibers. They use to offer it in .222; .223 & .243. I purchased 100 rounds of .222 Rem but have not tested it yet.
Jim
 
Europtic offers it for sale in the USA. Now they only list 7mm and larger calibers. They use to offer it in .222; .223 & .243. I purchased 100 rounds of .222 Rem but have not tested it yet.
Jim

The sad fact is that it appears Sako has discontinued the sale of their ammunition, at least here in the States. I asked Beretta outright if they had suspended US sales of their ammo and never received a reply. The only ammo I've seen currently available are the remaining stocks of its suppliers. If you go on the Beretta US website, you'll find their remaining stock being sold off from anywhere from 60% to 75% off. If they have any ammo in a caliber you're interested in, now would be the time to snag it! ;) Unfortunately for me, there's nothing left in .308 Winchester. I really liked their Hammerhead and Super Hammerhead offerings.
 
From what I've just learned, it's not that Sako is discontinuing production of their ammunition, but rather that Beretta USA are unsure, at this point, about what they plan to do with Sako ammunition going forward, and, as a result, are blowing it out at deeply discounted prices.

In Canada, it is still available, via Stoeger Canada to their retailers, and at present, Stoeger is offering a 10% rebate per box (of 20) purchased (as of Sept. 1). I've just ordered three boxes of .270 Win. at $26 USD/box (with rebate)--primarily to get the Sako brass for reloading. I guess this won't help you much, XTrooper, as I doubt it could be imported into the US.

However, if you plan to reload for your .308 Win., let me suggest Lapua loaded ammunition (or just the brass if you prefer). Many shooters (myself included) consider Lapua brass to be the best, and loaded Lapua .308 Win. ammunition is available in a wide variety of bullet weights and types. I'd have gone with Lapua ammo for my .270 Win. if Lapua had produced it, or even just the brass, but .270 Win. is not in their lineup.

I've wondered whether there might have been some kind of early connection or association between Sako and Lapua, since both are Finnish companies that were founded at about the same time (1921 for Sako and 1923 for Lapua), and both supplied the Finnish forces in the Winter War and WWII in the form of arms (Sako) and ammunition (both Sako and Lapua).
 
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From what I've just learned, it's not that Sako is discontinuing production of their ammunition, but rather that Beretta USA is unsure, at this point, about what they plan to do with Sako ammunition going forward, and, as a result, are blowing it out at discounted prices.

In Canada, it is still available, via Stoeger Canada, to their retailers, and at present, Stoeger is offering a 10% rebate per box (of 20) purchased (as of Sept. 1). I've just ordered three boxes of .270 Win. at $26 USD/box (with rebate)--primarily to get the Sako brass for reloading. I guess this won't help you much, XTrooper, as I doubt it could be imported into the US.

However, if you plan to reload for your .308 Win., let me suggest Lapua loaded ammunition (or just the brass if you prefer). Many shooters (myself included) consider Lapua brass to be the best, and loaded Lapua .308 Win. ammunition is available in a wide variety of bullet weights and types. I'd have gone with Lapua ammo for my .270 Win. if Lapua had produced it, or even just the brass, but .270 Win. is not in their lineup.

I've wondered whether there might have been some kind of early connection or association between Sako and Lapua, since both are Finnish companies that were founded at about the same time (1921 for Sako and 1923 for Lapua), and both contributed arms and ammunition to Finnish forces in the Winter War and WWII.

If the Sako ammo becomes permanently unavailable here, I'm probably going to switch to Norma ammunition. I've always had good luck with their ammo in the past and I like their Oryx bullets. I've no experience with Lapua ammo, but I think I'll grab a box or two of it and see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestion!
Regarding reloading, I used to do a little reloading, but it hasn't been for years and I don't think I'll be getting back into now so I try to find the best factory ammo I can.
 
I've no experience with Lapua ammo, but I think I'll grab a box or two of it and see how it goes.
Lapua ammo is superb. In any of my .222 or .222 Magnum Sakos, Lapua ammo will shoot groups less than half the size of those shot with Remington ammo. Winchester and Federal will beat the Remington but still don't measure up to Lapua. The only smmo that shoots with Lapua in those calibers is Sako (I still have a few rounds of .222 Magnum left that must have been loaded in the 70's) and my handloads with 52 grain Sierra Match Kings.
 
Lapua ammo is superb. In any of my .222 or .222 Magnum Sakos, Lapua ammo will shoot groups less than half the size of those shot with Remington ammo. Winchester and Federal will beat the Remington but still don't measure up to Lapua. The only smmo that shoots with Lapua in those calibers is Sako (I still have a few rounds of .222 Magnum left that must have been loaded in the 70's) and my handloads with 52 grain Sierra Match Kings.

For pure accuracy, I've had great luck with Federal Gold Medal Match. For hunting applications, the Nosler Trophy Grade line loaded with their Accubond bullets is, in my experience, an outstanding option.
Thanks for the info, icebear! I'm definitely going to give the Lapua ammo a try. Their .308 cartridge with the 185gr Mega bullet looks like a good place to start.
 
Currently using the Nosler Accubond 150 grain in my Sako (mild custom) .270 WSM. Ballistic coefficient is 0.625. Results in accuracy and pure “stone dead” game kills are stunning. Wish I had been able to recover a bullet for weight retention, but in all cases, the round has passed through. The wound channel is pure and clean. Follow up shots have not been necessary thus far. Generally this rifle is not picky, although it didn’t particularly like TSX’s. The high BC and the extra grain weight (typically 130-140) makes this rifle very versatile.
 
Currently using the Nosler Accubond 150 grain in my Sako (mild custom) .270 WSM. Ballistic coefficient is 0.625. Results in accuracy and pure “stone dead” game kills are stunning. Wish I had been able to recover a bullet for weight retention, but in all cases, the round has passed through. The wound channel is pure and clean. Follow up shots have not been necessary thus far. Generally this rifle is not picky, although it didn’t particularly like TSX’s. The high BC and the extra grain weight (typically 130-140) makes this rifle very versatile.

The BC of that bullet is amazing.
 
I've been researching Sako ammunition available in Canada and the US and have discovered that it can be had with a number of different bullets that Sako has developed. The most common of the Sako bullets in their loaded ammunition is the Hammerhead, but loaded ammo can be had with the Twinhead (partition), Powerhead, Gamehead, and Arrowhead bullets, and possibly more. In fact, Sako lists 15 different lines of bullets, most of which are for hunting--big-game, dangerous game, or varmints--although there are some lines intended for target and tactical applications. It's possible that not all of these are available in loaded ammunition.

For some reason, Sako ammunition is currently being sold at greatly-reduced prices. For example, on the Beretta USA website, a box of 20 .270 Win. rounds with Hammerhead bullet is listed, at the moment, at $21 (a 65% reduction from its usual price of $60), and many cartridges are listed with reductions of 60% to 75%. I'm curious about the reason for this. Has Sako ammo been found to be sub-standard?

Has anyone on this forum used any of the recent Sako loaded ammunition? I'd be interested in knowing how it has performed in terms of both accuracy and killing power.
 
No but would like too know how that superperformace hornady shells work 308 or 243 in sako lever
 

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