Upstate NY, USA - L46 222 rem mag

[Hayduke]

Hello! I was just gifted a Sako L46 222 mag for Christmas, and after having a Tikka for a year, this is my first real Sako, and it's just about the most beautiful rifle I've ever laid my hands on. Now I have to learn to hand load! I'm wondering if anyone knows much about this rifle - it's a 49,8xx serial number, either late 1960 or early 1961, "Bofors Steel" barrel, and Beretta USA says it has a 1:16" twist rate.

What loads have you developed for your 222 mag? What projectiles does it particularly like?

Any recommendations on a scope? This has a leupold but it floats too high to make use of the beautiful cheek weld in the stock. There's a small notch in the bolt lever that looks like it's made to accomodate a certain size scope (maybe an obsolete scope style, unfortunately).

 

[stonecreek]

You can get information on its production and shipping records from the Club's factory records service (link at the top of every page). These were technically designated L469, but many of them were stamped simply "L46", the same as the non-magnum version.

Congratulations on becoming a Sako owner! And especially of the relatively scarce .222 Magnum chambering.

Also, congratulations on getting a response from Beretta -- even if it is wrong. The Sako .222 Magnums are listed as using a 1-12" twist, but this is not always dependable since Sako may have used some 1-14 .222 Rem barrels early on. The 1-16" barrels were for the Hornets and very early L46 .222's. But it doesn't make a rat since any of the twists will stabilize any bullet you would reasonably use in a .222 Magnum sporter.

You can get a lower set of ringmounts which will put your Leupold where it should be. Post some photos so we can see what you've currently got in the way of rings and scope and we'll provide some solutions.

There is plenty of loading data available for the .222 Magnum. If there is a recently introduced powder you would like to use and can't find specific data for it just use a load listed for the .223 which will be perfectly safe. The cartridge isn't fussy and a good load is not hard to find. If you have a hard time finding brass you can rework .204 Ruger successfully.

 

[Blip]

Congratulations! Would love to see pics!

 

[icebear]

Nosler makes some excellent, if somewhat expensive, factory loads for the .222 Magnum. Midway sometimes stocks them. It gives sub-MOA groups from all three of my Sako .222 Magnum rifles.

Do post some photos. I am assuming you have a standard sporter configuration; the heavy-barrel version is much scarcer and the carbine is downright rare.

Regarding scopes, I like something in the 10x or 12x power range for a .222 Magnum. One of my guns has a Leupold 12x-40mm AO fixed power, one has a Leupold 4-12x-40mm AO variable, and the third has a 4-10x Pecar-Berlin. All of these require high rings; a 40mm scope without the adjustable objective will usually allow you to use medium rings. An old-fashioned long Weaver or Burris 12x fixed power might also go in medium rings, as the extra length puts the objective way out front where the barrel diameter is smaller.

 

[northernlights]

A big Welcome to the SCC Forum, Hayduke!

I have extra Nosler Custom .222 mag ammo, an NIB 4-12x40 "Firedot" Leupold scope, and the right size new Leupold/Sako rings. PM me if I can help you out. I'd be glad to. (Click on my photo then click on "start a conversation")

I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your wonderful Sako Christmas gift!

Once again, welcome!

Northernlights

 

[Hayduke]

Hi, thanks all for your comments! Here are (too many of) the requested phots. The blueing is nearly all intact, some small indentations on the stock. I'm not sure if the stock is aftermarket - the butt is labeled "FAJEN".

I have some recommended 222mag loads in my Hornady manual, I was just wondering if anyone with one of these rifles have tried out which brand bullets it likes best.

I've included pictures of the scope and bolt lever. It seems the scope was raised as high as it is so as to clear lever. I'm not a great fan of this scope - I'm interested in precision shooting so I'd love to put one with a better reticle on it for taking out further than 200yds. (Prarie dog hunting someday) But it looks like it's really made for a very thin scope? I'd be happy to replace the lever with something more accommodating but it looks like it's very integral to the bolt mechanism.

 

[misako50]

Hi, thanks all for your comments! Here are (too many of) the requested phots. The blueing is nearly all intact, some small indentations on the stock. I'm not sure if the stock is aftermarket - the butt is labeled "FAJEN".

I have some recommended 222mag loads in my Hornady manual, I was just wondering if anyone with one of these rifles have tried out which brand bullets it likes best.

I've included pictures of the scope and bolt lever. It seems the scope was raised as high as it is so as to clear lever. I'm not a great fan of this scope - I'm interested in precision shooting so I'd love to put one with a better reticle on it for taking out further than 200yds. (Prarie dog hunting someday) But it looks like it's really made for a very thin scope? I'd be happy to replace the lever with something more accommodating but it looks like it's very integral to the bolt mechanism.
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Here is a bolt photo that may show you that this is an originally designed bolt handle. The handle on yours looks the same.https://www.gunbroker.com/item/920188946.

 

[Hayduke]

Here is a bolt photo that may show you that this is an originally designed bolt handle. The handle on yours looks the same.https://www.gunbroker.com/item/920188946.

Perhaps there was a miscommunication. I understand that the bolt handle is designed this way. I assume that the bolt handle is designed with that cutout to accomodate only a very specifically sized (and skinny?) scope. I was speculating that perhaps I could replace or modify it so that it would accomodate a wider range of scope shapes so that I can mount the scope lower, so that I can properly utilize the cheek weld.

 

[kevinlg]

Hayduke....

Your stock is a Fajen Aristocrat model.

The mounts and rings are Leupold Adjusto brand.....that, back in the day, were mainly used for non-internally adjustable scopes. Actually quite well made.

It seems that finding a scope with a suitable ocular lens diameter will be your problem.
There are guys on the board that are well versed in the L46 type action set-ups. They should be able to point out your options, better than I.

Hope this helps.

 

[stonecreek]

It would be problematic to mount your current scope any lower since it would, at some point, interfere with the bolt handle. If you wanted to buy a Leupold Compact (now called Ultralight), those have a smaller ocular bell which could mount lower. I have mounted these Compacts in Sako original ringmounts in "low" and Leupold "low" ringmounts on L46's. The Compact/Ultralights are available in 2.5X, 4X, 2-7X, and 3-9X.

 

[icebear]

As you have guessed, you have a custom rifle. That is not an original Sako stock. The Reinhart Fajen company was a maker of high-quality semi-finished custom stocks for most brands of rifles. From the style of the stock, I'd say the work was probably done back in the 1960's or maybe the 70's. Fortunately, the styling is quite conservative for the era and it's a good-looking piece. The trigger shoe is, of course, not original. I'm not a fan of trigger shoes as they can work loose and pop out of place unexpectedly. They do provide a nice feel with the wider surface. Shoes are a matter of personal taste; the main thing is to be sure the set screws are dead tight.

Stonecreek makes and excellent point about the compact Leupold scopes. The only drawback is that they only go up to 9x, max, and you may want something with more power for varmint shooting. Burris used to make a 4-12x compact (they called it a Mini) and I think there was also a fixed 10x. I don't know about the ocular diameter, whether it's as small as the Leupold compacts or not. If you would like, I could go measure mine. Below is a picture of a 4-12x Burris Mini on a custom L461. It does have a much larger objective than the 3-9x Leupold, so it would have to be mounted higher in any case. Burris also made a 3-9X Mini with a small objective. The Burris Mini was also sold under the name of Pentax. I have one; it even has target turrets. It will be going on a custom .22 I'm building (with a Fajen stock).

You can also see how Sako altered the bolt handle on the later design to accommodate a larger ocular. The L46 bolt handle was clearly designed with much smaller scopes in mind. At the time, most of the rifles Sako sold were probably used with iron sights. Sako's first scope rings were wraparound style made for scopes with 7/8" tubes, small oculars, and no objective bell.

Depending on your budget, you might consider having a gunsmith remove some metal at the point where the bolt handle touches the ocular and then reblue the handle. That would be costly to have done right, but since the rifle is already a custom it would not affect the (nonexistent) collector value.