Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sako L461 Vixen dilemma, opinions wanted

Hello all. I'm kinda at a crossroads with my Sako L461 Vixen. It is in .222 but my hearts desire if for a .223 due to more readily available ammo. So with that in mind I am considering a rebarrel or just moving/trading it to another rifle in .223. Thinking a CZ527 Carbine. Most of my research points to moving it instead of rebarreling it. It has the Borfors steel barrel and is nice and accurate. I even considered reaming the chamber to .223 but Ive read that can have mixed results. Looking for opinions or even a reccomend barrel maker that could do the swap. I really like sleekness of the rifle and the action so I wouldn't mind keeping it, but if its cost prohibited then Im not to attached to moving it.

If i do decide to move it, how is the market on the Vixens? Ive seen some all over prices on these things. Mine is definitely shooter grade and not a collector. The action is great, the barrel Borfors steel, strong rifleing, clean bore and front iron sight, has a few nicks in it. The stock has been ran hard. Nice walnut, cheek piece and Structurally sound, it definitely needs a refinish job though. Its on my to-do project list but wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze. Looking for some opinions.
I know the first thing someone will post is that pics are needed, and I agree. I will throw some up this evening when I get home from work.

Looking for some opinions before I take my next steps.

If barrel twist is a concern you have, you’ll get some relief with some 527s, 1-9” IIRC on later ones. If the twist you have is okay, maybe a simple re-chambering will get you where you want to be at far less cost than rebarreling.

Don’t forget that the 527 is a dead duck, so if you go that way, grab some magazines while you can. Last I looked, .223
mags were still available, but dollars to donuts there will be no more when they’re gone. Nice as the 527 is, it’s not a Sako.

Another option is to buy a Tupperware .223 like a Ruger American or even a budget AR. Both options would be close to the cost of a new barrel, or probably dickering up a 527, as those are hot items now.

I saw a good bit of .222 ammo for sale at Grafs and Midway, some PPU at $16.49. That’s not bad at all. $500-$600 will buy a lot of .222 ammo.

I’d be interested the Sako if you decide to sell.

I would take the money you’re going to spend and invest in a hand loading kit. You’ll gain in every gun you have going forward and make that 222 into one of your favourites.
Original sako L461s are valuable when they’re in excellent condition.

Yeah, looking into it the .222s are twisted at 1:12" good enough for light bullets in .223. 1:9" would definitely be better though.

I have a 527 in 7.62, and while I like the platform, its not as trim or smooth as my vixen but with that said, I do like them.

I do have a .223 SS American compact, its a good rifle and fills the entry level beater rifle slot, like to keep this role in the next higher quality tier.

I agree with you 100%, I roll my own now for many of my guns...to many infact as I am about to move my only .243 to cut that one from the lineup. Don't really want to go down the rabbit hole of starting up reloading for the .222 right now.

Buying a set of dies is not going down a rathole. Your imagination seems rather limited. Better just sell it before you do something real stupid.

I would think a rechamber to the .223 is the way to go. I would find a very good gunsmith and get it done. The 1in 12 twist will still handel 60 gr bullets. I have a vixen in .222 mag and I love that little rifle. I bought it new in the early 60's from a wholesale house in NY. Those were the days.
Have a great day.
Jim

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[img]https://i.postimg.cc/2bPCjRk6/20240306-163830.jpg[/img]

Your right, some dies and I'll be good to go, thats all that's needed.

Guess my imagination is tied up with being active duty military, a husband, father of four and everything else in this life that isn't elective. When I do find time to devote to making rounds and load development it goes to one of the dozen other calipers that I shoot. Maybe somday when I am retired and have more time on my hands then sense I'll load for everything. Until then .222 is something that I dont have time to mess with right now.

Great advice^^^. That's what I'd do. For damn sure would not trade it for a 527. That's just me though. I know guys love those 527's. I saw one locally for $800/scoped, the other day..

Ha ha.. Some guys huh??

FWIW, I got an L46 that had been reamed to 223. Turned out to be the most accurate rifle I own....or did own. My 18 year old grandson came up from FL a couple of months ago to shoot my guns and the Sako went home with him. It shoots bullet weights up through 55 gr like a champ. The 60 gr Partition would barely stabilize but did manage to stay close to MOA. Anything heavier than that was hopeless. Using the tight patch method, I measured the twist to be between 13 and 14. Don't know if my measurement was off or the slightly newer L461s had a slightly tighter twist. Take that info for what it's worth in making your decision.

Thanks Hook. This is some great news and really the way I am leaning. I have some 50 gr TNTs that I load in. 223 that shoot great in several of my rifles and feel they would be a good match with the slower twist.

The Sako is a Mechanical Turd. Shelve it and cut your losses. Hint.

A Teeker 8” 223,connects alotta dots,if you feed via AICS DBM or CTR,in order to arrange COAL latitude. Hint…………..

From your pics I’d say it’s just broke in a bit. Don’t let that thing go or futz it up when you already have the .223 available to you.

This piece demonstrates the potential your rifle has; even as-is it’s a great rifle. Think long and hard before you let it go…

https://sportingclassicsdaily.com/the-perfect-farm-and-ranch-rifle/?mc_cid=138c100c0f

Re-barreling or going CZ 527 is same same. I have both. You might gain twist but mag box isn't bigger. Unless you never want to shoot a bullet larger than 55gr. If that is the case, buy some dies and Lapua brass and leave it a triple deuce.

If you're dead set on a re-barrel, your best move is 17 Fireball.

They will arrange a Skookum 17Rem. Hint………

I am really leaning towards keeping her the way she is and just redoing the stock. No sense messing with a good thing. Like my Dad says, it doesn't hurt a whole lot to keep a gun you don't shoot alot, its not like you have to feed them. I still might pick my smith's mind about reaming the chamber out though. Thanks for eveyone's input on the matter.

If I was in that position I’d keep that beautiful little Sako, and consider maybe a howa mini 223 and putting a good bottom metal in it. That Sako is gorgeous

Sell it and buy what you want. If you rechamber it, you will be stuck with a 223 that has a 1-14" not a 1-12" twist. When you finally decide you don't want it, you will lose more than the cost of the rechambering when you do sell it.

I just bought a little Sako in 223 for some other parts and may not use the 223 barrel.

Update, I couldn't bring myself to put this lil gem under the knife. Was able to work a trade on a .223 with another Fire member. Thank you Eric.

Happy ending!

Yup glad you pulled your head out..mb

You made the right choice. Let us know how your 223 performs.

I would rebarrel it with a new .223 barrel with. Quick twist. Something he wants and will use.

The gun is a shooter grade gun. The action's rear bridge has been drilled. The stock is in rough shape and altered with a recoil pad added.

It has no collector's value.

Hal

I have a DeLuxe Vixen that started as a .222, and someone ran a .223 reamer into it. Understandably, it now shoots .223 and 5.56 ammo, both of which are cheaper and more available than .222. Also, a .222 won't reliably turn out a coyote's lights immediately with a body shot but a .222 Magnum or a .223 usually will. It drives tacks all day with any 50-55 grain ammo I care to feed it, but I don't know if it will stabilize heavier bullets.

They ruined its collector value when they rechambered it, but I have $500 tied up in the rig, including a Leupold Vari-X II scope. I got it for a great deal at just the machinery value so not overly concerned about collector value.

If II feel the need to shoot heavier bullets, I can do that in my 7-twist AR. Or my .243. Or 250 Savage.

Sounds like Eric made off like a bandit. 222s are not hard to sell, esp the nice ones.

Well, people sure didn’t beat down my door to get my own Sako L461 Vixen in .222 RM with a 10 x Redfield. Long time ago before the Internet, but even back them finding .222 RM factory ammo was near impossible and I didn’t reload.

Ever coyote I’ve seen shot with the Hornady 50 gr SX was DRT