Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats McMillan stocks + Sako 75/85, any owners

A Sako in my mind has never been a bad platform regardless of the popularity of the 700. Personally I'd rather a Sako any day, but that's just MY preference. Never had a bad Sako........

I have been intrigued w/ L-W bbls in the past and 'aim' to try one in the future. They do have mixed reviews here in the US from limited reports I have read. Some say they do just great, others less than great.

Like to know more about how your 7/08 shoots. Thanks for pics.

I couldnt seem to get a meaningful load of RL19 into the Norma 7-08 cases without going to compressed loads , which I am not keen on doing. So made up some from the Nosler book 5, using H414, from 44 - 46.5 Gns under 140 Accubond, with Fed GM210 primers.

All loads grouped under 1" , velocity from 2630 up to 2857 fps. The best load was the last one at just under .4" group at 100 metres. All bullets were seated .025" off the lands as a guesstimate for powder trial stage of load development,




The next attempt was with RL15, again at .025 off the lands, This gave much better results, with the following:
RL15 40.5 or 41.0 Gns Fed GM210M primers, Norma brass. Nosler 140Gn BT.

I tried the loads in the Nosler 5 book for this powder, got the best results as above at 2750 fps out of a 22" barrel at 25 thou off the lands. I have now tried it at 10, 20, 30, 40 thou off the lands and best results , under .3 MOA is the 30 thou stand off. This shoots to the same point of aim and equivalent grouping with 140 Gn NBT or 140 Gn Accubonds. So I shall stick with BT for deer, and have some Accubonds loaded in case 'Pigs" appear on the menu.

The RL 15 load is gentler than H414 IMO, with no signs of pressure in my rifle, very sweet to shoot ! Oh... and its a SAMMI standard chamber, no special throating.

Usual reminder to work up loads in your particular rifle , as they all differ.

Best

Peter

Peter, can't beat that for a sporting rifle. NICE shooting sir.

The AB is MY GO TO bullet in 130gr in my 260 and 6.5x55 at the moment. The 140 would be mine in the AB if I still owned 7/08s, or get another.

I worked w/my 7/08s in years past, top speed + accuracy w/100-140s was w/IMR4064 followed by Varget so they were my go to powders, never tried RL series, but hear they do fine. I too prefer chambers close to Saami spec, w/o neck turning. Partial sized cases have given me excellent accuracy.

Thanks for the info/post and GOOD HUNTING.

From a rapidly fading brain.... it was 33/33/33 black/mid grey/olive.
Send the pic to McMillan or Rick Bin and ask the question maybe?

ATB

Peter

Here's mine, Sako 75, Brux #3 25-06, McMillan, 115 B.T.'s not fur friendly...

Sako 85's in Sako Hunter McM's

Top is a McSwirley is a 30-06
Bottom is a Edge and it's a 9.3x62

McSwirly and Edge on my sako- 75's !


ML

20 Duster: with Pac-Nor straight tapered barrel and Leupold: 2.5-8 x 36mm CDS weight 8 lbs 4 oz.

.257 Ackley: with fluted Lilja #4 and Leupold: 6 x 42mm CDS weighs 9 lbs even.

ML

Nice stuff guys - thanks.