6mm conundrum

[Bramley Futter]

Good day Gentlemen
I have joined this site, because I have got very good info over the years, by being directed here when googling gun info. I have found this site to be most informative & helpful. I have a dilemma that I need advice on, from members and/or gunsmiths on this group.
I have an original issue Sako .222 Rem. This rifle was given to my by my father, for my 9th birthday. I started my game hunting career with this little beauty & have loved it ever since. I since bought a matching .22 LR, which I enjoy equally. I bought a matching .222 from a deceased estate, with the idea of converting it to 6x45, so that all my baby rifles would match. My problem is this;

My rifle is an original Sako L46, which was designed & made as a .222 Rem. The action is too short to accommodate the standard 6x45 or ,223 Rem. cartridges. To make this a 6x45 will entail costly modifications to the action, magazine & magazine well. My idea is this;

The .223 Rem case length is 2mm longer than the .222. Would it be possible for a gunsmith to stop the 6x45 chamber reamer 2mm short, when reaming the chamber? This would give me a cartridge with a neck the same length as the .223/6x45, but the case length of the .222. It would give me the powder capacity to approximate the 6x45 ballistics, in a cartridge that would work in my rifle. I would make my own case by modifying .223 cases.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[grovey]

I'm not up to speed on your mag box, but if it's that tight stuffing a 6mm bullet in there will eat it up. Perhaps the 222 magnum magazines offer more room? Here's some links i found quickly talking about it, so it seems a 6x45 is possible atleast.



https://sakocollectors.com/forum/
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/wts-custom-sako-l461-6x45.130672/
https://www.sakocollectors.com/forum/threads/sacrilege-or-building-a-custom-sako-small-action.14054/

 

[Fuj]

Get out your calipers and look over the Russian AK-74 case.

 

[JohnHenry]

Why not do a 6mm-222? Depending on what reamers your smith may have, one could use a 222 reamer in conjunction with a 6mm necker/throater. Would think you would have to stick with the lighter weight 6mm bullets and use a zero freebore 6mm necker/throater to take advantage of the relatively long neck of the parent 222 case and thus minimize the overall 6mm-222 cartridge length. The Hodgdon website has some data on the 6mm-222.

PS: Would the larger diameter 24 Nosler case fit in your magazine? The case length is 0.1 inches shorter than the 222 case and the base is the same as the 222.

 

[Ramblerman]

Or a 6mm-221...always wanted to try on them

 

[Bramley Futter]

Thank you all for the prompt replies.
I considered the 6mm-222. it would work but, because of the long .222 neck, I would lose out on case capacity & that would make my 6mm bullets a bit slower than I'd like. I live in South Africa, so our gunsmiths would not have any chamber reamers for the more exotic rounds. I only intend to shoot 70-80gr bullets in the rifle, max. If I want 100grs, I'll use my 6mm Musgrave (.303 Br necked down to .243). That's why I was thinking of a slightly shorter version of the 6x45. If it's possible, I'll have good powder capacity (cos of the shorter neck) & it'll still fit in my rifle. The rifle has a drop-out magazine, that is only slightly longer than the .222 round. The AK round is too fat for my mag. Running the 6x45 chamber reamer in & stopping 2mm short of overall case length would be first prize, if it's possible. If I have to go through the expense of importing a chamber reamer, then I'll get a custom one from someone like Pacific Tool & Gauge. I was just hoping to avoid that expense.

 

[yotehater]

The problem with going in short is that the base of the case will then be larger than the chamber. Or a very tight fit. You'd be looking at custom reloading dies or altering factory dies.

 

[JohnHenry]

Thank you all for the prompt replies.
I considered the 6mm-222. it would work but, because of the long .222 neck, I would lose out on case capacity & that would make my 6mm bullets a bit slower than I'd like. I live in South Africa, so our gunsmiths would not have any chamber reamers for the more exotic rounds. I only intend to shoot 70-80gr bullets in the rifle, max. If I want 100grs, I'll use my 6mm Musgrave (.303 Br necked down to .243). That's why I was thinking of a slightly shorter version of the 6x45. If it's possible, I'll have good powder capacity (cos of the shorter neck) & it'll still fit in my rifle. The rifle has a drop-out magazine, that is only slightly longer than the .222 round. The AK round is too fat for my mag. Running the 6x45 chamber reamer in & stopping 2mm short of overall case length would be first prize, if it's possible. If I have to go through the expense of importing a chamber reamer, then I'll get a custom one from someone like Pacific Tool & Gauge. I was just hoping to avoid that expense.

Only one set of data, but the data on the Hodgdon reloading website indicates that with a 75 gr. bullet the maximum velocity achieved with a 6mm-223 is only 37 fps more than a 6mm-222.

 

[billlarson]

Leave that gun the way it is...your dad gave it to you..
If you need a different caliber go buy one...
Bill

 

[jr600yd]

What he said ^^^^^^^^^

 

[Dessert]

I agree with the other posters, leave the rifle the way it is. That is the sweetest rifle and the fact it came from your dad is doubly precious.

 

[JohnHenry]

I agree leave it alone if it is the rifle from his father. I read the OP's post that he bought a second 222 from an estate and that is the rifle he is considering rebarreling.

 

[rockhound78]

I don't see why it wouldn't be doable. You would have to shorten a set of 6 x 45 dies for it to work. Roughly 80 thousandths of an inch shorter

 

[Bramley Futter]

I see your point, Yotehater.
I'm considering a custom reamer. I'm also considering a straight-walled cartridge (like the Ackley Improved idea), as this will alleviate the taper issues, as well as adding a bit more (much-needed) case capacity. I can then make a cartridge of the right length to work in my rifle, with all the attributes I need to make it workable.
Guys, I would NEVER destroy my first game rifle! This little beauty has been loved, re-blued, stock re-finished (kids can be a little tough on guns, even with the right teaching). My grandkids are going to shoot their first game animals with it, as it should be!
Thank you again for your responses, you've been very helpful.

 

[Burnt Powder]

Yes you can short cut the chamber. If the case fits too tight you can open it up with any of several techniques. An abrasive flapper stick works pretty good for that. The length you’re talking you probably won’t have a problem anyway. You’ll need to modify dies to fit cases to your now wildcat chamber. I’ve done this with 7 x 57 based wildcat short chambered to 308 case length chamber. I did open up the rear of the chamber a few .001s so I could more easily just neck size the case rather than try to find or have a full length sizing die made. Works real good, will last a long time!

 

[JohnKielly]

I ran a Sako L461 in .222 Magnum & the magazine was too short for anything over 45-50 grains.

 

[Fuj]

The problem with going in short is that the base of the case will then be larger than the chamber. Or a very tight fit. You'd be looking at custom reloading dies or altering factory dies.

In a lot of cases that's not a problem. Most of my wild cats
get short reamed. Typically no more then 1/4". Using a SAMMI
reamer gives the effect of a custom. The SA284 I just finish up.
we went in .155 short with a .284 Winchester Sammi reamer.
Then I shortened the FL sizer the same amount. More then one
way to skin a cat. (pun intended)

 

[Twicepop]

I read an article several years back from a noted gun scribe that wanted to build a light hunting rifle for his very petite wife. I think it was a SAKO like yours, and it was limited in what the rifle could be chambered in. He/they settled on a 6MM-222 with a 14 twist barrel. To keep recoil to a manageable level for his wife, he surmised that a bullet that was designed for violent expansion in the 243 Win and 6MM Rem might work well a hunting bullet at the reduced velocities of the 6MM-222 case. The bullet they thought might give the results they were looking for was a Hornady 75 grain soft point. According to the article everything worked out as the had planned/hoped it would and was very deadly on antelope and mule deer, and didn't beat up his wife when she shot it.