New to 222, some initial questions, suggestions

[Capt. Oblivious]

I was able to pick it up today, and it's nicer than I thought! I'll try to post photos soon. It's in great shape, the wood on the left side is very nice, condition of the metal is clean. Now, need make up some loads to get familiar with this rifle.

I don't know if the action was bedded, and I would like to take the action out of the stock to just look it over before I shoot it, but I don't know how tight to do the action screws once I put it back together. For same reason, I've not taken my other Sako L46 20 Vartarg out of the stock, as I've developed loads where it is right now, but don't know what that represents on either rifle...

I have a question: what would be the right inch/pounds torque for the action screws on a Sako L46?
I know I can experiment a bit to see what it likes, while testing, but a starting idea would be nice.

Another question: What kind of bullets would shoot best in this 1:14 twist, mainly thinking of buying some options of 50 or 52 grain, and wonder flat base or boat-tail? Hollow point or plastic tip?

I have a lot of Hornady 50 Vmax, and that's a boat tail, but I'd like to try some bullets, see what it likes, suggestions?

I see Midway has this Speer 4708, 52 gr hollow-point, and reviews say it's good in 222, accurate for targets and also super effective on small game, any experience out there? It's at a good price for .11 per bullet too.

Speer 22 Cal (224 Diameter) Bullets 52 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box

Speer offers a variety of reloading bullets ideal for hunters, plinkers and varminters. Speer Varmint Hollow Point bullets feature a hollow cavity at...

www.midwayusa.com

I do 30in/lb on the back screw and 35 on the front, pillared or not

 

[TheCZKid]

Okay, new baby pictures...

 

[Homerange]

And you laid in on rocks for those pics.....

 

[TheCZKid]

I VERY GENTLY laid it on the rocks...

 

[Homerange]

Some close ups of the action and bolt would be appreciated to see how close it is to the L46 we have ....might do some of mine a bit later after finishing jobbies that need be done.

 

[TheCZKid]

Some close ups of the action and bolt would be appreciated to see how close it is to the L56 we have ....might do some of mine a bit later after finishing jobbies that need be done.

Some details, set gently on the hood of my car

 

[ggshoots]

Nice looking rifle!

 

[TheCZKid]

I'm officially a Sako fan-boy now. This is my 2nd L46, and the other is very similar but has distinctly different details to how the stocks look. The quality on these are excellent. This one is about a 1957 and the other made about 1954.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I was able to pick it up today, and it's nicer than I thought! I'll try to post photos soon. It's in great shape, the wood on the left side is very nice, condition of the metal is clean. Now, need make up some loads to get familiar with this rifle.

I don't know if the action was bedded, and I would like to take the action out of the stock to just look it over before I shoot it, but I don't know how tight to do the action screws once I put it back together. For same reason, I've not taken my other Sako L46 20 Vartarg out of the stock, as I've developed loads where it is right now, but don't know what that represents on either rifle...

I have a question: what would be the right inch/pounds torque for the action screws on a Sako L46?
I know I can experiment a bit to see what it likes, while testing, but a starting idea would be nice.

Another question: What kind of bullets would shoot best in this 1:14 twist, mainly thinking of buying some options of 50 or 52 grain, and wonder flat base or boat-tail? Hollow point or plastic tip?

I have a lot of Hornady 50 Vmax, and that's a boat tail, but I'd like to try some bullets, see what it likes, suggestions?

I see Midway has this Speer 4708, 52 gr hollow-point, and reviews say it's good in 222, accurate for targets and also super effective on small game, any experience out there? It's at a good price for .11 per bullet too.

Speer 22 Cal (224 Diameter) Bullets 52 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box

Speer offers a variety of reloading bullets ideal for hunters, plinkers and varminters. Speer Varmint Hollow Point bullets feature a hollow cavity at...

www.midwayusa.com

The Speer bullet is very popular with a lot of shooters on this forum. #1035 is the 100 count version number.

 

[nakneker]

I’ve had a dozen Sako small actions over the years, currently have two 222s and a 222mag Sako. Your Sakos are beautiful, my favorite small action factory rifle, there’s just something about them. I have a few 50-52 grain bullet types, I’m happy to send you a sample pack of 15 bullets a make if you’d like. Your 50 grain Vmax will be a great way to start though. The 52 grain Bergers and customs shoot in just about every 222 I’ve ever tried them and usually load development is short, along with the 50gr polymer tipped. Just PM me if your interested.

 

[Homerange]

Here am I waffling on about a Sako L56 but with a refresher on the NET realize there's no such thing !

Referring to this L46 site indicates it's of June 55 build.

L46 Riihimaki, .222 Remington - Question about date of manufacture - Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

I'm new to Sako rifles, and this forum. I recently bought a Sako L46 Riihimaki in .222 Remington and have been trying to determine it's date of manufacture. I found this information, Model Date S/N L46 08/13/49 4621 L46 11/29/51 7939 L46 05/20/52 8342 L46...

sakocollectors.com

We got it from a dear now departed friend and he also had a 243 maybe a L461 in similar heavy barrel build that another friend acquired.
Currently ours is without scope, just resting quietly in the safe.
We got it with a trigger shoe as because these don't have an adjustable trigger it bluffs the shooters finger into believing much less force is required to trip the sear which helps immensely with precise shooting. < Highly recommended.

Quite plain walnut so unsure if it was sold with an oiled stock as it is now or the varnish had been sanded back which seems the more likely as the chequering is no longer sharp.
Further details are muzzle diameter 3/4" (19mm) and effective barrel length is 22" (~550mm)

 

[skeeljc]

I have a Remington 700 with a 24" Brux 1 in 12 twist. I chambered it with my reamer which has a .250" neck, zero free bore and a 1 deg & 30 min lead angle. The standard neck is .254". Tighter necks are usually marked on the barrel for safety. A .250" neck requires caution and relaoding. You can do a chamber cast or use gauge pins to measure your actual neck diameter.

Mine likes 52 Berger FB bullets and N133. I tried H322 but it was too temperature sensitive. The N133 is performingg well with the bullets seated well into the lands. A zero free bore chamber is only good for 53 to 53 target bullets.

 

[Andy Work]

Nice looking rifle!

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

New to this site...I now have my third duce after stupidly trading off a 600 and later a 700 varmenter bdl...this one will go nowhere...a 722 ,1950 according to the date code...
Due to my budget..I got ppu brass and started trying powders...have some n200 to use up..21gr w 50 gr VMAX seemed to tighten up...loaded the rest and added fed match primers....I'm not a serious bench shooter but like many I like small groups....with cost today I wasn't going to use up components trying to get below a nickel.
As I age, I like wood n blue barrels over synthetic...but I now have imr4198 for the duce and 45-70...

 

[klamathsteel]

Another Question: Who makes a single feed adapter for a L46 to go where the magazine is? I'd like to single feed and wonder if anyone knows of a source?

I have an L46 and just leave the mag in and single feed. Do you have a mag for it ?

 

[klamathsteel]

I'm developing rounds for a Sako L46 action with a light contour Hart barrel 14 twist with Berger 55 gr flat base target bullets. Measured Max CBTO with the Hornady tool is 1.8950 in my chamber. At that CBTO there is very little bullet in the neck. All of the books call for a coal of 2.130. At that coal i will be jumping .324. Does that sound right ? I figured with the long neck of the 222 rem it was meant to seat bullets short but over 300 thou jump seems like a lot. I'm confused ?? Any info ??

 

[TheCZKid]

I just went through the process of finding my Max CBTO with a Hornady comparator, in my Hart 14 twist, and with the Hornady 50 Vmax it was 1.827" to the lands, and with Hornady 50 SPSX bullet 1.830" to lands. Your throat sounds to be longer at 1.895". Both my bullets seem to have a decent amount still in the neck, here's a photo, 50 Vmax top, SPSX bottom.

 

[HappyShooting]

I have had a Remington 788 in .222 for over 50 years. sI have used most of the powders previously mentioned with good results. One powder not mentioned above that always worked well for me with 50 to 55 Gr bullets is IMR3031.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

I was able to pick it up today, and it's nicer than I thought! I'll try to post photos soon. It's in great shape, the wood on the left side is very nice, condition of the metal is clean. Now, need make up some loads to get familiar with this rifle.

I don't know if the action was bedded, and I would like to take the action out of the stock to just look it over before I shoot it, but I don't know how tight to do the action screws once I put it back together. For same reason, I've not taken my other Sako L46 20 Vartarg out of the stock, as I've developed loads where it is right now, but don't know what that represents on either rifle...

I have a question: what would be the right inch/pounds torque for the action screws on a Sako L46?
I know I can experiment a bit to see what it likes, while testing, but a starting idea would be nice.

Another question: What kind of bullets would shoot best in this 1:14 twist, mainly thinking of buying some options of 50 or 52 grain, and wonder flat base or boat-tail? Hollow point or plastic tip?

I have a lot of Hornady 50 Vmax, and that's a boat tail, but I'd like to try some bullets, see what it likes, suggestions?

I see Midway has this Speer 4708, 52 gr hollow-point, and reviews say it's good in 222, accurate for targets and also super effective on small game, any experience out there? It's at a good price for .11 per bullet too.

Speer 22 Cal (224 Diameter) Bullets 52 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box

Speer offers a variety of reloading bullets ideal for hunters, plinkers and varminters. Speer Varmint Hollow Point bullets feature a hollow cavity at...

www.midwayusa.com

35Lb in the front, 30LB back screw

 

[Gunnut26]

Back in the day, the go to load for the 222 was 19.5 grains of IMR 4198 with a 52 grain Sisk bullet.

I agree i can’t remember the exact load but in my younger days i shot a lot of IMR 4198 through 222s with great success