I just bought a Sako 75 varmiter in .223 caliber. Can anyone offer some feedback on this model gun and caliber. What is a good handload for coyotes?

Is your the SS lamanated version? Mine is. Mine is a older model with the 1-12 twist. The newer ones have a 1-8 twist. I've had very good luck with mine shooting heavy bullets. Mine even shoots the 65 gr sierras very well. Its my favorite rifle and very accurate. It seems to like Varget and Nosler bullets. The 75 that I have has feeding trouble when you load the clip full. With just two in the clip it does fine. Trigger is very nice and I like the safty. Workmanship is excellent seem to me. I got mine out in the rain some and some water got under the front swivel stud and the stock swelled and now you can feel the lamanates for about two inches up and down the stock. That was a suprise to me! For a good coyote load try the Sierra 60gr HP and some Varget. I would avoid the 40 gr speed bullets. The 223 is a 300 yard and under yote rifle in my opinion and you'll get flat enough trajectory out of a 60 gr bullet. I've used the 55 grain Nosler BT with good success. Very high BC for longer shots. Good luck with your Sako and keep us posted on it! FNMauser

H335,R15 And add a 50 speer TNT

Mark D

60 gr. Sierra HP and 27.0 grains VARGET. I have tried the 40's and they don't kill real quick at 350 and beyond, the 55 BT's don't seem to group real well out of my AR....


IV

55 gr nosler BT and 26.3 gr H335 - been my standard load for ages

I am not familiar with SAKEO but, this might help:
Anything other than a 1 in 12 twist requires a bullet heavier than 60 grains.
Here is a good way to find the twist you have:
Start a tight patch; being sure the jag is tight on the rod.
Mark the rod with a felt tip to indicate Top Dead Center and a starting point.
Advance the rod until it comes back to Top Dead Center.
Measure the distance traveled from the start mark. That is the rifling twist, one turn in xx inches.
A lot easier than trying to estimate the amount of twist in a foot.
Ruger told me my Ultra-Lite's twist was 1 in 10 but it is 1 in 12. To get it to group, it was necessary to drop the velocity from 3200 to 2600.

Could not get 55 gr. or heavier to group well in my Tikka WTH. Found the twist was closer to 1-14,(using above method) not the 1-12 the manual said. It IS accurate, though, with the 50 gr. or less bullets. My load is 26.5 gr. Benchmark(max in Hodgdon data, start lower) 50 gr. Hornady SX or 50 gr. Sierra Blitz. Sierra 40 gr. Blitzkings shoot great also, with Benchmark or H322..

Sold several and own one for varmint shooting. Have not seen any in 1 in 8 twist as all the model 75 rifles I have sold have 1 in 12 twist barrels. Shooting V Max bullets well. 52 grain bullets act like bench rest bullets. N-130 powder and Winchester primers. Great groups in test of 600 yards. Makes a good varmint rifle. I left mine home last year and rebarreled an older Sako action I had to save the factory barrel I have on mine. Tighten the action screws to the point you think the screw driver will break. Best groups at that point. Near 60 inch lbs. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
55 gr nosler BT and 26.3 gr H335 - been my standard load for ages

Or 27 and a 50 gr BT - H335 is THE powder for this case.

MADISON said:

quote:

Anything other than a 1 in 12 twist requires a bullet heavier than 60 grains.

Not sure what you mean...anything over 60gr requires a faster twist, but fast twist 223's will likely shoot the lighter bullets just fine.
My 1:9 sure will!

Funny y'all should mention these fast twist .223's right now!!! There is a Tikka Varminter at the local shop with a 1-8 twist barrel that just begs to come home with me everytime I go in there!! I would love to test it with the 75 gr AMAXs!!! GHD

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
Funny y'all should mention these fast twist .223's right now!!! There is a Tikka Varminter at the local shop with a 1-8 twist barrel that just begs to come home with me everytime I go in there!! I would love to test it with the 75 gr AMAXs!!! GHD

GDH, My Savage 12BVSS-S is better than MOA with the 75gr. bullets.I do not however know what the performance or price comparisons are between the two. Out the door, paper work and all I had about $660.00 into it. roger

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/seafire.jpg

Here is one of my varmint rifles... good for Coyotes etc...

223 factory chambered Ruger 77 Mk 2, 3 x 9 Weaver and Boyd's Factory Ross Thumbhole, finished by "Yours Truly"....

For ground squirrels... 14.5 grains of Blue Dot, over 46 grain Winchester HPs.... or 14.5 grains of Blue Dot with a 40 grain HP, Ballistic Tip or Blitz King...

This rifle has toasted several thousand ground squirrels....with those blue dot loads....

cheers
seafire

I have the 223 Sako Varmint SS Laminated. The best load for accuracy seems to be 52 A-Max over 26 grains of Varget CCI BR primers.
For the blat factor I use 25.8 grains of Benchmark under a 55 V-Max. Loses little to the accuracy of the Varget load but is 200 fps faster. For red foxes it has proved more than a match.
I use Lapua brass and seat 10 thou' off of the lands.

My .223 just thrives on BLC 2. As for bullets it shoots well with 50 Speer TNT's, 50 V-max or 50 Blitzkings.

quote:

Originally posted by fnmauser:
Its my favorite rifle and very accurate. It seems to like Varget and Nosler bullets.

I think if you find a 223rem rifle that doesn't like Varget (Or Benchmark) and Nosler bullets you should melt it with a torch while floating on a raft in a pool filled with holy water. LOL.

I have a Rem700VSSF with a 1:12" twist but I saw a Demo Ruger Varminter for sale today at my favorite gunshop and it was calling to me...

What twist rate does Ruger use?

I wonder because the Remington is useless with bullets heavier than 55gr or 60gr.

AllanD



AllanD

quote:

What is a good handload for coyotes?

I am partial to 50 gr siera blitzk kings. I have had alot of luck with imr 4895, but I am moving to h335. H335 is so much easier to meter. Plus you can gget 8 pounds of it for $80.

I'm liking 27.0 g. of RL7under a 40 g. Nosler BT or Berger. 3925 fps out of my 24" tuble.

quote:

Originally posted by TEANCUM:
I'm liking 27.0 g. of RL7under a 40 g. Nosler BT or Berger. 3925 fps out of my 24" tuble.

Ouch Nosler number 4 says for .223 23.5 is MAX with a 40 Gr.! Check that data please.