Guys, I think I am going to treat myself to a new fox rifle - haven't bought a new gun in two years. Calibre will be .222rem.

My initial thought is a new Sako 75 in standard Hunter trim, I don't like varmint barrels and I don't like plastic stocks. I know I have a very good chance of great accuracy with a Sako, also I like the the correct short action length.

All that said, has anyone any better/alternative ideas? Bear in mind I want a rifle in standard sporter trim. I would spend a few hundred more than the price of the Sako for something special.

My wife shoots a standard Tikka 595 sporter in .222 and loves it.She has shot everything from rabbits and crows upto roe deer with it and it has never failed her.Accuracy is superb she uses 52 grain berger match flat base bullets in it seated at 2.130" as thats the longest that will fit in the mag and it shoots consistently in the 1/4m.o.a range for 3 shots everytime.her favourite load is 23.5 grains of N133 under the berger bullet in lapua brass. The only thing that has been done to this rifle is a bit of trigger work,i guess she was just lucky to get an excellent one.

I really like my Blaser R93 in .222rem. Extremely accurate, short, light and fast pointing.

Of the five .223's and one .222 I own probably the nicest one is a custom rifle built on a sako action. Very light diminutive rifle.

CZ makes a minitue action .222 that might be a good option. I've not shoot one but they feel good in the hand.

A freind of mine has a Merkel K1 in .222. Everything about that rifle is perfect.

i"d have similar views on the sporter barrel and wood stock, so i think the sako is a beautiful rifle. the old 595 tikka was nice too, but the T3 is an abomination and an offence against mankind in general.(guns should be wood/blue/steel, if you anyone dissagrees then they"re just wrong!)
i was admiring my mate"s 6.5 sako recently,
although he has a 222 by CZ. the CZ is ok, but it"s just not as classy as the sako.
of the readily available rifles here, i"d buy the sako.
good shooting

CZ's are out. Too rough and sloppy finished. I wouldn't be that harsh on the T3, though it is obviously a downgrade on the previous Tikka's. Problem with the T3 is that I would not entertain a .222 in a 30/06 sized action. I have sort of discounted Steyr's for the same reason.

Anybody ever come across a nice short actioned Krico or Heym in .222??

The Krico is good.
You should also consider the Weirauch HW 60!

A few years ago I let an Anchutz in .222 Rem get away from me.

Yes, Anschutz. The .222 Rem is (was?) the largest calibre they chamber for.

Not a lightweight -- a proper rifle of walnut and steel that is easy to hold on target (but way short of a varmint barrel). Fantastic trigger too -- net met an Anshutz trigger I didn't like after some easy adjustment.

I currently have a 1964 Sako in .222 Rem that is a gem. You have to see the quality of the machining, bluing and polishing to believe it.

John

JPB, I knew Anshutz made .22Hornets, I did not realise they went as far as .222rem. That might be interesting.

I knew about Weihrauch's, but they all seem like target rifles.

Brass thief: You do know T3:s are also available with blued steel and wooden stock, do you? Here is a picture: http://i.timeinc.net/fieldstream/bestguns/49.jpg

But really, Sako Hunter is better work of those two and also has a right-sized action for the small calibers. T3:'s are also accurate guns, but i don't know how long they will last heavy use and lots of shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
JPB, I knew Anshutz made .22Hornets, I did not realise they went as far as .222rem. That might be interesting.

I knew about Weihrauch's, but they all seem like target rifles.

I have this bookmark http://www.championshooters.com/Anschutz-sp.htm

The model 1740 Meister grade is a real quality piece. Although I'm not normally a fan of rollover cheekpieces, for me this is one of the best-fitting stocks on a factory rifle.

John

quote:

the T3 is an abomination and an offence against mankind in general.(guns should be wood/blue/steel, if you anyone dissagrees then they"re just wrong!)

I don't know about that, but your punctuation is.
Perhaps you should restyle yourself Pontiff instead of Dabbler

Oldun, it was Brasser pontificating on the T3, not the Dabbler here.

Anyway, I don't think Brass would have much time for a "Pontiff"

ha ha! good one! anyway, i"m a shooter, not an English teacher. i was hiding in a hedge with an air rifle when they were teaching punctuation. 30 years later, and the only change is a bigger rifle! apparently i"d rather be able to shoot than write!
sorry if i offended anyone"s T3, (Claret knows i"m narrow minded!), but i still like the old classic style of rifles, however practical synthetics and stainless might be.(and yes i know there is a wood/blue T3)
i still have"nt got my .22 magnum, so i had to shoot a fox yesterday with my .308. Those 150gr SST"s seem to kill them ok.
right, i"ll submit this little essay for marking now!
good shooting

quote:

Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
Oldun, it was Brasser pontificating on the T3, not the Dabbler here.

Anyway, I don't think Brass would have much time for a "Pontiff"

Sorry about that old lad, there you go, we can all drop the odd error.
Here in New Zealand the T3 with it's plastic bits has some good points.
When stalking we carry the rifle balanced in one hand. I've seen many a good rifle with the floor plate having lost it's blueing. The plastic mag is not effected in that way. We hunt in tight, often wet bush, the stainless bits are good for that too.
There, I'm right to have a T3!

The same is true here in Alaska. the weather and brush play heck on blued wood rifles. I don't have a problem with stainless steal but a rifle must have a wood stock unless it is a AR 15. a big part of why we hunt is because of the asthetic feeling we get from it and being in the bush with a plastic stock just isn't a beautiful experiance.

Brian,
take a look:
Anschütz

I still have my first center fire rifle a Mod1533 Anschütz, a stutzen rifle, short and light. the best using 4198 19.1/192.grs with a 52grs bullet.

I can confirm that the Anschuetz is a very fine rifle.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Claret_Dabbler:
Calibre will be .222rem ......has anyone any better/alternative ideas? /QUOTE]

Claret - well done in resisting the hype and choosing such a stellar performer as the 222rem. It is a stunning cartridge that you will love!

I do have a much better suggestion that will take a little patience. Get an older pre 75model sako in 222rem. The quality is MUCH better. With a little patience they can be found and are unlikely to be worn with a round so gentle as the 222rem. A perusal of gunmart and a ring around York Guns etc should secure one inside of a month. The money you save should be invested by getting Norman Clarke to bed it and work the trigger (try him - he has second hand guns too) You will have something immeasurably better than a 75!



40gr Vmax under a max load of VVN120 - no flash and the fox falls over as the trigger breaks.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:

I do have a much better suggestion that will take a little patience. Get an older pre 75model sako in 222rem. The quality is MUCH better. With a little patience they can be found and are unlikely to be worn with a round so gentle as the 222rem. A perusal of gunmart and a ring around York Guns etc should secure one inside of a month. The money you save should be invested by getting Norman Clarke to bed it and work the trigger (try him - he has second hand guns too) You will have something immeasurably better than a 75!

40gr Vmax under a max load of VVN120 - no flash and the fox falls over as the trigger breaks.

Well 1894mk2, you are undoubtedly a fine judge of women and whisky too!

I have a 1964 Sako .222 Rem -- just as you describe!

Unless you have had one in your hands, it is hard to imagine the quality of machining, polishing and bluing!

My Sako .222 came with a pair of similar vintage scope rings -- unused and in the cardboard box! These rings are like little precision jewels!

The only fly in the ointment is that my old Sako stock is a bit, how shall I say this, too "Weatherby" for my tastes. However, a few minutes work with a screwdriver and the white line spacers are gone from under the pistol grip cap and from under the buttplate!

These old Sako's are not that easy to find here even in Scandinavia, so I did not suggest one before. However, if you can find one I am sure you will like it. These little Sakos in .222 are usually extremely accurate too.

John

1894mk2 is clearly a man of my heart. I wholeheartedly agree on looking for an old Sako in .222 Rem. I'm the fortunate owner of an L461 in said caliber with a medium to heavy barrel. Quite apart from shooting well, it is easily the smooothest rifle action I have ever run into. It feels like a sewing machine when you work it....

My favourite Sako models in this caliber are either the L461 or the closely related A1. Some times, you can be ULTRA fortunate and locate one with a target trigger (two holes in trigger guard). This, IMHO, is close to as good as you get for a factory .222 Rem.

- mike

Stop it right now - I'm starting to want one!

1894, you may be onto something. I was talking to my friendly gun dealer last night, he is a rifleman to the bone. He has a contact in mainland UK who picks up some really tasty older rifles and sends them to him. I have him under instructions to find me a really tasty older Sako if possible and ship it over. I'll wait 6 months if necessary, it'll take the boys in blue that long to process the FAC anyway.

My stalking buddy has an old Sako, I think an L461, in .243win. It is the smoothest thing you could hope for (almost as nice as my Sauer ). He has had it from new, 20-odd years.

Sounds like a plan.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Stop it right now - I'm starting to want one!

If I can get any digital pictures that reveal the quality of the workmanship on the metalwork of my 1964 Sako .222, I will post them on the weekend!

I love spending other people's money!

John

My sporter bbl for my Blaser R 93 in 223 is VERY accurate. I would suspect a 222 to be also.

Ahhhh . . . the Sako L-461. Perhaps the nearest thing to perfection ever built in a bolt action rifle. I'm lucky enough to have latched onto 4 of them, plus one of the very similar and equally good A-1's. There will never be a better action and rifle for the .222 family of cartridges. The L-461 also makes into a dandy 7.62x39 or one of the PPC family. And how I'd love to get my hands on one in the mystical 7x33 Sako, which is apparently as rare as Sasquatch in that few living humans have actually seen one.

My .222 is one of the twelve-groove barrels, said by some to be inferior. I'm not sure where that notion came from -- my .222 is the most consistently accurate of all of my L-461's (except perhaps for the .222 Magnum HB) as it never strays outside of less than a half-inch at the ubiquitous hundred yards unless I, or the atmosphere, are at fault.

Get one if you can.

Here is my baby

Hello guys,
I jump in to point you this little link which might interest one of you:
http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=843366

Cheers ;-)

quote:

Originally posted by brass thief:
..... but the T3 is an abomination and an offence against mankind in general.....

I have just bought a T3 Lite cal. 270 WSM!!!

quote:

Originally posted by solvi:
Here is my baby

Hej Solvi

I have a file of Sako production dates. According to it, your Sako with that serial number was made between 1955 and 1958.

Mine was made 1964...

I agree that this Sako is the ultimate .222 -- perfectly sized, and the workmanship on the pre-Model 75's is outstanding.

John

I bought this one 25 years ago from a farmer who used to shoot foxes with it.
Ever sins it has been a favorite, and my kids love him.
Have any of you seen that kind of crosshairs in a scope.
This scope came with the rifle