What is the biggest cartridge that will work in a Sako L461? Will the 7.62x39and the PPC's fit? How bout a 250 Savage with light bullets seated deep? It is only slightly longer than a 222 Rem Mag but it has a .100 larger case head... My curiosity is getting the best of me as I play with this little rifle in 6x223 IMP.

the L-461 has a 222 family bolt face. I'd recommend to stay with it. 17 Rem, 204 Ruger, 222, 223, 6 X 45 and other cats on the 223 case.

However there's no reason it can't be converted to anything the Mini Mauser is doing.

that's what I thought...but like i said curiosity can get the best of a man.

The bolt diameter of the L461 is exactly the same as that of its successor, the A1. The A1 (and possibly also the L461?) came from the factory chambered in the PPC cartridges. So, yes a PPC conversion is both possible and safe.

Whether it is a practical, is a different matter. The bolt face and extractor would obviously have to be changed. And, unless you have a single shot action, you'll have trouble getting the magazine to work, feeding a PPC from a magazine is itself no mean feat, converting a .223 sized magazine to do the same is not going to be easy.

From the point of view of accuracy, one of the best cartridges you can easily fit to an L461 is the .222 Rem. It gives up very little to a PPC, accuracy wise. If you want a 6mm, either the 6x45 (Imp, as you are considering) or a 6x47 might fill the bill (if you don't mind working with the more expensive and less common .222 Rem Mag cases).

- mike

eskimo36, you can chamber it for PPC bolt face or 308 boltface cartridges. You just need a form tool to rebate your cases. I have done it numerous times.
Butch

Butch,
Could you explain that process a little?

If you are not handy grinding your own lathe tools you go to a tool grinding shop and tell them what you need. My tool grinding shop has an optical comparator. He takes the measurements off the rim that you want to duplicate and grinds a form tool. In my case he cut mine with a wire EDM machine. I put a Wilson case holder in the collet of my lathe and plunge cut to the proper diameter. Only takes a few seconds per case. It is a lot cheaper than modifing a bolt face and extractor or buying another bolt.
Butch

I shoot a Sako Vixen which Bill Wiseman opened up the bolt face and is now a 7.62 x 39. Lovely little rifle and acurate beyond expectation. The .250 Savage would in my opinion be going just a bit too far.

I still regret having sold my Sako .22PPC. A heavy barreled L-461 topped with a 6.5-20 Leupold, it shot tiny groups all day at 3500+ fps.

I think in practical terms the 7.62x39 is the most powerful cartridge that the L461/AI will accomodate. You could perhaps chamber an improved version, but I don't know that that would net you much in the way of power.

In the L461 you could readily increase average pressures from the low-40,000's of the standard 7.62 used in sheet metal military autos to the low 50,000's common to most bolt rifles. This would put your power somewhere in between the .30-30 and .300 Savage. You might reasonably achieve 2400-2500 fps with a 150 grain bullet, depending on barrel length.

I've long wanted a 7.62x39 built on a Sako L461 for brush country deer hungting, but such a project will set a man back more money than I'm willing to part with. As an alternative I was going to buy a Chas Daly MiniMauser, but then Remington captured the line and put an ugly stock on them and raised the price by 30% or so. A lot of people like the CZ carbine. I can't abide the low comb, backward safety, and protruding magazine, but owners say the shoot pretty good.