New Build on Sako L46 Deluxe

[georgeld]

Check with RCBS, they should have dies.
Might be an expensive set. Believe I paid $168 and 3 months wait for .358 Ultra mag dies.
They have a special catalog they'll send you n/c for the asking.
"special order die catalog".

Have fun.

[Chuck Miller]

I've put about everything you can imagine on a L46 at one time or another. I currently own 3, a 223 built on a 222mag, a 221FB on a 222, and a 20-222 on a 222 donor. Only the 221FB is a jinky feeder, it feeds but it takes a deliberate stroke. Not what you would want for a follow-up shot on a critter in a hurry. On the bench it's fine, if I'm going into the field...not so fine.

The 300 BO and 223 have the same COL, a function of the long 30 Cal bullet length so for the original owner to load that rifle he had to load with light bullets and seat short. Frankly the 300 BO/Whisper is an oddity unless shot in it's intended manner, heavy bullet suppressed.

If...that rifle we're mine, and being a Deluxe L46, and sticking with the OP of not wanting a 222. I would chamber it in 20-222, have the barrel contoured to match the original exactly, even down to the flat Sako crown, and have Glenrock Blue put one of their high polish blue jobs on it. Once you put a stainless whatever on it you have a parts gun. All of mine were built on rifles that were a mess, they look new now but weren't Deluxes.

[Gary in Illinois]

Originally Posted by Bill K

Some are using and going to the 20 Extreme, but dies, etc are a little harder to find for it, but can be done.
Bill K

Certainly not trying to influence you one way or the other but if you decide to go with the 20 Extreme, I can help you out with dies. I bought two sets of dies when I had mine built. Cost would be just what I paid - $125.

PM me if you decide on the 20 Extreme.

[moorepower]

Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

I've put about everything you can imagine on a L46 at one time or another. I currently own 3, a 223 built on a 222mag, a 221FB on a 222, and a 20-222 on a 222 donor. Only the 221FB is a jinky feeder, it feeds but it takes a deliberate stroke. Not what you would want for a follow-up shot on a critter in a hurry. On the bench it's fine, if I'm going into the field...not so fine.

The 300 BO and 223 have the same COL, a function of the long 30 Cal bullet length so for the original owner to load that rifle he had to load with light bullets and seat short. Frankly the 300 BO/Whisper is an oddity unless shot in it's intended manner, heavy bullet suppressed.

If...that rifle we're mine, and being a Deluxe L46, and sticking with the OP of not wanting a 222. I would chamber it in 20-222, have the barrel contoured to match the original exactly, even down to the flat Sako crown, and have Glenrock Blue put one of their high polish blue jobs on it. Once you put a stainless whatever on it you have a parts gun. All of mine were built on rifles that were a mess, they look new now but weren't Deluxes.

So are you saying that the .20VT won't feed well?

[Chuck Miller]

I guess it depends on what you call feeding well. I'm saying a 221FB, not a 20VT, is a jinky feeder from a L46, I have one and that's what I'm basing it on. I've done a 20VT on a L461 and it would feed but was not a rifle that you could load 4 in it and quickly empty the gun. It's not smooth, it doesn't install confidence when you cycle quickly. Does it feed, sure...is it slick...nope! You feel it start to bind and short stroke it. Here at Saubier we re-engineer the common wheel to make something different, we're all guilty of it but that's the allure of wildcatting these small calibers. Heck I can name probably 10 20cal wildcats that you could throw a 300 fps blanket over the whole group. We all have our favorites and throw buckets of money at them. I can't think of one that fed as well as the donor actions original cartridge.

[moorepower]

Now you have me wondering how bad I want a .20VT OR .221, from a L46! If a .221 does not feed well, I have a real hard time buying that a VT would. I might just leave it a .222. I am just not sure how many .222's I desire.

[Screaminweasil]

What are you guys doing with the triggers on those old Sakos. I've had a L461 and a Rihiimaki .222.

Neither rifle had a trigger that I found acceptable. 3lbs and the trigger shoe was very thin.

I decided, evidently, I'm not a "sako guy" and sold them off in favor of CZ 527's (as blasphemous as that may be)


I read up online on how to adjust the sako triggers and was never able to get better than a 3lbs pull.

Do you just live with it? Or are you shooting lighter factory triggers that have been tuned?

If so, what procedure was used to bring them safely below 3lbs?

Just curious.

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by moorepower

Now you have me wondering how bad I want a .20VT OR .221, from a L46! If a .221 does not feed well, I have a real hard time buying that a VT would. I might just leave it a .222. I am just not sure how many .222's I desire.

If you don't mind having it work as a single shot, go with the 20 VT, you seem too want. If you want it to feed/repeater, then go with a 20-222, it is slightly better than the 20VT, fps anyway, and your are still shooting a very fine 20 caliber. Bill K

[JohnHenry]

Oso, +1 on the 20-222 if you want a reliable L46 repeater. If you haven't found it already, there is a lot of info. on the site on the 20-222.

http://saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9548