My new Sako 85 .204 Varmit rifle

[Canuck]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and firstly like to say Hi to all you .204 user's out there. I just bought my set up 2 week's ago and I'm impressed with this fast shooting calibre. When I picked up my set up two day's before I was leaving on a Duck hunting rice trip. I was dying to sight it in.. I was hoping to purchase some Federal 39 grn. BK's to sight it in and use factory ammo for hunting... But all I can manage to get hold of in Australia right at this time were the Federal 40grn Nosler Ballistic Tips. On the second afternoon of my trip Hunting ,I managed to get some time to sight in the Sako..
I had an alright rest to shoot off which I sat the rifle in . Then using my Leica range finder I locked on at 100 placed my target stand down. My scope is a NXS NightForce 5.5 -22 X 56MM (MLR .1 MIL-RADIAN). So the sighting began with the cleaning of the barrel to properly run her in . I managed three group's at .8 in a perfect triangle shape. I guess not bad for a 100 yard sight in. But from my research the 39 grn Bk'S group better apparently.
The rain decided to poor for an hour which was a relief in a way cause hunting in NSW in Australia get's hot at summer and the dam flies and mosquito's have you for breakfast , lunch and dinner... any way's packed up the Sako for later on tonight. I done my round's threw the rice paddock's to help control the duck's for a farmer . Then came night fall.. Had a smile .. grinning while setting up the spotlight for the night delight. Warmed up the Toyota and cruzed along looking for any eye's about... Yep.. First off,,, A Hare would have been 80 or 100 yards away.. Placed the cross and surely the .204 thumped that hare so fast and clean I was like wow.. This is one rifle I enjoying shooting.
Well make a long story short 2 more Hare's were taken and two Foxe's .
Since ammo seems hard to get with a time frame of next year as I'm being told.. I decided to purchase Norma cases, federal 205m primer's, sierra 39 Grn BK'S and ADI Bench Mark 8208 Powder. I'm just waiting for my case's to arrive so as I can reload some recipe's to see what the Sako thrives on.
Well, I wont keep talking away just wanted to share my story with you guy's and a "Hello" from a new member.. I'll see if I can try to load some pic's..

[Bill K]

Welcome Canuck. You will certainly enjoy that rifle.. Will be watching for more reports and PHOTO's... Bill K

[Rick in Oregon]

Greetings Canuck from another Canuck (now happily in the USA forever), and welcome to the forum.

I'm shooting the same rifle, albeit a Sako M75 Varmint (laminated/ stainless/fluted/set trigger), and mine thrives on stiff loads of RL-10X with the 32gr SBK or 39 grainer, shooting right at .3" @ 100 yds consistently.

On the bench during a frisky rat shoot here recently:



I've got four 204's, and this little Sako is still one of the best shooting rifles of the lot. Good luck with yours.

But........even though you're new here, you get this for NOT posting a pic of your new weapon.....



Don't take it personally......everyone gets this if they post a new rifle without a pic. We're not pickin' on ya, I promise.

[Canuck]

thanks' guy's.... Yeah still trying to work out how to post up pic's... Like the comment's tho...and no offence taken. Australia is my new home, been here since 1984 and Hunting is a blast down here. During the winter I 'am Hound hunting for Sambar deer almost every weekend. The Hound season has finished not long ago for the year and any way's the Snake's have come out and on the move. Can't afford to lose any dog's. I did tho take my Jagd Terrier out with me on that hunting trip but just had to keep an eye on her while hunting.

I wish we could use those shooting rest table's down here but down in Australia your either perched up on a hill side, walking along the bush line's or spotlighting... depends on the hunting ground shooting for rabbit's, Hare's and foxes.
Actually I have the Sako varmint Walnut version with a st/steel fluted barrel 23.7" long. She's a great rifle to hold up and I 'am happy with the trigger, Nice and crisp but I did manage to have time to adjust the trigger back a bit lighter, I dry fired it and it feel's a lot better. So at this stage I 'am still waiting on my Norma cases to come threw and then do some load's and I'll get back to you guy's on how she's grouping.

[Canuck]

Ok hope the pic's work out.. My Sako 85 .204 ruger varmint St/Steel fluted barrel & Walnut stock with a NXS NightForce Scope 5.5-22x56mm(zero stop .1 mil-radian-MLR)

[Canuck]

[Canuck]

One of the Hare's taken with the the Sako .204. Not the best placed shot but it dropped instantly.

[Rick in Oregon]

Now we're talkin'! Nice setup for sure....very nice indeed.

You can post multiple photos in a single post....just put in a space in between each "IMG" code for the pics. We'll look forward to more pics of her in the field. Thanks for sharing the gun porn.

[Canuck]

Thanks' Rick... I will defiantly send more in.. Specially when I find the load for her. and thanks' for the info for the multiple pic's.

[Bill K]

Yes, nice outfit and the photo's are a good start. Sharp looking outfit, for sure. Bill K

[Bodei]

Great job! .204 is probably the best small varmint factory cartridge for sure!

[Canuck]

Thank's Bill and Bodei ....Well , After using my .22 Brno model 1 bolt action rifle for year's I'm convinced. I mean I love the Bruno.. great accurate rifle but the countless times I've had a fox lined up.. Cross hair's right on the chest mark and seems like the projectile bounces off them. Countless time's thinking did I flinch.. Didn't I allow enough drop... But I herd the thump after the shot.... Well no more doubting myself.. .204's complete any small /medium vermin. The two Foxe's I've taken from my Hunting trip 2 week's ago Dropped instantly. I feel sorry for my Bruno... Seems The Sako's become my favourite so far.

[Song Dog]

Nice look'n rifle!!!

[Flatliner]

Very nice rifle, mate.

[fxol]

Nice rifle Canuck. I'm in Melbourne too.

Have you used it on anything bigger than a fox yet? Pigs, Goats? I'm tossing up between the 22-250 and the 204 both in a Tikka Varmint stainless barrel, but the 204 has a 20 inch fluted barrel.

Frank