Sako 85 Stainless Hunter in 243

Posted about wanting this rifle awhile back, and today I got it. Did some swapping with something I have about 1300 in. Also swapped some optics I have listed here and got a VX5 2-10 -42 w 30mm tube.

1. Is anyone in the know with this rifle ? What does it like to eat , etc.

2. I have VX5 big bell scopes, but what about the little model ?

Little 6mm is a killer...

If it shoots anything like the Sako I had. Just pick the load you want and it will shoot it well.

Objective size only matters in low light and there isn't a lot of difference in 42mm vs 50mm. In low light you will just have to turn the magnification down 2x to get the same exit pupil. Whether that matters or not is situational but has little to do with the optical quality of the scope.

As for the rifle I would sell it. I don't like .243. Trailed too many deer shot with one. Bad shot agle or something?... maybe. Maybe likely. If we could all shoot every deer at 20 yards broadside there would likely never be an issue. It just don't have the horsepower. It's a 4 cylinder. No turbo. Good gas mileage. Not much of a family car.

Best caliber for a varmint rifle made IMO though.

Sako rifles are awesome. Pick the load you want to shoot, and dial your scope to match.

If I knew I would never take a shot over 200 yards again, .243 Win would be right behind .257 Roberts for my main stick.

Hubbell scopes rule!!!!

Congrats! I've owned lots of rifles but have only lusted after a Sako.

I would shoot an 85 grain Barnes and kill elk barn yard dead.

No flies on a 243. Just use a good bullet for the ranges you plan to shoot and make a good hit. Sometimes it ain't the caliber's fault.

I think I'll keep the rifle. Probably get some 95 grain federal fusions and those 85 grain Barne's and see how they group. If a deer that's shot with a bonded or solid copper bullet runs, then it's not the fault of the round..

If you can shoot worth a s### and you stay away from too light or fragile type bullets like ballistic tips a 243 will consistently kill any deer in Alabama. I killed quite a few with a 243 and a 100 grain corlokt in my younger days. Never noticed that they ran any further on average than they do now with a 25-06, 7mm-08, 35 rem, or 45-70.

I have 2 sons that use the 243. My oldest has claimed my dad’s old 243 when he was 9 and he’s now 21 and won’t shoot anything else. We’ve never lost a deer in 11 years using this caliber. We’ve used 2 different loads with the best success on deer being the 90 grain Swift Scirocco and the 100 grain Nosler Partition (this being our favorite). Stay away from the Ballistic tips and the Hornady SSTs!

Exactly. You just don't want rapidly expanding bullets in this caliber at this weight when shooting short range. A Barnes at short range would go end to end through about any deer more often than not ,I would think..

Great round for a 9 year old. Not sure why a grown man would shoot it on purpose.

There is no good argument as to why a .243 is better than _____. That's anything larger with tolerable recoil within ALDeer standards. 6.5 Creed, 7-08, etc.

NONE.

Even .25-06 will crest the hill in terms of killing power while not shooting a much larger bullet maybe 10 more grains. Recoil pretty mild.

Start getting into .308 or larger and of course people's shoulders start getting blown off round here so I'm not even going there.

That's like arguing that a car that will run 200 mph is more powerful than one that will run 120. It don't matter one hoot if I don't drive over 65, and I'll burn less powder and have less recoil, I mean burn less gas and have a more comfortable ride,with the less powerful car.

These are Alabama whitetail deer , not Grizzly Bears.

Not really, the comparison at this level is like arguing you can ride a moped instead or drive a car to Orange Beach to eat.

You can get there on a moped I'm just not sure why anyone would want to drive one that far. You can kill a deer with a .22lr so, this isn't a "can't" argument. .243 will certainly kill a deer.

It's a question of why would you pick that?

No good reason. Unless you are a 9 year old.

With the right bullets a 243 will reliably put deer down on out there, and the deer will go down within a respectable distance. Just like any of the other 308 based cartridges will, assuming the shooter does their part. Anyone that argues this doesn't understand physics.

Because it has plenty of energy for a pine goat, and soft recoil. I've been married for 31 years. As I am not allowed variety in my women, I will find it numerous interesting calibers.

I don't hunt with it often, but a .243 will drop them quick if you do your part. My chosen ammo has 2139 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle, and still has over 1200 ft/lbs at 300 yards. We hear all the time how a 6.5 creed is a 1000 yard deer rifle (I don't believe it, BTW), and the .243 has more energy at 400 yards than some creed loads at 500.

Is it an ideal round for elk? No, but that ain't the question here.

No reason for a grown man to step away from a rifle that he likes just because it's a .243.

And there is nothing wrong with the Hornady SST. I dropped a mule deer at over 300 yards using that bullet in my .25-06, and I saw a whitetail drop in it's tracks at about 100 yards this year with the mighty .......



.243 Win, using the Hornady Superformance 95 grain SST.

I take it you don't reload or understand much about bullet BC or there would be reasons.

Oh I don't know. Maybe because they aren't one of these magnumitis goobers that buy a 300 win mag to take 40 yard shots at 150 pound Alabama deer. Seen plenty of them. Always bragging about how little their whiz bang super mag drops at 600 yards when the sad truth is that they couldn't hit a tanker truck at that distance. I'd way rather take a guest hunting on our land that showed up with a 243 they could shoot accurately than some yahoo that thinks the cartridge they use to hunt deer is a direct reflection of their pecker size. LOL!

Nobody is talking about a magnum.

And a .243's ballistics are not superior to anything. I have a beautiful pre '64 Win heavy barrel varmint that's chambered in .243. I love the round. Best varmint cartridge ever made. That was one of my first guns I ever bought on my own, however I didn't buy it for a deer rifle. Because I knew it was too light for deer even back then. Y'all want to put all your stock into a magical bullet that either doesn't blow up or maybe it does.... doesn't seem like y'all can ever decide on that.

WHY? Why would you put yourself in that situation on purpose?

There is really no good argument to choose .243 for a deer rifle. You are really at the top of the cartridge's capability loaded with 100 gainers. To me that's a very poor choice over 7mm-08, 6.5 Creed, .308, etc.

BTW.... My shoulder is already hurting thinking about that 6.5 Creed recoil.

That would be true only if you buy your ammo at Walmart and prefer it in blue boxes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY0w1c-gf18

Why do you think she isn't shooting a Corelokt?

So basically you are saying if I shot an elephant in the ear with a .22lr would that make it a good elephant cartridge?

In order to make a convincing argument you guys need to move past the realm of possibility and tell me how .243 is so good at _____.

You can't because it isn't...... Good at anything past varmint hunting.

A 243 with the right bullet put in the right place is as reliably deadly as any other round. It's physics and biology goat. Magnums with light for caliber bullets have lost a pile of deer due to blow up and under - penetration as well. In fact, I've had that happen on more than one occasion. A hot loaded 300 magnum with 150 grain ballistic tips at point blank will fail a good bit of the time. Does that mean 300 magnums are garbage ? Again, it's physics and biology.

I'm afraid you'd be surprised at what Federal "blue box" in .243 will do.You're fighting a losing battle trying to change the man's mind.He's evidently had a few bad experiences with the round over the years...

It's good at putting venison in my freezer.with minimum damage and short tracking jobs

.243 ballistics are far superior to a ton of well known, and many lesser known calibers, most notably the .30-30 Winchester. Energy of a bullet is a specific calculation that has nothing to do with your perception of a rifle round.

While the .243 is not my favorite, or even a round I go to often, it remains an effective caliber for thin skinned game up to 300 yards and up to 200 lbs.

Would I use it on a South Texas brush country hunt? Probably not. Would I use on a pronghorn hunt in Wyoming? Absolutely.

Pine goats in Alabama? No problem.

And for a pure varmint cartridge, I personally prefer the .22-250

That is just horse pucky. Deer in Alabama are not that big or hard to kill. And there are no degrees of dead, only dead. Put a 243 bullet through their vitals and they will be just as dead as a deer shot in the same place with a 308, 30-06 or anything else. Make a bad hit with a 375 H&H magnum and you will be lucky to find them. It's just as simple as that. Once you reach the point that you are using enough gun (which the 243 certainly is for deer) the particular cartridge you use is little more than a persons individual fancy.

I certainly wouldn't pass on a good deal for a Sako 85 because it was a 243.

I have 850 dollars in it. Brand new, with the box beautiful wood and a satin stainless. One of the nicest looking rifles I've owned. And the fact that it's in 243 is almost like it knows it doesn't have to over-compensate. I will probably be keeping this one.

Not surprised at all. I just wouldn't shoot one at 688 yards

It's too bad Barnes doesn't make a .22 caliber magic bullet?

Right?

Think of the possibilities.

Y'all could just shoot a .22-250. What's a couple grains when the bullet does all the work?

Ridiculous.

Like playing a round of golf with a sand wedge and claiming you still made it to the pin.

They actually make them in at least four different weights. And since you mentioned it, all anyone really needs to deer hunt with is a fast twist 22-250 slinging a Barnes, IF all shots were within 200 yards.

I too was a 243 naysayer until I killed a few with the 80gr Barnes. It really punches above its weight class.

Even the lil 50-gr Barnes is no slouch!

Actually the bullet does do all the work. What are you doing, beating them to death with the butt stock? We may have found your reason for wanting a bigger rifle. More weight for use as a club. Try pointing the barrel end at the deer and pulling the trigger. It works better that way. LOL!

As for the rest of what you posted I'm guessing it must be some kind of code that can only be understood if you have dropped acid. Makes zero sense to a sober man.

.243 ain't no sand wedge. 5 iron? Maybe. When I still played golf, my 5 iron got more use than my driver, especially on par 3 and short par 4 holes. See, that's what Alabama whitetails generally are. Par 3, and short par 4's. No heavy mesquite brush, no canyons, not many 300+ yard shots. Perfect stage for the .243 Win.

If you think the .30-30 is a valid deer caliber at 100 yards, I can't understand why you would naysay the .243 Win at 300 yards. Virtually the same energy delivered to the critter.

And also, I have a buddy in Texas who almost never hunts with anything except his .22-250. I've seen him dust whitetails at 300+ yards, I've killed a few hogs with his at 200+ yards, and 2 years ago, I saw him stone a 250 lb Axis deer with it. Base of the neck, DRT.

I shoot a 243, my son shoots a 243, my dad shoots a 6mm. None of us have an issue killing deer.

The shooter is far more important than the round being shot. Know your gun. Know how to accurately and safely shoot your gun. Practice. You can kill a deer with every round from 22 up to a 50 cal and beyond.

Bottom line: Shot placement is everything!!!

Enjoy the 243. If you don’t like it, get rid of it.

Oh, Lord have mercy... I should have known once I mentioned .22-250 there would be someone or a few someone's......

Good grief.

When they made their game laws in other States and put restrictions on tiny calibers..... they had people just like y'all in mind.

If I could I would fine y'all $$$ for every deer you don't recover.. there is absolutely ZERO reason for any of y'all to be toting a pea shooter. Y'all are grown men.

So .... what's the smallest centerfire rifle round a grown man should carry, in your opinion?

.22 Hornet is pretty good on rabbits.

For deer .243. Great for a 9 year old.

Suffers from feelings of inadequacy.

Must tote a big gun. Probably drives a loud truck too.

.243 is great. If there was a list it would be at the very bottom of that list. Last one way down there.

Why would you pick that for a deer rifle? You could make the case that it is a dual purpose varmint/deer rifle. But you are picking the worst of the worst that is only barely on that list for the simple fact that .243 is maxed out with a 100 grain magic bullet.

.22-250 - Not on that list.

A lot of the naysayers are asking why choose a 243? In my experience it started with my son’s both starting out with a 243 as a youngster, what happened for them is the confidence they built up by experiencing good results on every deer they’ve shot with their 243. A hunter who has confidence in their equipment is very successful in harvesting deer. It’s difficult in many hunters to change when something is working so well for them. I personally shoot a 280 Rem and a 7 mm Magnum. I have confidence in both my rifles like my son’s have with their 243. The end results for us all are the same (a harvested animal). Shoot the 100 grain Nosler Partition in the 243 and you’ll see why!

Well you wouldn't be getting any $$$ from me,and I buy my blue box bullets from Wal-Mart...

Yeah. I will be hunting with it this fall / winter.

I haven't lost any deer either, with a .243 or any other cartridge, and I killed my first deer 40 years ago.

The ones I have helped trail that were not recovered were generally due to a bad shot with a large caliber. Don't ever remember tracking one shot with a .243, but I did track one that was gutshot with a .30-06 that we never recovered. Shooter's response? I guess I need to get a 7mm magnum. My response? That, or just learn how to shoot.

I seen one guy kill one "buck" with .243 a few years back and he reached down and picked it up by both hind legs. It was laying in a ditch. Killed the stew out of it nearly blew it in 1/2.

Does about the same to a similar sized coyote.

So a 243 cannot effectively kill a big buck ? Say , one over 200 pounds ?

Heck I'll give you the chance to fine me. I'll leave the 25-06 in the safe and knock the dust off the old 243. You can come hunting with me on every trip I go this upcoming season. For every deer that I shoot with that 243 that we don't recover I'll give you $10,000. For everyone we do recover you only have to give me a thousand dollars. Hell if I lose one in ten you'll break even. And as bad as you say a 243 is you should make enough money to build a new house. Is it a bet?

I'm gonna commit to carrying the Sako this season. I will post what I'm killing. Size, yardage, distance traveled after shot, etc.

Goatkiller says you better get you a tracking dog

I have a good one that I used twice last year. More about the terrain than the distance the deer traveled. Oh, I was shooting a 270 with partitions.

Remember to take your pistol to finish it off if you find it.

Your trolling abilities are up there. But facts , physics, and biology trump your troll powers.

I have a 250 pound buck ( at least ) on my hit list ( assuming he survived last year and I haven't heard of anyone killing him ) . If I smoke him with my 243, you must make a formal apology and claim the 243's praises. If I lose a deer and the shot placement was good, I will swear it off. Bet?

If anyone can post pics I'll send the deer pic to you for proof hes that big.

It's all good BPI just make sure you wait for the perfect shot angle and you should not have any trouble. 20 yards broadside. Bout equal to a bow and arrow.

I'd pass on it if I were you as well.

That's a hard pass. Good to know you aren't stupid either.

I'll be waiting on those pics either way though... I want to see the blood trail.

I'll send you one of mine laying where he was hit.

Now we get to the real problem. When someone thinks they can just shoot and not be concerned about those things is when you will need a tracking dog. I suppose if you started out with a 243 with that attitude,lost a few deer but learned a bit ,then got a larger caliber,cause you blamed it on the caliber,then you might feel as you do.

I noticed Goat hasn't mentioned my challenge. As my father always said, "money talks and bulls$#t walks". Anybody else smell chicken?

I’ve forgotten if it was posted. What do you shoot, Goatkiller?
I been following this thread with a lot of interest.

Ol' GK is running a .420Creedmostest UltraMag Nitro TSS +P

I thought it might be a .470 Thunderfu**er.

Probably an Alabama rig with lots of circle hooks.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

No. he shoots the .416 Queefmore.

No, no, he shoots a .577smallmember with a compensator.