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Posted: 6/22/2013 5:23:29 PM EDT
Hey folks, I recently picked a Sako L461 action in a swap, and got to wondering if the 6.8 would fit in it. It would make a sweet lightweight hunting rifle, I'm thinking...and I'm getting tired of lugging heavy iron around. The damned Forest Service guys keep going out and making the mountains steeper every year
Anyway, pulled out my calipers and this is what I show... Bolt face recess width-0.381" Bolt body diameter-0.553" Diameter of 6.8 cartridge at maximum-0.4165" average of 20 rounds of SSA 115gr HPBT rounds. Just looking at it with my un-educated eye, I think it would fit...but I suspect the real problem would be getting it to feed correctly. What do you think? Alternative would be the 6 x 45, which is a fine round and would be much easier to do, but the 6.8 is a more capable big-game round...at least IMO. |
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The rim of a 6.8 SPC won't fit in the bolt face. I wonder if the case will fit into the SAKO magazine, I'll bet not. I don't have a 6.8 SPC case to try in one of mine.
The published load data for 6X45 (6-223 Rem) is conservative and every person I've talked to or has posted about their rifles in the reloading forum get higher velocities. I agree with you about carrying heavy rifles in the woods. |
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I was hoping there was enough meat in the bolt to open the face to 0.420"...but after playing with the numbers that's not going to leave much metal around the case head, around 0.065" per side. I don't know enough about metallurgy to know if that's safe or not, hence the question.
The more I think it over, the 6 x 45 or the .25 x 223 seems to be the better choice...altering the boltface and feed rails would be a lot more expensive than just spinning on a barrel for a retired guy on a budget and either of those cartridges is more than sufficient to take the local blacktails at any reasonable range. I would still be interested to know if it could be done, though...for that matter, would the 6.8 fit into a CZ mini action? |
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