Thread: .222 turning back the clock

Looks like the 223 did the job ok Bruce

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Looks like the 223 did the job ok Bruce

Im just now writing a little story for the report section.

Can’t remember if I previously posted it but back in the 60’s Dad had a Parker Hale 222, shot a few deer with it but rapidly became disillusioned with it - action too long for 222 and the safety kept falling out.

So he traded it in on a brand new Vixen 222, he was very happy with it.

(I used it more than him until I got my Finnwolf.)

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Can’t remember if I previously posted it but back in the 60’s Dad had a Parker Hale 222, shot a few deer with it but rapidly became disillusioned with it - action too long for 222 and the safety kept falling out.

So he traded it in on a brand new Vixen 222, he was very happy with it.

(I used it more than him until I got my Finnwolf.)

What happened to the Vixen?

Originally Posted by Tahr

What happened to the Vixen?

Dad did a deal and ended up with a Mini-14!

I know they guy he did the deal with and you couldn’t pry the Vixen out of his hands with a crow-bar!

Rest assured it’s in good hands.

Like many others I've read about exploits of hunters with the .222 and .223 but never really thought of it as a cartridge for deer hunting until i was in the Kaimanawas 12 years or so back and bumped into a hunter with a .223 and he did quite well.

Anyway I bought a T3 .223 and never looked back where I'd have to say I've shot more deer with that calibre than any other calibre I've owned combined as the .223 just dropped deer including my biggest sika stags I've shot.

I've always wanted a Sako .222 so I ended up with two, one is an A1 and the other a L461 which has since been re barreled to a 6x45 as the barrel was kept in pour condition never being cleaned.

I used the A1 .222 on a few deer with this one being its first kill.



Scoping out a hind and its fawn... neither were shot!



Don't underestimate the power of the .222/.223 on deer as there very efficient killers on deer.

Love my sako 222 , pretty hard to find them nowadays, took me a while to find this L461 to replace my first vixen lost in a burglary. Hands down the best 222 you can get is the Sako vixen imo.



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Originally Posted by Rangireice

Love my sako 222 ,

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Hey that gun looks very smiliar to mine, cept mine has a cheek piece and also iron sights- i think they called it a Sako A1, the first few letters of the serial is A1.. some similiar models in similiar eras i think with slightt differences from that time?

Originally Posted by Rees

Hey that gun looks very smiliar to mine, cept mine has a cheek piece and also iron sights- i think they called it a Sako A1, the first few letters of the serial is A1.. some similiar models in similiar eras i think with slightt differences from that time?

Yip correct this one starts with A1 as did my one that got stolen in a burglary except that one was a later model and the last model made with the newer Sako hunter stock( very nice model)


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May have already said but : I only bought the old twin trigger BRNO because there were no Vixens available (in any case would have been outside my budget)
But what great we rifles the L461s are.

I stared with a Anschutz 222 and then a vixen turned up in the local sport shop so i sold an under & over shotgun plus the Anschutz to buy it, it was a lot of money at the time but I’ve never regretted it. In saying that the Anschutz shot well and I took a quite a few animals with it including my first chamois.


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I’m glad I’ve seen this post!

I have only two rifles, both being BSA hunters. One is a .222 and the other now a 6x45. My mind has been wandering and I was getting close to moving the .222 on, but thanks to all those that have posted on this thread, I’ve realised that would be a bad idea.

Like @Tahr mentioned hunting just feels better to me with an efficient and accurate little cartridge, housed in an appropriately sized little rifle. I totally get the ‘old school’ keep it simple vibe too, I’m going through a similar journey away from all the BS that the hunting and shooting market tries to tell us is necessary. I’m using 1/2 the gear and having twice the enjoyment!

For what it’s worth, in your .222 @Nathan F the 55gr Hornady SP is hard to go past for a one stop shoot everything bullet.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

I’m glad I’ve seen this post!

I have only two rifles, both being BSA hunters. One is a .222 and the other now a 6x45. My mind has been wandering and I was getting close to moving the .222 on, but thanks to all those that have posted on this thread, I’ve realised that would be a bad idea.

Like @Tahr mentioned hunting just feels better to me with an efficient and accurate little cartridge, housed in an appropriately sized little rifle. I totally get the ‘old school’ keep it simple vibe too, I’m going through a similar journey away from all the BS that the hunting and shooting market tries to tell us is necessary. I’m using 1/2 the gear and having twice the enjoyment!

For what it’s worth, in your .222 @Nathan F the 55gr Hornady SP is hard to go past for a one stop shoot everything bullet.

Thank you. I can’t wait to get shooting with it

Great thread loved all the old photos keep them coming

Originally Posted by 17brno

Great thread loved all the old photos keep them coming

Not an old pic but definitly an old Vixen still doing the biz