Thread: Sako85 SA 243 barrel change... 284win?

Hey team,

I have a Sako85 SA 243. I'm looking at swapping out the barrel with a bartlein 284win.

Any ideas if this will work? I've heard mixed reports on feeding etc..

Cheers

This sounds similar to the discussion recently about building a 280 Vs 284 on a long action 85. A friend who has a 284 built on a long 85 says the bottom bolt lug can hang up slightly on the steepish shoulder on the 284 case when opening the bolt. You will likely also lose a round of capacity in the magazine.

I would think about it the other way around - what will you gain by choosing the 284? What length barrel will you be running on it? The 284 is a great base for a superb all around hunting rifle for New Zealand - but it works so much better in a long action. Cramming it in a short action restricts its potential a lot. The easy option would be to chamber it in 7mm/08 which is boring and pedestrian and will likely work perfectly... Hmmmm.

Having said that, if you really want to do it then go for it. Talk to more than one gunsmith to see if they've done it or are prepared to. If you want something different to the norm then what about a 7mm Creedmoor?
***grabs popcorn and sits back for fireworks***

Long action is much better option for 284. You can get away with SA, but probably end up single feeding the bigger high BC pills for long range and running a mag fit bush load for close up

Good advice here. My .284 is on a T3 with a long bolt stop and mag. A short action can be done but to get the most out of it with high bc pills a long action is better.

Perhaps a 6.4x47 Lapua or .260 (instead of predictable Creedmoor) with 143 ELD-X or 147 ELD-M as an alternative?

Bartlein barrels are superb, so a great choice there. Have them on my .300 WM and 7RM.

I went from a 284 to a 260. Never looked back, works well in a short action and mag loading 140eldms at even a modest pace will see you deadly a long way out on game and handy on targets even further

Great ok, good thoughts. Appreciate it. Just keeping options open��

exactly what Chainsaw said.

Have you tried the hornady precision hunter high bc bullets to squeeze what you can out of the 243? It won't be far behind the 260 till things get way out there
Factory sakos just seem to shoot nearly as well as any barrel you replace them with

As chainsaw says can work in a short action as a duel load mag and single feed. I had one though the single feed longie had quite a different POI, so i just mag length loaded regular cup and core bullets. This was still a good place to be although a 708 with elds would be chasing it down at range.

708 or 6.5 creed would be sweet. Fast twist 6 creed would be my choice only cause I have other thumpers and like the idea of 6mm fast twist