SAKO S20 - 300 Win Mag. Info on "cartridge+" meaning

[martinakl]

This is a work-in-progress. Stay tuned for pictures and more details. PM me with any questions.

Sako S20 Precision - 300 Win Mag

• Manufacturer: Sako
• Type: Bolt-action repeater
• Caliber: 300 Win Mag
• Magazine Capacity:
  • Standard: 3 round magnum or (5 round non magnum)
  • Optional: 7 round for Magnum (10 round non magnum)
  • *Mine came with the "optional" larger, 7 round, magazine
• Barrel: 24 in. - ⅝-24 Threaded Barrel
• Overall Length: 45 to 45.5 in.
• Weight, Empty (with magazine): 8.38 lbs.
• Stock: Composite-clad aluminum chassis
• Length of Pull: 13.75 to 14.25 in.
• Finish: Gray Cerakote on stainless barrel and action
• Sights: None; integral Picatinny rail - 0 MOA
• Safety: Two position
• MSRP: $1,700 (Hunter), $1,800 (Precision)

Extra Details:

• "Cartridge+" Magazine - Max COAL: Just under 3.61"
• Short action vs. long action models: They all seem to be built on long actions (think Tikka). Short actions cartridges have a spacer built into the magazine. *See image of 300 Win vs. 6.5 PRC magazine (post #3)

Potential/obvious/glaring negatives worth mentioning:

• Twist rate: 1:11 for 300 Win? 1:9 or 1:8 would have been a better choice (1:10 at minimum). I few forum posts suggest it's actually a 1:10 twist but even SAKO says it's 1:11.
• "Cartrdige+": - zero info on what that means online. Probably because at 3.6" for a long action, it's just standard. Short action magazine looks promising, but I didn't have calipers to measure. Short actions are right at, to just a hair over, 3" according to a youtube video I saw.
• 0 MOA integral rail: Come on, 20 MOA just makes sense. Not impossible to remedy but narrows down my mounting options if I decide I "need" 20 MOA.
• 24" barrel: I'm good with it but I know many like 26"+. I have a suppressor I plan on running: TBAC338 Ultra. It's very large (not heavy but large).

Components I plan to use (have procured already):

• Bullet: Berger 205 Elite Hunter- 1:11 Barrel twist, Higher BC then 210, probably easier to "tune."
  • 215 would work at 6,000+ feet but I live and shoot around the 2,700 - 2,800 feet
  • Might even try out something as light as the 180gr Elite Hunters
• Powder: H1000
• Primers: Federal 215M
• Brass:Peterson 300 Win Mag "Long" Brass
  • *I have a backorder placed on the new Lapua 300 Win Mag Brass (New 2021 Offering)

Scope (TBD):
The newer Razor HD LHT 3-15x42 is interesting for a budget scope. Thinking about an NX8 if I can hold out long enough and save up the pennies. Maybe an Athlon?

Barrel break-in: SAKO States NO barrel break-in needed on their Cold Hammer Forged (CHF) barrels.

"All Sako rifles, including the Sako S20, feature match-grade cold hammer forged barrels. There are many advantages to cold hammer forged (CHF) barrels: they're durable, accurate and have excellent tolerances. The cold hammer forging technique changes the structure of the steel, increasing its toughness and making the barrel life of your rifle longer. CHF barrels do not have to be broken in, but instead have superb out-of-the-box accuracy."

Source: https://www.sako.fi/s20-cold-hammer-forged-barrel

I still plan on doing a thorough cleaning before any shots are fired and at least a couple shoot-and-clean cycles (1 shot, clean, repeat).

Time-Line: No plans on getting out and shooting any time soon. Winter, Kids, Christmas, birthdays, blown 2020 budget, new 2021 budgets in place…

I don't have a scope for this rifle and hope to hold out for an NX8.

 

[martinakl]

Full aluminum chassis. I've seen some misconceptions/misinformation that it's just a plastic stock.

Best Short Video I've seen. Some of them are just plain painful to get through.

 

[martinakl]

 

[martinakl]

 

[martinakl]

I had this a Seekins muzzle brake (5/8-24, 30 Cal). I originally bought it for a Savage Ultralight in 28 Nosler (model with proof research barrel). Perfect fit for this rifle (and the Savage) with what I'd call a "heavy sporter" barrel profile. The locking nut just barely fits over the barrel without damaging the Cerakote finish. I don't know a smaller, self timing, side port, muzzle brake on the market.

I might try out an Area 419 Hellfire as I'm interested in their conversion for my TBAC Ultra388 for easy on-off on for us on multiple rifles.

There is a matching radial brake available from Sako but I don't use that style. Dust and dirt in the face sucks.

 

[martinakl]

Looks like we'll be loading to magazine length and adjusting COAL down from there. Dang near 5 hundredths over max magazine coal to a hard stop into the lands. From my understanding, that shouldn't be an issue with this bullets. I started using Berger bullets back when it was all about getting them right on the lands so it's a change for me but I'll just give it a try.

 

[jippy1]

any difficulty with getting your cheekpiece to extend upwards?
I have the hunter stock, and it seems reluctant to cooperate, especially with cold aching hands @ 37*F

thinking about dusting it with some graphite, inside.
thoughts?

 

[martinakl]

any difficulty with getting your cheekpiece to extend upwards?
I have the hunter stock, and it seems reluctant to cooperate, especially with cold aching hands @ 37*F

thinking about dusting it with some graphite, inside.
thoughts?

Mine is very stiff as well. I was thinking about doing some sort of dry lube. I haven't messed with it a lot to see what the issue is. It's not something I'll need to mess with often but I can't get the bolt out without lowering it, so it'll be annoying when it's time to clean it.

I saw a review on youtube and they made it go up and down with ease. I figure it probably just needs broken-in a bit.

 

[jippy1]

Mine is very stiff as well. I was thinking about doing some sort of dry lube. I haven't messed with it a lot to see what the issue is. It's not something I'll need to mess with often but I can't get the bolt out without lowering it, so it'll be annoying when it's time to clean it.

I saw a review on youtube and they made it go up and down with ease. I figure it probably just needs broken-in a bit.

yeah, ad says easily with one hand,

not so much

were you thinking of graphite, or something else in mind??
any foresee-able downside to such?

 

[martinakl]

yeah, ad says easily with one hand,

not so much

were you thinking of graphite, or something else in mind??
any foresee-able downside to such?

Just something "dry," so it doesn't gunk up with dust/dirt and get worse. I shoot out in the desert, south of Boise, so dirt dust is always an issue.

 

[martinakl]

yeah, ad says easily with one hand,

not so much

were you thinking of graphite, or something else in mind??
any foresee-able downside to such?

Just sprayed some Hoppes #9 Dri-Lube on it. Both sides, pretty liberal amount. Worked it up and down a few times and started smoothing out as I worked it. Now it's smooth enough for one handed operation.

It does leave a visible, white, wax-like residue. Might want to try a different product. But something similar, should do the trick.

Keeps getting easier to operate the more I move it up and down. Easy peasy now.

 

[martinakl]

Here's some update pics.

 

[martinakl]

Just wanted to do a quick update related to the twist rate.

Life gets in the way... I'm finally getting ready to go shoot this thing. I was cleaning the gun prior to getting out and shooting it this weekend. When I was cleaning out the chamber area after a initial barrel cleaning, I notice the barrel was stamped/engraved with "300 WM 10." This is the end of the barrel that is screwed into the receiver, not an external marking. What in the world could "10" mean?

It got me curious if there was any truth to a couple of reviews/posts that I saw online that this was actually a 1:10 twist, even though almost everything SAKO publishes says 1:11 twist for the 300. *I have seen 1:10 once or twice on the SAKO website. I believe it was on the rifle builder thing but I can't find it again.

Long story short, I did the cleaning rod method, and came up with exactly 1:10 twist, three times in a row. And spot on too. No rounding or fudging to get to 1:10. Just dead nuts 1 full rotation at 10". Guess I'm going to have to hunt down some 215 Bergers. As mentioned in post #1, the magazine allows for a 3.6" COAL loaded round. I expect a little bit of a jump to the lands at 3.6". I'll start with the 205 Berger Elite Hunters while I hunt down some 215's.

I will be looking for max load of H1000, and any velocity nodes, with the 205's this weekend.

This is the method I used:


Initial barrel cleaning was very quick and easy. The barrel was not very dirty at all. All cleaning patches went through nice and smooth.

 

[Marlborough Mike]

Hi from New Zealand. I've just bought the sporter version of the S20 in 300 win mag. Plus I have some 205gr EH Bergers and H1000 I'd like to try. The Bergers sit out quite a bit further than 3.6" to reach the lands in the s20, so I hope they dont mind a jump! Also have some 200gr ELDXs and 180gr Gamechangers and some IMR7828. How did you get on with the Bergers? Cheers, Michael