sako finnfire

[huntsman]

I have a sako finnfire varmint 22lr for a number of years. It is the most used rifle I have a real tack driver. Recently I have been considering chopping the barrel so overall lenght plus mod is more manageable. I know that these rifles are somewhat sought after.

 

Am I mad!

 

what is the cost of a replacement barrel? if it didn't work out!!

 

What barrel make's are recommended?

 

Is it a big deal to do a barrel swap?

 

If I did cut it,how short would would be advised ?

 

Or would it be best to just buy a second rifle?

 

Thanks

Dave

[sako75]

Hi Huntsman I have the same rifle and I wouldn’t shorten it, I did have it threaded for a moderator but left the barrel at the standard length.

 

Bruce Potts did some tests on barrel length, and using sub sonic .22 ammo he found the speed increased quite considerably, so may be that’s a plus point for some?

 

ATB Bob

[The_Dogge]

I have one (the "Range" version, same barreled action in a sporter style stock) which I would like to lighten to get it under the weight limit for LSR.

like you I dont really want to touch the original barrel though, I'm considering a Lilja replacement barrel in a lighter profile and shorter, they are supposed to shoot very well and I would keep the original barrel as a spare. Baldie on here says they have some as drop in parts at south yorkshire shooting supplies.

 

They are apparently straightforward to swap, they are clamped in place on the finnfire rather than screwed into the action.

[sako75]

Hi again that’s funny as I did consider getting a Lilja barrel, as they make one especially for the Finnfire, so Baldies suggestion is well worth considering!

ATB Bob

[fizzbangwhallop]

If you'd wanted to try shortening a barrel for not too much outlay I found Alan Steed of Steed and Perrins in Surrey advertising a varmint stock last year, bought it and exchanged a spare sporter barrel for his varmint barrel at the same time.

His wife Pauline has been advertising that barrel (which shoots perfectly well) at £100 for some time as well as a Kreighof .17 Mach II barrel........... but I've just been in and found that the ads say the business has now closed (Shame) but might be worth a contact to see if it's still available.

 

http://www.guntrader.co.uk/EquipmentForSale/detail.php?EquipmentID=100817175027000

http://www.guntrader.co.uk/EquipmentForSale/detail.php?EquipmentID=100817175027001

 

When speaking to Alan at the time, he recommended Steve Pope at Swift Precision for stuff relating to .22's and to my Finnfire etc - spoke to him and got good honest opinions and a lot of good advice (Borne out by the articles in Gunmart)

http://swiftprecisionrifles.co.uk/

http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/swift_precision_rifles/

http://www.gunmart.net/accessories_review/swift_spr_rimfire_sound_moderator/

 

I 'think' he also said that Quad barrels could be used in Finnfire actions..... long time ago now... so not too desperate if you shorten your barrel and then wish you hadn't.

(Had to use a long handled 5mm Hex to get the 2 bolts out and asked around for the torque setting (paranoia - long story, lol) they should be tightened to... no joy with the importers, Steve P. suggested 20-25nm as he usually does it by the 'engineers feel')

 

It could be that Steve has those barrels and might be worth a call anyway on the pro's and cons of Finnfire barrel lengths.

 

Hope this helps, great rifles.

 

atb

FBW

 

http://www.riflebarrels.com/products/sako_finnfire_lilja_rifle_barrels.htm

[huntsman]

Lads,

thanks for the replies and all the info.

I have decided to leave the barrel alone.

I will investigate a replacement barrel option a bit more,

All depends on cost really or I might just consider picking up something else second hand.

 

dave

[spanner]

Lads,

thanks for the replies and all the info.

I have decided to leave the barrel alone.

I will investigate a replacement barrel option a bit more,

All depends on cost really or I might just consider picking up something else second hand.

 

dave

 

I cut my std Finfire down to 15 inches, every bit as accurate and far far handier in a motor. I would not think twice personally, I have also cut both my Quad barrels to 16 inches again with absolutey no issues.

[Andrew]

Lads,

thanks for the replies and all the info.

I have decided to leave the barrel alone.

I will investigate a replacement barrel option a bit more,

All depends on cost really or I might just consider picking up something else second hand.

 

dave

 

Smart! Never mess with a good, solid rifle that shoots well. Silencers (moderators, to you) are more difficult to obtain in the US than in GB, and I have always wanted one, but after reading all the posts concerning the problems with quality of installation and maintenance, I think I'm fine with my rifles as they are. At least I wouldn't cut up a good one. ~Andrew

[fizzbangwhallop]

Andrew,

 

I know what you mean, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' applied to my first Ruger 10/22 standard stainless in a non-ruger plastic stock without a barrel band - managed to connect with a rabbit at 200yards and subsequently another at 300 with subsonic winchesters. Ok it took me several shots to get the elevation (right at the bottom of the 'scope!) and the rabbits were very obliging in sitting still for long enough. But I was amazed that it shot straight that far!

 

Sold it to a mate and bought a target barrel which was cut to 16" (which only worked when it finally got into a Hogue stock). The trend was to cut barrels to 16" and the original skinny barrel went down this path too, unfortunately it's never been the same since!

 

And yep, I've left my Finnfire barrels at the original 21"

 

That's me,

 

atb

FBW

[Andrew]

Andrew,

 

I know what you mean, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' applied to my first Ruger 10/22 standard stainless in a non-ruger plastic stock without a barrel band - managed to connect with a rabbit at 200yards and subsequently another at 300 with subsonic winchesters. Ok it took me several shots to get the elevation (right at the bottom of the 'scope!) and the rabbits were very obliging in sitting still for long enough. But I was amazed that it shot straight that far!

 

Sold it to a mate and bought a target barrel which was cut to 16" (which only worked when it finally got into a Hogue stock). The trend was to cut barrels to 16" and the original skinny barrel went down this path too, unfortunately it's never been the same since!

 

And yep, I've left my Finnfire barrels at the original 21"

 

That's me,

 

atb

FBW

 

As a young man I experienced a similar reaction to cutting from an old Mossberg 44US I cut for comp use. Once cut it was never the same! Now I only cut barrels when there is a mechanical need. Last fall I bought a Brno#1 that some fool had counterbored a half inch. I took an inch off and it shoots brilliantly. Last week I bought another Brno#1 with the original 25" barrel and after cutting hay straw at 50M I don't think it will ever be considered for a chop! Enjoy your Finnfire! ~Andrew

[leeroy]

I have a finfire varmint I had it cut down soon after I had it. I was doing a lot of shooting from my truck and it was just to long to move around in the cab. Its a rifle I never plan on selling so might just as well use the tube that came with it. It would not bother me if I were looking for one and it had been cut down, as long as it shoots well wich it does. You could always go down the route of a custom barral which would to me would make the rifle much more apealing to me any way.

[tackb]

Cut my fin fire varmint to 12 inches (I will never sell this rifle , Sako were crazy to discontinue it!) it shoots a fraction better in my opinion and I use it exclusively with subsonics (eley) all I would consider doing is dropping it in a McMillan stock if they made one

 

Have the work done by a good 'rifle smith' and as long as he re crowns it properly it will shoot great.

[Andrew]

 

 

Have the work done by a good 'rifle smith' and as long as he re crowns it properly it will shoot great.

 

There's absolutely no guarantee of that.~Andrew

[tackb]

There's absolutely no guarantee of that.~Andrew

 

There is no guarantee of anything in life , except death ! Oh and someone will always piss on your bonfire!!!

[Andrew]

There is no guarantee of anything in life , except death ! Oh and someone will always piss on your bonfire!!!

 

You need to hang with a different crowd! ~Andrew

[DL.]

Even after all that's been said, I'm looking to get my finnfire cut from 21" to 16ish" it's just too unweildly - what were they thinking in the factory putting such a long barrel on?

 

 

http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/124153/CZ_Style_16in_22LR.html

 

 

Lengthy issues

Most rifle barrels conform to the longer-is-better rule, which, as with speed limits, does not actually relate to anything of real relevance. Most .22 rimfires sport 20in or 24in barrels, which are only there due to traditional design: most savvy hunters know that reducing a .22 rimfire barrel does not affect performance or accuracy in any way - in fact it enhances the performance, with less fouling, less weight and better balance. The diminutive .22LR round burns all its powder a long way before 20in, so reducing a barrel to 16in is actually beneficial.

[Andrew]

Even after all that's been said, I'm looking to get my finnfire cut from 21" to 16ish" it's just too unweildly - what were they thinking in the factory putting such a long barrel on?

 

 

http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/124153/CZ_Style_16in_22LR.html

 

They were thinking of esthetics and handling. Not all the world shoots off of sticks and bipods! A longer barrel not only looks better IMHO, but it helps with point. My field shooting with a .22 is almost always off hand and shorter, lighter guns just don't "hang" as well. My two favorite .22 rifles are a Brno #5 and a Brno #1. Both have 25" barrels and are heavier than most .22's I encounter here in the States. Because if their weight and balance they are excellent off hand shooting tools.~Andrew

[fizzbangwhallop]

Even after all that's been said, I'm looking to get my finnfire cut from 21" to 16ish" it's just too unweildly - what were they thinking in the factory putting such a long barrel on?

 

 

http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/124153/CZ_Style_16in_22LR.html

 

 

So, the suggestion is that you'll actually get improved velocity for a barrel cut to the point where the powder runs out.... fair enough, and qualified on other forums eg varmintal suggests 18.5/19" odd for a .17HMR, but then Bruce's article goes on to talk about the RWS losing velocity.

Quote:

"Similarly, the RWS ammo, always a lot slower, starting out at 985 fps from a 24in barrel, lost only 63fps velocity from the barrel reduction, giving consistent 922fps velocity and 75.6f/lb energy figures, with only 20fps variation to velocity"

 

Okay it's only 20fps, perhaps the barrel was just a fraction short on the optimum length for RWS ammo but he doesn't say what the barrel length was (Unless I missed it of course).

 

Further to my earlier post, I replaced the skinny Ruger barrel with a stainless Target one that was duly cut to 16" and crowned, and re-crowned when it wouldn't group as tight as someone-else's blued Target barrel. Didn't give tight groups until it was popped into a Hogue overmoulded stock which probably changed the pressure on the barrel at the tip of the fore-end.......

 

So a possible change in the harmonics is just another thing to look out for and the decision to bed, float or non-float the action and barrel etc etc.

 

As per Andrew's last post, one of my reasons for going back to the Finnfire was the pointability of the longer barrel, reduces the margin for error on snatching the trigger or shooting from an awkward position.

atb

FBW

[Andrew]

The review really didn't make a case for shortening the barrel. Since the barrel length stayed the same it's hard to say what the velocity would have been from a longer tube with that particular rifle. I have had the pleasure of being involved with some rimfire cartridge manufacture and can tell you that I have seen some rounds that would generate all of their pressure and obtainable velocity in an eight inch barrel. Others (high velocity hunting loads) require a 24 inch barrel to hit maximum speeds and will show progressive decreases in velocity when the barrel lengths are shortened. ~Andrew

[fizzbangwhallop]

I guess the way forward would be to get a second barrel (I'm pretty sure Quad barrels fit) Cut that to 14" or 16" according to your preference and keep the original barrel to go back on the rifle as and when.

 

FEO's are happier with 'spare barrels' providing you can give good reason to have both long and short barrels and it also gives you the option of going for a different cartridge, eg .17 Mach2, without having to change the bolt.

 

 

atb

 

 

FBW

[Andrew]

Good call. One of the only reasons I have a Ruger 77/22 bolt gun in my safe is to be able to change out test barrels.~Andrew

[DL.]

The review really didn't make a case for shortening the barrel. Since the barrel length stayed the same it's hard to say what the velocity would have been from a longer tube with that particular rifle. I have had the pleasure of being involved with some rimfire cartridge manufacture and can tell you that I have seen some rounds that would generate all of their pressure and obtainable velocity in an eight inch barrel. Others (high velocity hunting loads) require a 24 inch barrel to hit maximum speeds and will show progressive decreases in velocity when the barrel lengths are shortened. ~Andrew

 

This topic of shortening a .22LR barrel has been covered on here before, I dug out the thread.

 

A 22 long rifle round burns its charge inside 9" of barrel. You can have 30 cms minimum by law[12"] it doesn,t take a lot of working out. Target ammunition is subsonic too. 12.5" barrels work better than any other length, for the simple reason that the bullet is in the barrel for a shorter time, thus giving the shooter less time to interfere with the shot after the trigger is tripped. We sell more short barrels than any other length. CZ paid our shop a visit several years ago, to see why we were shortening so many of their rifles. They then went home, and released the 16" versions of all their rimfires.

 

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4700&st=20

[tikkat3]

This topic of shortening a .22LR barrel has been covered on here before, I dug out the thread.

 

 

 

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4700&st=20

 

very slightly off topic not a sako ! but i had an anshutz cut to 14" with NO loss of accuracy at all with eley or winchester ss,smith more of less said whats been said about powder burn length ,still packing it though until i had put a few rounds through after i got it back

[Andrew]

very slightly off topic not a sako ! but i had an anshutz cut to 14" with NO loss of accuracy at all with eley or winchester ss,smith more of less said whats been said about powder burn length ,still packing it though until i had put a few rounds through after i got it back

 

And you lost no velocity whatsoever??~Andrew

[Sausage Warrior]

Just to be a pain: how does the HMR compair? I'm sure I heard that the 12" barrel gives one full twist, but that the powder isn't all burnt by the time the bullet exits, thereby losing power.