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Sako rifles

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Roy Finn View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2008 at 18:03
If you are looking for a nicer synthetic stock on a factory rifle, look at the Kimber Montana 8400.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2008 at 21:54
Originally posted by Roy Finn Roy Finn wrote:

If you are looking for a nicer synthetic stock on a factory rifle, look at the Kimber Montana 8400.
good stuff roy i agree
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ivanab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2008 at 09:10

Some friends and I have purchased several SAKO in the last couple of years and they all shoot great.  0.5" groups at 100 yards.  We recently increased are range to 300 yards and have only shot the 300 win mag and shot a 1" 3 shot group at 300 yards. 


You won't be disapointed with the SAKO 75 or 85!
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heikkiv View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote heikkiv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2008 at 04:09
Generally Sako rifles are of great quality.. or were, actually. After the fusion with beretta the overall quality has gone down pretty much. Older sakos, pre-90's are generally considered to be one of the best rifles out of the box one could get. Also, most parts of the sako and tikka come from the same factory, barrels are pretty much the same. For older sakos the ½MOA accuracy was pretty default, but for now it can vary a bit.

I own a tikka T3 varmint s/s lefty that doesn't do so well with factory ammo I've tested. I've been trying to learn secrets of handloading and am getting closer and closer to the ½MOA. As far as remington 700's go, they are not so greatly acclaimed here. I've heard horror stories about remington warranties where they seem to think that 2MOA is "acceptable" for a varmint rifle... the 700 seems to be in same league as ruger 10/22, great rifle if you change everything else than receiver ;)

For me, as a lefty shooter the tikka was natural choice because I could get the lefty action without any additional cost, also the trigger and action are very good for a factory rifle.

Strange thing though, why finnish products cost 50% less in U.S. than in here.. T3 varmint MSRP is around $1600 and for sako 85 varmint almost $3000 with current rates. Same thing with vihtavuori powder :(
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2008 at 04:38
Interesting thread there heikkiv (from Funland on your location!!)
I have bought the Remington varmint and the verdict is still out on it. (Also left hand). I stuggled a bit with it, but seems that my reloading dies was not good enough. With new dies I shot a killer group with one particular load. It remains to be seen if I can repeat it, as I only had 5 rounds of this load.
I also wondered if Tikka would not have been a better choice then the Remington.
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heikkiv View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote heikkiv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2008 at 04:54
Of course when trying to find out the optimal accuracy handloading gives the best results, but don't fool yourself with only 5-shot lucky groups. Especially when hunting with the rifle it is essential what your rifle _really_ can do. Finding out this most experts recommend shooting minimum 20-round groups including the "grease shot" (don't know what it is in english, but means the first shot with cleaned bore. The one that usually is apart from the rest of the group:)

Naturally one cannot say that every rifle or every barrel is bad, but unfortunately lots of previously good manufacturers have cut costs in their manufacturing process causing the situation where getting that really really good rifle depends more on the luck than the price in the mid-price category.

remington was my other choice when I choose the rifle, but nobody had yet imported them to finland so I didn't have any user experiences regarding it. Also here in Finland most gunsmiths know sako/tikka actions like their own pockets so in case of failure there's always help.

http://bugi.oulu.fi/~heikkiv/pix/weaponry/tarket.JPG

There's couple of handloading tests compared to norma and lapua factory ammo @ 150 meters. Not so great results, but I've only shot around 70 shots with the barrel and those were my first handloads, so I'm hoping that eventually I'll get to the desired ½MOA with it. Caliber is 6.5x55SE by the way.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2008 at 06:42
We call the "grease shot" the fouling shot.
Yes buying an accurate rifle can sometimes be a hit and miss affair if it is mass produced. I will be trying out the same load this weekend and see if I can get consistent results.
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timber View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote timber Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2008 at 00:55
My Sako 85 Hunter has the best trigger of my current 6-7 rifle inventory but only has fair accuracy.  I like it for it's ultra smooth action and quality feel.  You should be aware that it won't cock as easily as your Model 70.  Try to dry fire it in the store and then lift the bolt.  Some of my hunting buddies were turned off of Sako's because of this.  I've just learned to 'hit' the bolt handle and don't even think about it. 

Some folks like me complain about the hard recoil pad and replace it as I did with a Kick-Eez or Pachmayr.  In general I find the Sako to be an altogether different rifle than my 700's and Model 70.  BTW, the laminated stainless is a strikingly sharp looking rifle but I'm partial to walnut.  This is a convenient excuse to post my Sako again.






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2008 at 06:41
Boy, timber, that is a nice looking rifle!  You can "polish" the cocking piece on the back end of your bolt with some plumber's goopy stuff ( kinda like lapping your lugs ) which will reduce the hard bolt lift....somewhat.
 
I had two Sakos over the years--one was a L61R from 1978 or so ( I bought it in '78--it might have been on the shelf for a couple of years--who knows? ) and I had an AV model from the mid-eighties....that one had a recoil pad that would stop a bullet!!  They were both super accurate....the older one was heavy, the AV Hunter somewhat lighter than the other. I sure liked 'em......past tense.......they're gone now.......Sad
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2008 at 12:11
sako stocks, (design) have always ahead of the times, get a mcmillian sako stock and have the best of both-- never had a remmy (10 or 15 lost count) that wouldn't shoot under an inch out of the box. having a lot of aftermarket options, stocks, triggers, barrels, is an indication of how great the gun is== not a reflection of its deficiencies. numbers of shots fired for group size is almost irrelevant  if half the groups are not shot prone or sitting etc, especially in a hunting rifle.
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timber View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote timber Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2008 at 19:06
Ed, thanks for the tip.  The lugs look and feel very smooth.  I've cautiously used a very little Shooter's Choice Grease on the lugs to no avail.  It's not recommended by Sako, only an oily rag.

Dale, I don't care for the Sako 85 stock shape.  It's too skinny in the buttstock, IMO.  But they've changed the recoil lug design and that limits the choices of after-market choices.  The lug's design is interesting but it better fit perfectly in the stock or there's going to be a problem.  I wish they'd have stuck to a traditional lug.  Check this out:

http://www.gunsandhunting.com/Dethroned.html
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/22/2008 at 08:57
ok get a mcmillian remington stock configuration fitted for the sako action.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/22/2008 at 17:01
Originally posted by timber timber wrote:

You should be aware that it won't cock as easily as your Model 70.  Try to dry fire it in the store and then lift the bolt.  Some of my hunting buddies were turned off of Sako's because of this.  I've just learned to 'hit' the bolt handle and don't even think about it. 
 
Hard bolt lift on cocking is common with all 3-lug actions, and for that matter, all short bolt lift actions to some degree.  The reason for this is the extremely steep cocking cam.  The bolt has to compress the firing pin spring the same amount as a 90-deg bolt lift action with a shorter cocking stroke.  This is just one of the tradeoffs with a 54 - 70 degree bolt lift action.


Edited by RifleDude - September/22/2008 at 17:02
Ted


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timber View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote timber Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/22/2008 at 22:24
Dale, here's a couple of pictures I copied from the article:
http://www.gunsandhunting.com/Dethroned.html

Here's the Sako receiver - the 85 is on the left and the 75 on the right.



Here's the Sako stocks - 85 left and 75 right.



In the first picture the 85's recoil lug is that small rectangular 'nub' (with the bolt hole) a fraction of an inch in height.  That 'nub' fits into the plate (the rectangular slot with bolt hole) shown in the second picture and is held in place by the front action bolt/screw.  The plate is held to the stock by two wood screws.

The engineering principle (as explained to me by a very knowledgeable Beretta Customer Service representative) is that the receiver and plate become one when the 'nub' is secured in that slot but it is critical that they mate perfectly in the same plane. 

At first glance it's an elegant solution but the more I studied it the less I liked it.  I think it could potentially be difficult to have a custom stock made to accommodate that plate  in the exact correct location.  Maybe I'm wrong.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote snowflake77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/23/2008 at 00:02
anyone have any experience with the Sako A7? Looking to add a piece to the collection and would like your feedback. Thanks
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/23/2008 at 00:32
mcmillians fit more difficult problems than this, contact them I'll bet they already have the answer.
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timber View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote timber Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/23/2008 at 18:38
Thanks.
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