Judge for yourselves


Proclaiming a product as “the best†requires either a hearty mix of confidence and fortitude, or the combination of a false sense of reality and sheer stupidity. In a January 17, 2000, pre-SHOT Show press release announcing the then-new (but later discontinued) Key Concept, a senior Sako executive showed his confidence when he said, “The Sako 75 is the best hunting rifle in the world.†Another company document proclaimed the 75 “…a true success story of the new millennium†and “…the best, most innovative bolt action hunting rifle.†The Sako 75 may have lived up to the claims at the time, but it has since been eclipsed by its refined sibling, the 85. If only the official and his company could have foreseen the future.


Changes to the 85’s receiver (bottom) seem
subtle until it is placed beside that of the 75. These include a taller left receiver wall, longer rear bridge, lengthened tang and cocking indicator and an improved bolt-release lever. The 85’s receiver retains the integral dovetail scope bases of the 75.


Called the “Total Control Latch,†the redesigned magazine containment system of the 85 (front) requires the magazine to be pushed upward while the release button is depressed, and was created to prevent accidental magazine loss in the field.

The Sako 75

Debuting in early 1997, the 75 was the result of Sako’s aspirations to build the ultimate hunting rifle. Although the company employed new and innovative technology in the rifle’s manufacture, the 75 harnessed many of those time-tested features that dated back as far as the company’s first production rifle, the L46. The project began with a simple question: “What would you do if you were given the resources to design the rifle of your dreams, the ultimate rifle for the next millennium?†The answers, collected from gunsmiths and professional shooters in both Finland and the United States, provided the framework, right down to the most intricate of details. Let’s take a look at what emerged from Sako’s research.
Sako has long understood the premise, and the necessity for that matter, that an action needs to be scaled to the cartridge, as that is what determines functionality, reliability and accuracy—the cornerstones of a successful rifle design. To ensure smooth, reliable feeding, the 75 was offered in five action sizes, in both right- and left-handed versions, with each proportionate to a specific class of cartridges. From .17 Remington to .416 Remington Magnum, there was an ideally suited action. Another benefit of the scaled-down action was the elimination of excess weight.
Machined from a single piece of steel for strength, the receiver was also furnished with a flat bottom. It mated to the corresponding flat on the stock, a design touted as preventing cant during discharge—something rounded-bottom receivers supposedly experience. The traditional-style recoil lug nestled in a groove at the front end of the receiver and was held in place by a screw, unlike the welded or integral versions found on most rifles. Forward of the magazine well was the magazine release lever. The spring-loaded assembly on the trigger mechanism’s face helped retain the magazine. A hinged floorplate was an option on certain models.
Instead of a conventional, fixed ejector, the 75 had a mechanical, spring-loaded version above the trigger mechanism. It glided along the bottom of the bolt until a milled groove was reached, at which point it lifted into the channel to eject the approaching case. A rather unusual, but nonetheless clever, feature was the well-defined, two-sided feed ramp implemented to enhance cartridge transition from the staggered-row magazine into the chamber.
At the rear, left side of the receiver was the bolt-release button, which had checkering on top to enhance purchase. Above the 75’s receiver were integral, dovetail scope bases that narrow in progression to the rear—a design made specifically for use with the company’s Optilock mount.
The 75’s one-piece—head and handle included—push-feed bolt was machined, then polished, and featured a recessed face and three true locking lugs on the extreme front end. It was the first in the company’s history. Prior models were claimed to have three lugs, but the cut in the receiver tang for the root of the bolt handle was considered the third, or safety, lug. The design made for a short, smooth, 70-degree bolt lift, thereby reducing the time needed for follow-up shots and increasing the locking surface. The two lower lugs were fluted, and the bolt’s five guiding surfaces prevented binding and ensured smooth operation. A groove was milled between the two bottom lugs for passage of the mechanical ejector.
On the right side of the bolt was the revered Sako extractor, which was fitted into the bolt head and tensioned by a spring and plunger. The bolt shroud exhibited similar checkering as found on the top of the bolt handle, and its contours added to the rifle’s sleek look. Ingeniously designed, the 75’s bolt had only three internal parts and could be fieldstripped without tools.
Instead of a standard, three-position safety, Sako utilized a two-position version with a separate bolt-release button behind the bolt handle, thereby allowing the rifle to be loaded or unloaded with the safety “on.†The 75’s go-switch was an adjustable, single-stage trigger.
A cold-hammer-forged, match-grade, free-floating barrel came standard on all models, and its diameter, and therefore profile, was contingent upon the model chosen. There was an average of 1⁄50 inch of free space between it and the stock, which helped maintain point of impact through climatic changes. The barrel was finished with a slightly concave, hand-turned crown to prevent nicks and scratches on the rifling. And like the receiver, the barrel was available in stainless and blued finishes.
Depending on the model chosen, the rifle’s Monte Carlo-style stock was available in synthetic, laminated and walnut versions and included a rubber recoil pad, dual sling-swivel studs and the Sako emblem inlayed into the pistol grip. Checkering adorned the fore-end and wrist area to enhance purchase during wet conditions, and there was a palm-filling swell.


Instead of the traditional-style recoil lug of the 75 (top), the Sako 85 has a minimized version that mates to a hole in a bedding block secured directly to the stock. The groove for the traditional recoil lug is maintained for future use.


Below: To achieve the factory-touted controlled-round feed on the 85, two faces of the lower locking lugs have been removed.

The “Best,†Even Better

It was only natural for Sako to cast a refining eye toward the 75, and some 10 years after its predecessor’s introduction, the 85 has arrived. While many of the 75’s features have been maintained, there are several subtle, and a few not-so-subtle, changes.
At first glance, the differences seem slight, at least externally; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Take the stock for instance. The 85 wears a straight-comb stock with an aesthetically pleasing, classic shadow-line cheekpiece reminiscent of those on high-end safari rifles. Gone is the overly thick palm swell, which was replaced with a thinner, more-shooter-friendly profile. The checkering pattern has also changed and now ends with fewer sharp edges.
The receiver’s rear bridge has been extended and the left wall widened, the latter increasing rigidity and thereby improving accuracy. The recontoured bolt-release button is longer and projects outward less than the older version. Attention has been paid to the bolt shroud, which now possesses a less bulky look. The cocking indicator is less prominent on the 85 and contains a red, plastic insert rather than the red painted version worn by the 75.
Removing the stock, the first obvious difference with regards to the receiver is the lack of a traditional-style recoil lug. The 85 has a minimized version designed to fit in a hole milled into a 2.2x.92x.15-inch steel block secured directly to the stock by two, .75-inch screws. The synthetic-stocked version reportedly has the screws sunk into a pillar. On the bottom of the block there is a .5x.3-inch projection that looks like, and functions as, a recoil lug. Although the traditional-style recoil lug has withstood the test of time, this innovative feature better distributes recoil and allows for a more precise fit of the barreled action to the stock, resulting in improved, and more consistent, accuracy. Testing thus far has proven the system capable of sustaining recoil from a .375 H&H Magnum. Because the company predicted at some point it would chamber larger, more potent dangerous-game cartridges, it retained the groove where the traditional-style recoil lug would reside. However, with nothing in front to secure it, it begs the question, “Without welding, how will it remain in place?â€
The bottom of the 85’s receiver maintains much of its flat profile, but the edges have been contoured, thereby shaving a bit of weight. The Laminated Stainless Model 85’s barreled action—with the magazine inserted—weighed 4 pounds, 7.8 ounces, while the 75 went 4 pounds, 10.5 ounces. Like the 75, the 85 has the magazine-release button on a post forward of the magazine well, only it has been redesigned. Named the “Total Control Latch,†the feature prevents an accidental magazine release—a problem with the 75. To remove the magazine, it must be pushed upward as the magazine release lever is pulled rearward. Too, the magazine has been reconfigured, now possessing straight sidewalls and shorter lips. It maintains the aluminum follower and the ability to be loaded through the loading port. Whereas the 75 has two distinct sides to the feed ramp, the 85 has a semi-traditional version.
In addition to the standard, 2 to 4 pound adjustable trigger found on the 75, a single-set version is available on the 85. Pushing forward on the trigger shoe sets it to a 7.5-ounce pull weight. The test rifle’s trigger broke cleanly at 2 3/4 pounds.
The biggest change in the Sako 85 comes in the bolt design. While it maintains three locking lugs and five guiding surfaces, it has transitioned from a push feed to what I consider a quasi-controlled-round feed, though Sako considers it true controlled-round feed. To accomplish this, two faces of lower two locking lugs have been removed; thererfore, the bottom portion of the bolt face is no longer recessed. As the cartridge is pushed forward, up the feed ramp and clear of the magazine’s lips, it rises and comes to rest against the bolt face, where it is then pushed further up and under the extractor. Even before the bolt lugs have reached the forward edge of the loading port the cartridge is under full control and can be withdrawn if desired. The benefit of this feature is obvious: reliability.
Other differences in the 85’s bolt include a slightly smaller diameter, different bolt handle angle and scaled-down locking lugs. The bolt also weighs .9 ounce less than the 75’s.
The Sako 85 will initially be available in Bavarian, Finnlight, Hunter, Hunter Stainless, Laminated Stainless, Synthetic Stainless, Varmint and Varmint Laminated models; however, the company recently informed me it plans to introduce Guide and Safari versions to the lineup sometime in the near future. Depending on the model, chamberings range from .204 Ruger through .375 H&H Magnum. With the introduction of the Safari model, the company will delve into the larger dangerous-game chamberings.
You get what you pay for, and this certainly applies to the Sako 85. Checking with a few gunshops revealed the least-expensive version is the Synthetic Stainless, which sells for around $1,300, and is approximately $225 less than the MSRP. Stepping up to the blued 85 Hunter will run cost you about $1,475. Expect to pay a few dollars extra for rifles chambered for the WSM cartridges.
The Sako 75’s longevity and market success prove the company’s original claims were not simply media hype. But when pitted against the company’s latest bolt-action, the statements seem a bit premature.
Range Results
I wanted a Sako 75 and an 85 in identical chamberings for side-by-side comparisons when penning this piece. The first two alike available were Laminated Stainless models chambered in .260 Remington—one of my favorite cartridges, and a fine choice to test the accuracy potential.
My first task was to confirm Sako’s five-shot, minute-of-angle guarantee. To do this, I mounted a Kahles KX 4-12x50 mm riflescope on the 85 and assembled an assortment of ammunition. Of the group, the Federal Premium Vital-Shok 120-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip load had the best average, measuring .76 inch for five, five-shot groups at 100 yards. Not far behind was Remington’s 120-grain AccuTip, which averaged 1.01 inches. In all, three of the four loads tested met the m.o.a. (1.047 inch) accuracy requirement. It’s reassuring to know the rifle you’re going to purchase has proven capable of shooting a five-shot, m.o.a. group before leaving the factory, and that you won’t end up with a lemon.
Although the .260 Remington falls short of a dangerous-game round, it did provide enough recoil and muzzle rise for the next test. I wanted to see how reliable the new design was, considering most people who pursue dangerous game prefer the controlled-round-feed action, and many of those chamberings will soon be available in an 85. With a target placed at 25 yards, I commenced firing as fast as possible. After ejecting the last empty case of the second box of ammunition I gave up trying to make the 85 hiccup. The action functioned flawlessly.
As anticipated, there were no failures to feed, fire, extract or eject—the hallmarks of reliability. And with its five guiding surfaces, the bolt cycled more smoothly and effortlessly than any other I’ve encountered in the past, whether custom or production. This, combined with the short bolt throw, greatly reduced the time required for a follow-up shot and allowed me to more easily chamber another round without removing the gun from my shoulder.
For the money, the Sako 85 is an amazing value. If you are in the market for a new hunting rifle and demanding uncompromising performance, give this one a good look.


Unlike the 75’s stock (right), the 85’s has a steel block attached that’s designed to accept the minimized recoil lug on the receiver. A projection on the block extends downward into a pocket resembling that for a traditional recoil lug.


The Sako 85’s controlled-round feeding action allows the bolt to take control of the cartridge even before the lugs reach the front of the loading port. If so chosen, the design allows for the cartridge to be withdrawn without having been chambered.


Sako 85 Laminated Stainless

Federal Premium Vital-Shok
120-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip ---.76"

Federal Premium Vital-Shok---1.04"
140-grain Sierra BTSP

Remington Premier AccuTip---1.01"
120-grain AccuTip BT

Remington Premier Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded---1.56"
140-grain Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded PSP

Accuracy measured in inches for five, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag rest at 100 yards. The Sako 85 Hunter Laminated Stainless was chambered in .260 Remington, and a Kahles KX 4-12x50 mm riflescope was mounted in Sako Optilock rings.



340

340, thanks for the good summary post. Whoever penned that did a good job. I will tell you that the control round feed feature of the 85 is more hype than reality. Obviously--as written by this fellow--if you can remove the cartridge before it is chambered, the bolt hasn't actually captured the cartridge. It doesn't actually until just before the cartridge is fully chambered. It is a 'push control round feed' setup. You WILL stick a cartridge if you short stroke this action, just as any pushfeed. I personally don't find this a huge issue, it's just the real scoop, I've tried it and done it.

The 'bedding block' in the synthetic stocks is simply a metal block which fits (very tightly) into the molded recesses of the stock. It is not screwed into the stock in any way. I posted a picture around here somewhere, under a thread titled 'the Sako 85 pocket--There is one!'

I like my 85's very much, and as you mentioned in another thread, this is the Sako action I'd still go with--with Sako 75 stock geometry

i loved the palm swell, they shoulda kept it

I think it's a lot of to-do about nothing. There was nothing wrong with the 75 and I don't think the 85 brings anything substantial to the table...It's the whole "change it up" to sell it model. I still think my 75 has my Remington beat any day of the week in terms of svelte feeding and extraction.