Yeah- winchester, Remington, Savage, just a few that come to mind.

Some enterprising Finns should buy the old L or A series tooling and start up again.

Where I have I heard that before? Every discussion about Winchester closing their doors.

I have owned Pre-Garcia, the A series, and now a 75. Liked them all, ALL shot very well w/o work. Never liked the Series just before the 75s .....IIRC i.e. 491/591/691 series. To anyone knocking the 75/85s, I would ask.....have you shot one? True you cannot beat the hand labor of the Pre-G but the newer models seem to shoot good groups, are totally dependable, have good triggers, and do not need work to shoot, and often have better build quality then Remchesters....IMHO based on experience w/Rem, Win, etc. etc.

I just do not hear of poor shooting Sako 'anything'

im a huge 75 model fan,

ive got three so far,

30.06 AI
243 AI
Tac .20

they all shoot very well indeed, wouldn't change them for the world.

i cant say much for the earlier models or the 85 models, im stuck with my blinkers on with the 75's

You are talking about a lot of lovely old SAKOs, but how about an early 1950s vintage FN Mauser action SAKO in 8x60mm (as in 0.318 bore)? It's pretty too!

I like Sakos alot, I have a fiberclass in 30-06, and another one 338.

Cabelas here has a slug of used Sakos.

What I really want is a Sako Mannlicher, or one of the new Sako 85 Bavarias.

Has anyone got a new Sako stainless laminate in 9.3x66/370 Sako.

I love my model 75's. My friend and I bought new m75 SS 300WM in 1998 and since then I now have 4- SS 300WM with custom fluting and teflon coated flutes, a SS 243, Greywolf 300WSM and my new one I should be getting anyday now from my gunsmith, a new m75 Greywolf with a #5 fluted barrel and powdercoated in 338-06AI-this rifle was a new 25-06 but only needed the action for my project rifle.

I'm also tempted to buy a m75 SS 270WSM (I have 2 T3 LS in 270WSM) but the Sako is a black stock (I preferthe grey with black rubbber inlay)and I may get it and put a Macmillan stock on it in Instrument Tan with black & white webbing.

Sweet pics everyone. I'll post my group when I get my new back.

Peace, you probably are aware, but the grey rubber inlaid stock is on the finnlites. I may have one you can have here, let me know if you are interested. The finnlites have a shorter, fluted barrel.--on the other hand, the McMillans are just awesome, have a bunch!


D99, which Cabela's has a 'slug of used ones' I'd like to check and see if they are online.
Thanks--Don

Here are a few pictures of my Sako 85 Finnlight in .308 Win. I had McMillan drop it into a Sako Classic Edge along with pillar and glass bedding.

Just a bit of trivia...
The Forest Service has used some of the Finnbear 375's along with their large stock of M70's for many years. The only really unique issue I can remember with the Sako's, other than people falling on the stocks and breaking them, is the anti-bind device is held in place with a small flat spring. I have seen a couple of these fail and when the gun was fired the anti-bind device slid forward over the locking lug instantly making the gun a club. By pinning the device behind the retaining ring it prevents the issue from happening. Obviously a rare issue but could be a fatal one in the right, make that wrong, situation. If you have one of these earlier guns I would at least have someone look at it to make sure its in good shape or to have a pin installed to replace it.
Best shooting barrel I ever had was a Sako blank I had installed on a 722. Shot little bitty groups.

Somewhat off topic, but recently purchased unfired H&R L61 R Ultra Rifle and am impressed with the action and actually gun overall. H&R simply "screwed" on a Douglas barrel, stock from Fajen, Sako action and come out with a perhaps more modern looking rifle than normally would like, but the Sako action makes up for any detractions. Shoots very well indeed and has an excellent trigger once it was adjusted.

Spent a fair amount of time in the bush in Alaska late 70's and 80's and been with the AF&G folks a few times and the Sako they had with them for bear protection was in 375HH and had an 18" barrel and looked like it had been drug behind a truck for a few miles. No optics, plain V notch rear and bead front. Just a tool to be used if needed.

quote:

Originally posted by OldCenterChurch:
Here are a few pictures of my Sako 85 Finnlight in .308 Win. I had McMillan drop it into a Sako Classic Edge along with pillar and glass bedding.

church:
Do you know the weight difference between the finnlight stock and the McMillan stock?

Jon, I have 2 sako 75's that are in mcmillan edge stocks which weigh 27 oz. w/1" pad. The sako 75 synthetic stocks were atleast 10oz. or more heavier IIRC.The mcmillans are the only improvements I ever felt were needed on the sako 75's.

I really like that new Bavaria, but I am afraid that Beretta won't import any.

Any word on that?

Handwerk, et al, I agree withou regarding the stock. I am as big a Sako fan as they come, but I am really disappointed with the current Sako stocks - wood and plastic. For that kind of money, Sako whould be using wood with more figure and stocks that are equal to a McMillan. The current wood stocks look as if they were finished with a Hersey bar.

I'm a happy guy, my two new sakos came in. the first was the classic, it's NIB M591 .243, which was the only caliber offered in that model. I guess I didn't know of this pre-75 model. Looks just like the A-II,but according to my shooters bible and the sako website, was the first Sako action to be CNC machined. It's got a beautiful stock too. The other is an AV finnbear .338 wearing a 4x leupold in low rings. It fits like a glove! I went to the range with some federal premiums and hit every gong I shot at! I was thinking I was going to put a higher power scope on it, but think I'll play with the 4x. It has the CPC crosshairs too!

What amazed me was the empties. No, zilch, nada for powder residue on the neck, perfectly centered firing pin strike, I put the 18th through 25th shot through it. Me likey. This is not what I'm accustomed to with my other .338. It's a bit rougher in the chambering dept., it's a Remington sendero which is damn accurate.

Thanks, just had to spout off a little.

So, help me out on this. What models have the integral recoil lug? Or are they all seperate from the action and set in the stock? Is there anyplace I can find out more on sako's?? Pic's too??

One of the reasons I ask is my favorite gun emporium has 2 older sakos - an AIII in 30.06 with what looks like a "sako classic" stock, and a AV in .375H&H with a synthetic stock. Both look like they are almost unfired. The .06 seems a bit heavy in the barrel...but that would prolly make her shoot.

Are parts / accessories hard to come by for these??


ANY help appreciated.

SC

quote:

Originally posted by StoneCold:
So, help me out on this. What models have the integral recoil lug? Or are they all seperate from the action and set in the stock? Is there anyplace I can find out more on sako's?? Pic's too??
SC

At least the Lx61 (e.g. L461) and the Ax (e.g. AI, AII, AV) series still had integral recoil lugs. The x91 (e.g. 491) series had non-integral recoil lugs, and I believe later models (75, 85) also sport this feature.

- mike

SC

Of the older 2 lug models they all had the integral recoil lug until as mho pointed out the 491, 591 & 691 series. In addition with the '91 series the bolts & actions were no longer scaled for the cartridge. The bolt body was the same diameter for all 3 but they were different lengths.

I have a L691 in 375 H&H & for me it worked out great because I could get a HS Precision stock & just drop it in. I no longer use the aluminium recoil lug but the small circular lug just drops in to the HS bedding block.

It is one of my most accurate rifles. If you wanted a 223 though the L491 is a much more massive action than the L461 and hence less desirable in the eyes of some. But it should be stiffer & stonger and perhaps for a heavy varmint rifle could be preferable.

Also the '91 series came in left hand versions.

I think we find BIG recoil lugs "comforting" thinking they are good for accuracy but as the T3's, current Sakos, Icon (and I seem to recall a benchrest action as well) show you don't need much of a lug for accuracy. It just needs to be a precisely made.

Regards
John