I recently posted about getting a tikka t3 lite but they are hard to come by, so I am looking at a sako 75 stainless synthetic. Is this a better rifle than the t3 with the xtra money you pay, and is it more available? Also I havent seen any for much under $1000, can you find them for less than $900?

You can if your willing to shoot a 7 RUM or a 7MM STW. They seem to have made too many of those and they are about $150-200 cheaper than the "obsolete" chamberings of 30/06 or .270. Check Gunsamerica and you might find a deal. FNMauser

Rash, I purchased a new Sako 75 Hunter in 375 H&H from Gander Mtn. back in October. Sticker price was $880.00 plus tax. I applied on site for a Gander Mtn. credit card and received a 10% discount on the rifle, so my price was ~ $800.00 plus tax. I live in Illinois, so tax is about 7%. In my opinion, the Sako is a fine rifle, better in design and construction than the Tikka, What caliber are you considering? I would opt for the Tikka in lighter calibers. Just my $0.03 worth.
Best, Starcharvski.

Rash

The Sako 75 synthetic stailess is excellent and a better rifle than the TIKKA, IMHO. I own 2 Sakos and have reloaded for 1 TIKKA. Lately, I have been getting away from "Lite" guns as they seem to be less accurate with more recoil and more problems. That's a general statement and will not hold true in all cases. A full size synthetic stainless 75 is the way to go. I'll bet they're making those TIKKA's as fast as they can since they are such a hot item, not a comforting thought.

I don't particularly care for the stock on the synthetic stainless. Had one break at the pistol grip and had a MacMillan stock made for it. Much better. The Sako stock bends too much, not stiff enough. At the range, when you're all set and ready to squeeze off a round, you can push the stock with your right hand and watch the crosshairs move from side to side. Last 75 SS I bought was a 300 win mag and cost me $1,129.00 before taxes.


Without guns we are subjects, with guns we are citizens

The Sako75 is a much better quality gun than the
Tikka T3 with its' plastic parts. As for price, you might want to check out GunBroker.com, and see what they're going for
there.
Another option, and much less costly, take a look at Remingtons' new SPS stainless rifle.
Link: http://www.remington.com/firearms/firearmsfr.htm

I just got back from my local shop and they had a Sako 75 stailess/synthetic chambered in 25-06 for $999 before tax. Seems like a pretty good deal to me. I should have asked but is the 75 a free floating barrel? I ask this because it looked as if the stock was touching the barrel in one place but was not touching anywhere else. Thanks for you replies.

The Sako 75 is a free floating barrel.


Without guns we are subjects, with guns we are citizens

Interesting question. There shouldn't be any difference. Since the action (of a bolt action)has little effect on accuracy, from gun to gun, the only real difference is the barrel. The barrel is the heart of most of the accuracy in a rifle. Both Sako and Tikka are made with the SAME BARRELS. They should shoot the same.

I have a gun case full of them and without exception they shoot! I have paid as little as $700 and as much as $1000 depending on caliber. Most of the ones I have are pre lock. For a while they offered them with a locking bolt but have discontinued that feature and gone back to no lock. The ones with the lock are hard to sell. What caliber are you looking for? I have some duplicates

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby:
Interesting question. There shouldn't be any difference. Since the action (of a bolt action)has little effect on accuracy, from gun to gun, the only real difference is the barrel. The barrel is the heart of most of the accuracy in a rifle. Both Sako and Tikka are made with the SAME BARRELS. They should shoot the same.

Umm...the action does play a part in accuracy in regards to the bolt lugs bearing on the reciever, or else people wouldn't be spending time and money on lapping their lugs.

As far as accuracy between Tikkas and Sakos, no there isn't a significant difference if any difference at all. BUT, that's probably because Sako does such a good job at getting full lug contact with both brands. My T3 came from the factory with 90% bolt lug contact on both lugs. So your statement would be correct, but I wouldn't venture to say a factory Win M70 action with a Sako barrel will shoot as well as a Sako 75.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby:
Interesting question. There shouldn't be any difference. Since the action (of a bolt action)has little effect on accuracy, from gun to gun, the only real difference is the barrel. The barrel is the heart of most of the accuracy in a rifle. Both Sako and Tikka are made with the SAME BARRELS. They should shoot the same.

Barrels may be the most important component in making a rifle shoot but they aren't the only one. They may have the same barrels but Sako guarentees 1" 5 shot groups for the Model 75's and "only" guarantees 1" 3 shot groups for the Tikka's. The Tikka's are good rifles the Model 75's are great rifles. I have at least 4 Model 75's that have shot 1/2 Minute (3 shot) groups at 300yds. Every model 75 I've had has shot from very good to great............DJ

My buddy just bought a Sako synthetic and the stock seems crappy for a $1200 rifle. Seems to me you could get a good Rem/Ruger/Win and put a Hart/Krieger/Lilja type barrel on it for the same price as a Sako and really have something.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcatcher223:
My buddy just bought a Sako synthetic and the stock seems crappy for a $1200 rifle. Seems to me you could get a good Rem/Ruger/Win and put a Hart/Krieger/Lilja type barrel on it for the same price as a Sako and really have something.

You still wouldnt have the fine craftmanship that goes into the barreled action.
Heck, you can go buy a $400 Savage and shoot just as well as a Sako or Tikka, but there's something to be said about a perfectly machined bolt in a perfectly machined action. You won't find ugly welds on a Sako bolt.
A Sako synthetic stock is far nicer than a Rem, Ruger, or Winchester stock (made by them, not those made by other companies for their nicer rifles).
Thats just MHO of course.

Most of my Sako's end up with McMillan stocks sooner or later. There is something joyful about owning a Sako or, in my case, twelve Sakos. The Hunter/Hunter Lightweight models are my favorites, but I am starting to warm up to my one Model 75. No factory synthetic (injection molded) stocks are worth the cost of the empty milk jugs they are made of. I have never regretted buying a Sako. They are the definition of "too cool for school".
lawndart

Well I had a Sako stainless syn in 7mm-08 and it was not to my liking, it was far too heavy and it was none too accurate. The trigger was lumpy and inconsistant. Last week I did a deal and got a Remington Titanium in 7mm-08. The trigger was lightend to my liking. It's all dressed up with a nice Leupy 1.5-6x in Warne mounts. The recoil seems no more than the Sako, this I put down to, IMHO, the much better stock on the Remington. It shoots far better than the Sako ever did. To me it is some of the best kit that can be put together, for deer stalking, at a reasonable price and it's all American. Now that has to be good!

quote:

Originally posted by oldun:
Well I had a Sako stainless syn in 7mm-08 and it was not to my liking, it was far too heavy and it was none too accurate. The trigger was lumpy and inconsistant.

Sako 75's are guaranteed to shoot 5 shots into 1" at 100yds. If yours was "none too accurate" perhaps it just needed the correct ammo. I would think in a 7-08 a regular stainless synthetic would be a bit heavy for my tastes too. However I think a Finnlite in 7-08 would be sweet.
A local high end gunsmith told me about buying up a few Sako 75 actions to rebarrel for different custom projects. He said that he made up tooling so that he could blueprint the action. He said the first one he set-up was dead-nuts on with 100% lug contact and everything perfectly square. He said it was probably a waste of time to make the tooling.
Sometimes I wonder if Remingtons are so popular because they keep gunsmiths in business trying to make them they way the should be from the factory.............DJ

You are off beam there DJ, no gunsmith touched my Remington, the trigger adjustment was done by me. It must have taken all of ten minuets to do. The Remington trigger is much better than the Sako was. The Remington is smooth and breaks clean, no lumpy drag at all.
The same ammo, ie Remington factory was used in both rifles and the Remington out did the Sako.
Not by much and nothing to get excited about. But the weight difference is, I love that light rifle, it suits me fine.
I have said on others topics I'm past sixty years of age now, I do get a twinge in the wrists now and then, the titanium is a God send for me.
I have to be honest and say that one of the best rifles I owned, some twenty odd years ago, was a Sako fully wooded job in 308, man that was a beauty, but the bang when she was touched off, ouch! I don't care for the model 75 as much. As you say, it's all for fun, shooting and deer stalking give me a great deal of pleasure and I hope you enjoy it too.

Oldun, how heavy was that Sako and which remington ammo did you use?

My poor man's Sako, a .308win T3, won't shoot any Remington ammo (I've only tried Core-Lokts and Core-Lokt Ultras in different weights) worth a hoot, but puts 3 rounds of Federal Nosler BT, Win Supreme BT, all Hornady, and a few other hunting rounds easily into 0.75MOA or better.
Never heard of anyone saying their Sako wasn't at least as accurate as their guarantee states.

Fumbler, Sorry I can't tell you how heavy the sako 75 was, is, only that it was heavier than the catalogue stated.
I am not the only Kiwi who is of the view that the standard 75 is too heavy. The Finnlight is much better for the conditions under which we a hunting go.
The Factory Ammo is Remington Premier Partition, dammed fine it is too. Yesterday I picked up a box of Express Corelocked to try in the Titanium.
A few years ago I had a 700 Mountain rifle wood blue with the datachable magazine, that shot Express Corlocked very well. An old Buddy of mine fell in love with it so I let it go to him. He is very happy with it and still uses the same ammo.
It had not occured to me till now that I may not have shot the Sako to it's potential. When you aren't happy with some aspect of, well allmost anything, performance can decline. No matter I did not loose much on the Sako. A young Forester bought it and he likes it. It could well have been that I did not give the 75 a fair go! But it was the weight not the performance I did not like.

Oldun, I think that we are mostly in agreement. In the lighter calibers the std 75's are IMHO a little heavy but just about right for my 300 Ultra. I also wish that there was a little more adjustment available in the Sako trigger like there is in a Remington.
Older Remingtons have some of my favorite triggers. The newer ones (at least the last 5 700's I've had) need to be resprung to be safe and not have a lot of creep. I've had dozen or more Remingtons and like them as a target rifle, but have been becoming less enamored with some of their cheap bits and wish they were a little better made.
Good luck with yours, if the gun fits you and suits your style thats a lot more important than most other factors..............DJ

It should come as no surprise to anyone who looks closely at the Tikka receivers to see the similarity to the old Sako L691's. The lines and dimensions are vitually identical. The only real differences are the cutouts for the magazines wells and ejection ports. The Tikkas are smaller, which means they are heavier ...and stiffer. I believe this accounts for the Tikkas reputation for accuracy since they use Sako barrels. Just my .02.

wow,sako is cheap in usa i can see,
here in sweden,close to finland,,the sako75ss
cost 2571$ or 18000swedish mony.

MRdeer, How much of the $2571 is VAT tax or the equivelant in Sweden?........DJ

25%

In Finland Sako75 Hunter costs 1450 euros = 1885 USD.

quote:

Originally posted by peezzi:
In Finland Sako75 Hunter costs 1450 euros = 1885 USD.

Wow! I can buy a new one here in the USA for about $900 less!

Fumbler. I've tried the bog standard 140 grain core locked in the Titanium 7mm-08. It shoots very well, better than the Nosler.
There has been one change. Untill a few days ago there were a set of Weaver alloy mounts on the rifle, they have been replaced by a pair of Leupy steel ones. The rifle seems to shoot better than it did. More, the adjustment on the scope elevation and windage seems more precise. Has any one else had the same sort of experience when changing form alloy to steel mounts? I can't think why such an improvement might have taken place. Just in case any one is wondering, no the Weavers weren't loose nore were the rings. It seems quite odd to me. Could it just be that I was shooting better today?

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Sako 75's are guaranteed to shoot 5 shots into 1" at 100yds. If yours was "none too accurate" perhaps it just needed the correct ammo. I would think in a 7-08 a regular stainless synthetic would be a bit heavy for my tastes too. However I think a Finnlite in 7-08 would be sweet.
A local high end gunsmith told me about buying up a few Sako 75 actions to rebarrel for different custom projects. He said that he made up tooling so that he could blueprint the action. He said the first one he set-up was dead-nuts on with 100% lug contact and everything perfectly square. He said it was probably a waste of time to make the tooling.
Sometimes I wonder if Remingtons are so popular because they keep gunsmiths in business trying to make them they way the should be from the factory.............DJ

DJP; PM me and let me know which local gunsmith you are referring to (SB?). I am interested in a custom with a Sako action. Let's get coffee sometime, heck we both go to the same club, but haven't had the pleasure.

Mighty Joe, Yea it was SB in the story. I've got a 75 in 7 RUM that I'm seriously thinking about having him turn into a 338 RUM. You might have seen me at the range before I'm the guy that allways makes fun of for bringing too many rifles to the range. . This is my busy season at work but later in the year we'll definately have to meet at the range for some coffee and shooting..............DJ