I have an L61R actioned Sako that tends to eject empty cases too high. What I mean by this is it throws them into my scope. When it does that more times than not they simply fall back into the open receiver, you can imagine the rest. The scope is mounted on medium high rings, so being too low shouldn't be the problem. And if it matters, it's a 375H&H.

My question is, can a decent 'smith change the angle at which the rifle ejects the empty cases as to not bounce them off my scope? If so, is this going to be an expensive operation?

thanks...

Muleshoe,

You sure its a 61R & not a L691 Sako? Reason I ask is that I have a L691 in 375 H&H that does the same thing. It ejects the case almost 90 degrees up rather than to the side & hits the scope turrets. Every gunsmith I have spoken to tells me that the 61R or Finnbear did not have this problem & they changed something on the L691 actions.

I use low rings & was told that higher rings would allieviate the problem. I had a very knowledgeable Smith look at mine & in the case of the L691 you will note that the right hand side rail has a raised ridge sort of like a roof on a house. This causes the case to go up but note this only happens with the last case in the magazine. When there are cartridges in the magazine, mine ejects OK.

I did a simple fix which does not need spending any money courtesy of someone on these forums. Turn the scope 90 degrees so the turrets are on the left of the bolt & one straight up. Nothing for the case to hit. But you have to put labels inside the turret caps since all the labels now don't apply.

If yours is a L61R then maybe its worthwile to have the ejector spring checked & also the tension on the Sako extractor. With mine it was a design problem so not easy to fix.

Good luck with it.

Regards
JohnT

Yup, it's an L61R. I'll try rolling the scope over a quarter turn and see if that works first. Then I reckon it's off to the gunsmith's.

Thanks.

I have owned two L61R action rifles since 1986, and have never experienced ejection problems.

I also know several other L61R users, and they have never mentioned ejection problems, which leads me to believe that problem is somehow specific to just your rifle.

Both my rifles were originally 25/06 calibre before being rechambered to 25/06 AI, but even with the Ackley version, the ejection is normal.

Obviously you are using a .532 magnum bolt face, but I am unsure how that changes the dynamics of the ejection process.

Hopefully some other L61R user who logs on has experienced similar problems, and may be able to offer advice on cause and rectification. Otherwise a visit to a competent gunsmith will be required to sort out the problem. Good luck, Brian.

Sounds like a trip to the gunsmith is in order. I have a 338 and a 340, both in Sako L61 actions. No problems and I've had them for 30 and 20 years, respectively.

Turning the scope 1/4 turn might be a good temporary fix. But the real culprit should be readily fixable by a gunsmith.

Good luck!