Hi Guys,
a friend of mine has a Sako forester AII in .243 cal. he recently had problems with it holding zero on a warm day down the range.
I checked for the barrel touching the wood on the forend , and as I expected, could not pass a bank note between the barrel and the stock.

He said that the barrel was NOT free floating , and that there were 2 'lumps' in the forend channel that the barrel rested against.

On investigation they appeared to me to be remnants of a poorly machined out forend. I told him to sand them out and float the barrel. This would get the accuracy back.
he said that Sako obviously know more about rifles than I do , and that the would stay.


I have always had Sako or Tikka rifles, and have always relieved the barrel channel if there was any chance of wood swell making the two touch.

I have not owned a Sako of such an old vintage as the forester, and was wondering if anyone has experience of this wood/metal fit.
Please advise.

It happened to me on a Sako Forester also. After a few years the forearm warped a little to the left. Thanks...Bill.

Maybe Sako knows more about rifles than me as well. I have a number of Sako rifles, some are custom barreled & some are factory. Some are heavy varminters & some are sporter barrels. Most have McMillan stocks on all of them, but some are in the original factory stocks. All have free floated barrels, and all of them shoot with exceptional accuracy. If I had one as you described, it would get free floated.
Regards

my heavy barrel forester (L57)is free floated