I posted this in Big bores also, but thought I might get some input here too...

My Sako TRG-S in .338 Lapua has just completely destroyed the highly recommended heavy duty Warne QD rings I invested in.
In the process they gouged a severe slice out of the scope tube, but so far, the Tasco SS 10x42 has held zero just fine.

Is the Sako Dovetail simply inadequate for a heavy 30mm tube scope on a lightweight rifle?

Or does someone out there make a set of rings that will hold up?

Thanks...

pics at:

http://www.users.qwest.net/~tfriendshuh/Image12.jpg
http://www.users.qwest.net/~tfriendshuh/Image11.jpg

Yorick,

I had a similar problem with Warne mounts on my Sako .308 it that they would not grip the rail for more than two or three rounds.

I think the problem is that the tapered rail
acts as a wedge under recoil and drives apart
the vertically split mounts....in effect all the forces are place on the screw threads which simply start to strip. Another guy who
posts here had similar problems with Warne on his .416 Sako.

I went to the new Sako optilock mounts and
although expensive, Ive been very impressed.
They are far better that Sako's old mounting system and they have performed with out a flaw. Although difficult to explain, you end
up with a the tapered rail sliding within
a fixed tapered slot on the base...the stresses are taken by the mounts not the screws...The screws and the recoil stud simply lock it all in place. Depending upon your scope you may get away with the ring mounts but my 50mm scope (30mm tube) needed
the base mounts...Take a look at the Sako
webpage as they have all the measurements
there.

Regards,

Pete

HEY'
GET BURRIS SIGNATURE RINGS,They come with plastic inserts.You don't have to lap the rings,and they won't mar your scopes.
1geejay
www.shooting-hunting.com

I did try a set of burris signatures on my .50, first I couldn't get the right height, and then the .50 wrecked them too...

I will try a set of the Sako's, thanks...

Yorick,

The Sako optilock system comes with the plastic inserts as well. I would strongly
recommend going with the ring mounts as they
do away with an extra joint which in turn is
less to go wrong. The only problem I see is that there is slightly less choice of heights for 30mm tubes in the Sako Optilock Rings mounts compared to their Optilock Base Mounts....

Pete

The two pice type Sako mount with a separate base and rings are the best mount for a Sako rifle. Me and a friend have tested about every mount there is for Sako actions and we came to the conclution that nothing else work really good. The test was made with a benchrest sporter gun in 6 PPC tigth neck.

It�s very important to mount the bases properly on the action to get maximun performance. First screw the rings to the bases and secure the screws with lock tite or similar. Then gently tap the forward base onto the tapered dovetail with a plasic hammer or wooden block. Make sure that the locking screw is not making contact before the base bottoms out on the dovetail. there is difficult to tell how far to work the base on the dovetail. There is a risk of destroying the base if you tap the base to hard. This is a matter of feel and experience, unfortenally.

The rear base have a stop that fit in a cut in the reciver so there is not any problems to get that one rigth.

After this it�s time to mount the scope in the rings. The plasic insert may snap when you try to get them over the tube. This is avoided by rince them in some hot water prior to slide them on the tube.

The scope mounting system on the Sako actions sucks bigtime in my opinion. The actions are very good in allmost every other way so it�s a pity. If Sako have adopted the Tikka system things have been a lot easyer when mounting a scope.

Good shooting.

Stefan.

Stefan,

Just curious, but why do you prefer the Sako
base mounts to their ring mounts?? The only
advantage I can think of is that you can use
shims on the base mount system...

I think the wedge is a good system although
it is not as flexable as a parallel rail as per the Tikka. Until Sako brought out the present optilocks, I felt the sako system was let down be the various base designs which never capitalised on the full strength potential on the system. I would like to see
an additional recoil stud on the front base,
but it seems to work fine without it.

Pete

Hi Pete!

When we tested the sako mounts we couldn�t get the "baseless" mount to perform really good. It sure look better than the big base and ring model though.

We talked to one guy that represented Sako and told him that we would like to se the Sako rifles with the Tikka rail on them. He told us that Sako had thougth about that option when Sako and Tikka joined and started making guns under the same roof. The idea was dropped due to the fact that the tapered dovetail mount is a part of Sakos identity.

He admitted (under pressure) that the mount could be a bit tricky to get to work perfectly.

The tapered bases isn�t always pefectly paralell to the center of the action. The inserts in the new rings take care of this problem though. I would like a set of - and + inserts like Burris have in their Signature rings.

The vertical is easy to adjust with shims though, as you point out.

I really like the last model prior to the Sako 75 model. They are easy to work with if you are making a custom rifle. A trued action of this model and a Sako target barrel will result in a good looking tackdriver.

Regards.

Stefan.

Stefan,

Thanks for the info. I have not seen the Burris system, so I'm not sure how the inserts compensate + or -...I had the old Sako base mounts with windage screws but never really liked them; I feel the new Optilocks are a big improvement.

I have an L591 I'm considering having rebarreled, but the Sako importer for the UK tells me barrels to fit these are no longer made?? If I can't get one of those I think I'll go with L-W or possibly a Border (a British custom/match barrel)..I'm still waiting on a quote from my gunsmith as yet.

Pete

Pete.

The new Burris rings are made for Weaver and Leup./Redfield type mounts. There may be some other models avalible to, not for Sako though (I think). They have two pice offset inserts from .0005" to .020" (they are in - and +).

I dont know if Sako making barrels ready to fit the 591 action any more. I have put several Sako barrels on different actions but I have bougth 30 mm cylindrical blanks. The standard crome moly blanks are resonably cheap here in Swe. about �100. I useally buy them when I go to Finland for benchrest matches.

If you are considering to have some work done at the action when you are rebarreling it I would suggest to cut the reciver face back a bit. This make the action straigth and easy to switch barrels on. It also make some additional area for the shoulder on the barrel to lock up against. This should not ruin you if your gunsmith is fair, it�s a easy job to do.

I have only heard good things about the border barrels! Several of the Norwegian benchresters use them with good results. The 300 m UIT shooters use them a lot here in Swe. on their 6 BR rifles. The price on the Border barrels have gone up quite a bit here so I havent tryed one, yet

The L-W barrels are better priced here so I�m planning to try one out soon.

Regards.

Stefan.