I have been debating over a Winchester and a Sako rifle for quite sometime now. After a discussion with Winchester's custom shop I'm buying the Sako.

I went to the gun shop yesterday to take a final look at both rifles. The Winchester was obviously the model 70 Classic in stainless synthetic. The Sako was their 75 stainless synthetic. The stock on the Winchester was a piece of crap and not even close to having a free floated barrel. The stock could easily be bent with my fingers at the very end of the forearm and just didn't feel right. After a discussion with the dealer I desided to call the Winchester Custom shop and see if I could get one from the factory with a McMillian stock. I was told, "No, we do not consider that custom work." After a further discussion with them they said that the factory stock on that particular rifle only costs about $20 and isn't very good. Imagine that, the custom shop telling a customer that the factory stock sucks! I appreciated the information, but was very disappointed in Winchester as a company putting such a crapy stock on what appeared to be a very nice barreled action.

By the way Winchester does offer what they call an Extreme Weather custom job of their stainless synthetic for $2,300. There's nothing on it that is worth that kind of money. I can get an HS Precision take-down rifle for under $2,000 and it's guaranteed to shoot 1/2 MOA up to and including a .30 caliber.

Sako is getting my business.

JC,

Is this for the 30-06 you were talking about.
Sako rifles are good from what I've heard and seen accuracy wise as well.

Bad to get that kinda info from winchester custom shop very bad for business.

The 2002 Winchester catalog says on page 43 that the M70 Extreme Weather comes with a McMillan fiberglass stock, Decelerator pad and round or fluted match grade barrel. That's what it says but not what you heard!

I would buy the M70 SS Classic for $600 and do the rest myself and have a M70 and not a Sako.

I like the factory stock after it's free floated but the "recoil pad" is hard. I am not sure what I will do about that except use it for now.

jc,
Its not a big deal, just purchase the Win 70 SS Classic and have it restocked. It will cost more in the end but you wind up with a semi-custom rifle. If its price, go with the Sako, if you want something exclusive, go with a semi-custom Winnie. Here's a Win 70 SS Classic in 06. Had the barrel cut and recrowned, pillar bedded it and painted her up in a Bansner stock. She groups in the .5"-.75" range all day. I applied KG Gunkote to all the metal:



I'll be ordering another Win 70 SS in 338 in a couple weeks, going to sink this one in a McMillan Supergrade stock. MtnHtr

[ 11-15-2002, 18:22: Message edited by: MtnHtr ]

One of the biggest reasons I like the Sako over the Winchester is because it fits me like a glove. The stock on the Sako is the best rifle stock on a factory rifle in my opinion. It feels right and functions like I feel a rifle should. Cost for me is a factor. I have saved up for two years for this rifle. Since Beretta bought out Sako the prices of their rifles jumped nearly $200 from last year. I have $1,000 and the price of a Sako last year was $850 for the one I wanted, not it is $1,050. Good thing I already have the scope and that Sako has a rebate for a free set of rings or I'd be screwed...again.

The Sako is getting the nod for the 30-06. Semi-customized Winchester will get the nod when I get the 375 H&H down the road.

If Remington can use HS Precision stocks on their rifles, I believe they still do, why can't Winchester use them or McMillian or another quality stock?

The only modification I plan on making to the Sako is installing a Decelerator recoil pad. I'm putting one on my Remington 870 too.

[ 11-15-2002, 20:47: Message edited by: jcsabolt-2 ]

MtnHtr,

Did you do the stock bedding and painting? I seriously looking at using a High Tech Specialties stock for sheep rifle project and would like to hear some first hand experiences.

How much modification did you have to do to the stock, especially the barrel channel? Any other tricks to the bedding? What type of paint did you use? It turned out looking great.

Thanks,
Brian

bj,
The stock was ordered for the factory barrel contour, no problems. I did bed the first 3 inches of barrel shank and left the rest free-floating. I always wrap tape around the barrel near the forend to keep the barrel centered and level while bedding. On the pillar bedding I did install a third pillar(actually a half pillar) under the middle guard screw. This helps prevent springing the action when tightening the middle screw. The stock was painted with PPG acrylic polyurethane/clearcoated with satin polyurethane.
MtnHtr

What is wrong with the Custom Shop telling you that the orignal stock is a POS. Would you rather they lied to you? It is a POS.



This is a Mod 70 SS .375. MacMillan Stock, tefloned and blacked. Stock cost $240 as is. I had to bed it. Cost to do both $400. I am very happy with it.

Gentlemen

If I should buy any of these factory rifles a aftermarket stock is a must. Both Winchester and sako uses crap stocks That I suspect is made by tupperware

I think the custom shop were very straight forward when they told you about the stock. Sako once made a very nice model on their 691 action called Fiberclass, which has a classic McMillan stock from the factory. This model has either stainless or crome moly barrel. I had three of this modell. I hade one with sako's matchgrade barrel, which often is stainless. I Sweden such a rifle would cost around 450-550$ in 90-99% condition
You would find it used for less money than any of these rifles.

/ JOHAN

[ 11-17-2002, 20:02: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

I know a guy with a stainless synthetic (overmoulded) Sako. He tripped and fell in a badger hole with it and broke the stock in two. His body took most of the impact when he fell and there is no way that stock should have broke.

chuck

I too have heard that the Sako stocks break too easily.

Man,what the hell is sako thinking. They should build a stock strong enough to be used as a crutch,by some dipshit that can't stay on his own two feet.

RMK, you obviously don't get out much.