I have loved Sako's since I was knee high to a grasshopper's wanker, loved them since before I knew what a rifle was. Great triggers, solid actions, funky styling, generally good wood to metal fit.

But.

I tried to buttonhole their regional rep a couple weeks ago so I could bitch him out about the abysmal customer service since Beretta bought them out. It may have been a case of get bought out, or go out of business, I don't know. I do know that the Beretta customer service web page should display "Celebrating 507 years of inbreeding in the Val Trompia" in large letters.
I always try to start with a little honey before I get to the vinegar, so I mentioned that I own almost a dozen Sako's. When I started to go into my tirade about the customer service he said "You've bought a bunch of Sako's, you'll buy a bunch more".
A bunch more used ones, and maybe a couple discontinued new ones to cut up to see if I can make a CRF out of one. My days of always putting a $100.00 a month aside for my next new Sako are over. If I want crappy customer service, a cast receiver, and a stock made out of recycled milk jugs, I can get it for a lot less from the usual suspects.

I guess this has been burning my ass under the surface (like a peat bog fire) for a while.

If anybody has an AV in 300 Win Mag (with sights) that he wants to trade for a new stainless 75 300 Win Mag(with rings), send me a PM. I'll even buy you a cocking piece cover without the lock & key for it.

The TRG 22 still rocks, but otherwise they can kiss my Polish/German/Silesian-American ass.

That is all.

JCN

I'm not really sure that Sako is actually owned by Beretta or if Beretta is simply the U.S. distributor. My impression is that the old Finnish company is likely still independent, but uses a corporate relationship with Beretta for distribution and service. Maybe, or maybe not, at any rate, you're stuck with going through Beretta to resolve problems, and Beretta is much more concerned with its next whopping government contract than with a P.O.'ed customer in Idaho.

Sako has been distributed in the U.S. (to my knowledge) by Firearms International, Rymack, Garcia, Stoeger, and now Beretta.

The distributor has a great deal of influence on the final presentation of the product, with F.I. allowing Sako to sell their classic European model with its slender stock and barrel and lusterous bluing, while Garcia insisted on a fatter "Americanized" stock and barrel and less effort in polishing the blue. Garcia also rejected some higher grade models because they didn't think that they would be price-competitive in the U.S. market. It seems that Beretta ain't afraid of high prices, but does insist on a lot of machine automation to make the price margin larger. I guess that says something about who you're dealing with.

Cologne = Perfume for Men = Foo Foo Water

High End knick knacks = Frou Frou

Beretta owns Sako now, and they are acquiring other companies to complement their product lines (Burris for example). I think they do well with shotguns and high-end foo-foo (its a technical term), but they have not done well with sporting rifles (remember the Mato?).

Individual reps may or may not be good. At least in the Internet Age you can work the email connection up the chain of command in Beretta and Sako.

I just gave my son my Sako L61R in .30-'06 for his birthday, I like the older rifles too.

jim