I've been working with a Browning Safari 22-250 rifle, the one built on a Sako action, with a thin "pencil" barrel. The rifle itself is not accurate at all; so far after trying numerous bullets, powders, loads, and seating depths, the best I've been able to get from it is about 1.3 inches from 5 shots at 100 yards. Most groups have been considerably larger than that. (The rifle wears a 24X Leupold target scope -- the scope is excellent.)

But the trigger is the worst part of this rifle. The safety doesn't work unless you loosen the screws on it. The trigger itself seems to be adjustable, but I need information about how to do it.

Also, this thing is prone to slamfires. It hasn't happened on the range, but when I have the stock off the action and slam the bolt closed, it frequently fires. How can that be prevented?

[ 10-05-2003, 21:17: Message edited by: LE270 ]

Ever note how there are no replacement triggers for Sako"s? Nothing much to improve...

The Sako triggers have a great reputation in general (going way back to the 1950's at least; I'm not sure about before that -- how old is your rifle?).

I'd guess that some hack has monkeyed with your trigger and really screwed things up. If you can't re-adjust it, I'd suspect they did some "polishing" (say, perhaps with a rat-tail file!) on the mechanism.

Very few Sakos have a bad trigger, so I'd have to say "bad example" and I'd bet it didn't leave Riihim�ki that way!

If you can't re-adjust the trigger, I think a trip to a good gunsmith is in order. The triggers are quite simple and made of good materials, so the bill should not be too bad.

Good luck,

jpb

I have a hunch that somebody has tinkered with it - I have always heard good things about Sako triggers, and I have never had trouble with one. I'll bet a good gunsmith, who is familiar with them, can have it perfect in no time.

As far as accuracy goes, you quite possibly have a stock problem. Those pencil barrels (I've had a couple) will shoot right alongside other barrels, but they are fussier about stock pressure in the wrong places. If it's floated now, try a few thin shims under the forend (heavy paper or pieces of matchbook cover, for example), adding pressure until it starts to group. Sounds like a nice rifle, and I'll bet you'll be delighted with it once you get the kinks out. Don't give up too soon!

i have 5 rifles with sako triggers and they all work very well, take yours to a pofessional gunsmith & he will make you happy with it..

I have had mixed results with Sako triggers.

The one on my Safari Grade .338 works very, very well.

The one on my L-42 7 x 33 is okay, but nothing spectacular.

The one on my .25-06 was very ordinary...definitely not as nice as a properly set Remington or a well adjusted Winchester.

The one on my Vixen .223 was a PITA. When you adjusted it light enough to be usable offhand in the field, it would work for about the first 15 shots...then it would begin to fail to hold the striker back as you closed the bolt. Adjusting it enough to hold the striker reliably yielded at least a 4.5 lb or more trigger pull with a creepy sear engagement.

There are replacement triggers for the Sako, or at least were in 1978 when I replaced the one on my Vixen. As I sold the rifle three years ago, I can't go look to see what I put in it, but I think it was a Canjar. Rifle worked fine with the replacement trigger, though didn't shoot nearly as well as my Browning Micro-Medallion.

I still have the original Sako trigger from the Vixen in a plastic bag in my parts drawer in case anyone is interested in obtaining it.

AC

[ 10-10-2003, 20:38: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

The Sako trigger is not a particularly great one. The contact point is well behind the pivot and the surfaces are angled to allow a reasonable pull. There is considerable load on the sear. There is no sear engage ment adjustment. A following down Sako is not unusual. Most Sakos, even with the trigger set on the heavy side, will fire if the cocking piece is rapped with a stick when the rifle is cocked. I personally can't understand why Sako would have made this trigger when there were so many superior designs they could have copied or imitated. At least they have a nice steel housing. In a sense it is a poor trigger which is well made!IMO. Regards, Bill.

I followed the advice given above, and I'm happy to report that it did improve the accuracy of this rifle somewhat. This action has a recoil lug, and the front action screw goes into that lug. Immediately behind that lug the action is flat on the bottom. I placed a shim, consisting of two thicknesses of business card, under the flat section of the action, between the action and the stock; this relieved some of the pressure the stock was putting on the barrel. After doing this, the best 5-shot group I was able to get at 100 yards measures 0.64 inches, and the second-best 0.80 -- this is a considerable improvement from what I got before doing this.

I was also able to work a bit with the trigger and adjust it for trigger pull. Unfortunately, in order to prevent slam fires, I had to adjust the trigger pull heavier than I would like.

I do think this trigger is inferior to the factory trigger on a Remington 700 or a Winchester Model 70. The Remington trigger is adjustable for sear engagement, while the Sako is not. To keep the Sako from slam firing, it seems to need a lot of over travel.

All in all, the Sako trigger, at least the one on this rifle, seems to me to be a poor one.

[ 10-09-2003, 18:18: Message edited by: LE270 ]

LE270

is your rifle built on a mauser 98 action or a push feed action?

The pushfeed actions triggers are often very good and can be adjusten very fine. If it's a controlled feed action it's a FN mauser trigger that needs to be tuned a bit

Cheers
JOHAN

LE270,

The thingee that you think is a fake mauser extractor is not for cosmetic effect. It is called a bolt guide rib and is on the action as an anti-bid feature.

Regards,

Bob

LE270,

They do not bind because they have other anti-bind features. Remington's have a notch on the bolt head that provides that feature. Ditto Winchester push feeds (except those made from 1964-72). I don't know what Savage does.

Weatherby does not require it because their bolt is larger in diameter than their locking lugs.

Try buying a book called "Bolt Action Rifles" by Frank De Haas. It includes a detailed study of just about every bolt action ever made.

Don't take my word for it. Read and understand.

Bob

[ 10-10-2003, 02:14: Message edited by: Shadow ]

Actually the rib which is often described as a guide rib is actually there as a gas baffle, I believe. If the sako extractor is blown out, this rib prevents it from exiting the receiver. Regards, Bill.

I've had several sakos and loved them all.....until this last one, a 243 Forester. This trigger is driving me nuts. NEVER, EVER have I had problems adjusting a Sako trigger to a crisp 2 pound let-off. This bastard refuses to go below 8!!!!!!

I think Timney makes a replacement unit and I am going to buy one if they do.

LE270
I guess the trigger has been adjusted to make the lawyers happy and company's free from lawsuit.

The sako trigger will be worth around 100$ or more, soo I guess you stick to it like glue. The "replacement" triggers are nothing compared to the factory stuff. Timmey are crap in my opinion

I suggest you hire a competent gunsmith to adjust it

triggers from the finnbear will fit on mausers if you remove the saftey

/ JOHAN