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My First Sako - Left Hand AV 416 Remington Mag.

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Clayman

Member
Hi all,

First post on this forum, and I'm finding it an absolute necessity to be a member to unearth the amount of information on Sako that's out there. I'm a long time admirer of the brand and recently came across and simply HAD to have this one. It's an AV Deluxe built on an L61R action chambered in 416 Remington Magnum. Best of all, it's configured to suit me as a lefty! I should say I think it's an L61R action; Sako makes things very confusing to identify with all the changes and different models. Feel free to correct anything I've typed. I'm an avid LH gun nut, and I have to say I've never even heard of one of these, let alone handled one in person. I think I might have a gem on my hands.

The rifle wasn't advertised as such, but I'm almost positive it was totally unfired. When I picked it up, I could find no evidence of it even being handled that much, let alone shot. Fortunately, that situation has been solved, as I took it to the range a few times and am getting it broken in correctly. All told, I'm probably 30 rounds in and very happy so far. I've done very little accuracy or load work on it, and it shoots easily well enough for hunting and likely quite a bit better. More to come on that front.

The only issue I can find so far is with the ejection. This was purchased to most certainly pursue dangerous game, and feed and function are paramount. It doesn't seem to want to eject fired cases when I rack the bolt. Mind you, I'm pulling like I would in a hunting situation (hard) expecting the case to go flying, but it just sits on the follower. I have some more discovery and experimentation to do, but I'm open to suggestions from the gallery; you all have vastly more experience than I. If there are any other recommendations to prepare this rifle for a lifetime of hunting, I'm open to them, too.

Anyway, here are a few pictures. The only modification I've done so far, other than mount the scope, is replace the recoil pad, which had become petrified over the years. I went with a red Pachmayr to keep the look and fitted it myself. Probably my best install ever if I had to rank them.

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Welcome....your bolt could simply use a good cleaning. If it has sat that long with possibly no use, it could just be gummed up with old oil or grease.
 
Thanks, CVCOBRA. When I initially received the gun, I gave it a light cleaning to get some of the oil off. Everything else worked fine except the ejection, so I took your's and a few other's advice and did a more detailed strip and clean yesterday. I soaked the bolt in acetone for a few hours and blew it dry with my compressor. I also did the same thing with the ejector/bolt stop assembly. There is nothing on those parts now. They're down to just the metal. Some goo did come off but the issue still persists.

It's really strange as I can't see anything overtly wrong with any of the parts. The springs still have good strength in them, and the ejector looks unmodified or undamaged, but my sample size is one, so I have nothing against which I can compare. The extractor has a good grip on the case. The extractor is also purple on my gun; seems strange it would be the only part that color.

I might capture some video of me ejecting a case so I can see in slow-mo what's happening. Cases aren't hitting the scope or anything. Has me puzzled.
 
Clayman.......

First......Is the bolt guide-rod positioned on the left side of the bolt(in the left side receiver way)?

Second.....With the bolt removed, is there spring pressure on the ejector-boltstop internal lever-arm? You can feel it with your little finger, inside the right receiver way.

Third......How close of a fit is the case head diameter, to the inside diameter of the boltface?

(Fourth.........The above should be correct for a true left-handed action design. Not a right-handed action, in a left-handed stock.)

Start with these.

edit: BTW.......your pics are not showing up, for me.

Hope this helps.
 
That would have been my next point. Some of these oversized windage turrets can knock a case back down into the chamber, but if you have that covered only thing is short ejector pin. What scope rings and mounts do you have? Do they hang over the chamber?

oops: forgot it was a lefty so the turret thought can be kicked out......
 
To solve the kick-back problem, simply rotate the scope one quarter turn to the right. The windage and elevation adjustments will be offset by doing that but you can easily get use to that. Just remember that windage becomes elevation and elevation becomes windage.

rick
 
Clayman.......

First......Is the bolt guide-rod positioned on the left side of the bolt(in the left side receiver way)?

Second.....With the bolt removed, is there spring pressure on the ejector-boltstop internal lever-arm? You can feel it with your little finger, inside the right receiver way.

Third......How close of a fit is the case head diameter, to the inside diameter of the boltface?

(Fourth.........The above should be correct for a true left-handed action design. Not a right-handed action, in a left-handed stock.)

Start with these.

edit: BTW.......your pics are not showing up, for me.

Hope this helps.
Thanks, kevinlg. Not sure what's up with the pictures. They work on the computer version of the forum but I can't see them on my phone, either. I'll check it out. In order of your questions:

1. Yes. This is a true LH action. Bolt guide on the left side if you're looking down the barrel.
2. Yes. I took this apart and cleaned it good yesterday. Spring is still strong and the ejector/bolt stop pops into place without any resistance.
3. I took some pictures of the bolt face with a case in it. No observable gap or play.
4. Roger that. LH all the way.
 
That would have been my next point. Some of these oversized windage turrets can knock a case back down into the chamber, but if you have that covered only thing is short ejector pin. What scope rings and mounts do you have? Do they hang over the chamber?

oops: forgot it was a lefty so the turret thought can be kicked out......
That was my suspicion at first. I've sat with the rifle for a bit of time just working the bolt with a spent case to see what's up. The case doesn't even lift far enough up to hit the scope, though the angle is narrow enough it probably wouldn't anyway. These are Talley rings & mounts in a low height. I'm not at all opposed to raising the scope up with the medium rings if that were the issue. I can't see any brass marks on the scope to indicate it's hitting.

Could you elaborate on the "short ejector"? I don't know what they're supposed to look like, only what mine looks like. It certainly doesn't look like it's been modified, but I could be wrong. If it helps, I can get a picture of that, too.
 
UPDATE! Guys, I'm embarrassed to say, but I figured out the problem this afternoon. Like some of you have suggested, and what I have now confirmed, the cases are hitting the bottom of the scope! :mad: For clarity, the scope is a Leupold VX-R 1.25-4x20 mounted in LOW Talley rings. There are also telltale dents in the case shoulder from where it hits the scope. I took the scope off, and the rifle sends cases halfway across my basement when the bolt is pulled hard - each and every time.

As they say in sports, "Let's go to the instant replay." Here are a few slow motion videos of what's happening both with and without the scope. (Technology to the rescue again...) Like you'll see, the cases aren't hitting the turret, they're hitting the bottom of the scope.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/meBRZEUSSgEP7aPe7

You honestly have to watch it in slow motion to see it happen. With the naked eye, it's just too quick.

So, I know this has been an issue with some other Sako rifles. I'm totally fine with the obvious solution of simply mounting the scope higher. I might order both a medium and high set of rings and see which one works and return the other. Are there any modifications that can be done to the ejector itself, or is it best to leave that alone? Rotating the scope isn't an option, as there are three turrets.
 
Glad you got that figured out. At the bench you would never worry about that. I can say I have hunted with at least seven of my Sakos and have not had that happen in the field. Most of my rifles have the Sako rings but can't see how that would be that much of a difference.
Thanks for posting back.
 
At this point I would try different strength springs that power the extractor.

This would possibly change the case release angle, relative to the bolt axis........resulting in clearing the scope turret, upon ejection.

This may work..........hopefully.
 
At this point I would try different strength springs that power the extractor.

This would possibly change the case release angle, relative to the bolt axis........resulting in clearing the scope turret, upon ejection.

This may work..........hopefully.
Thanks, Kevin. That was actually my thinking after reading a bunch of stuff on this and other sites. I just got a response from Greg @ Gre-Tan saying it might help, too. I'm going to mount the scope higher no matter what, and my hope is the combination of factors will eliminate the issue altogether.

I don't have any immediate plans to hunt DG (not for the next two years, at least), so I have time to iron this out and get it thoroughly broken in.
 
Yep.......there are some sharp/experienced gunsmiths, over on the AR board.

As an aside......I'd suggest caution when "throwing" the bolt forward, on a Sako action, too hard. Damage is possible at the primary extraction interface of the bolt handle and action rear. Remington's can be pretty bad also.

Good luck.
 
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It's been recommended I also do the bolt clip/roll pin swap to prevent things from breaking and locking up. What say you? Sounds like a DIY project if the parts are available.
 
It's been recommended I also do the bolt clip/roll pin swap to prevent things from breaking and locking up. What say you? Sounds like a DIY project if the parts are available.

I'm not sure what "bolt clip/roll pin swap" is...........but, if it has to do with the factory attachment of the guide rod to the bolt body........STOP!!
Any bolt lockup, caused by the guide rod, has been traced to dis-assembly and INCORRECT re-assembly of the guide rod components.

But......that's a whole nuther story/discussion.
 
I'm not sure what "bolt clip/roll pin swap" is...........but, if it has to do with the factory attachment of the guide rod to the bolt body........STOP!!
Any bolt lockup, caused by the guide rod, has been traced to dis-assembly and INCORRECT re-assembly of the guide rod components.

But......that's a whole nuther story/discussion.
Yeah, that's what I meant. I've read the stories on this and other sites about the bolt guide "shifting forward" (as it's phrased) and locking things up. As this rifle will be used for its intended purpose, to kill things that could kill me back, I really, really don't want that to happen. :D I have no desire to take things apart if they don't need it but also want to button up any potential pitfalls.
 
Ok then......

I'm pretty sure this so-called "deficiency" in design has been previously discussed both here and on the AR board.

A search on both boards should get you some good information.
 
Yeah, that's what I meant. I've read the stories on this and other sites about the bolt guide "shifting forward" (as it's phrased) and locking things up. As this rifle will be used for its intended purpose, to kill things that could kill me back, I really, really don't want that to happen. :D I have no desire to take things apart if they don't need it but also want to button up any potential pitfalls.
The number one cause of the bolt guide sliding forward is from people unnecessarily taking the bolt apart. Check to make sure your bolt guide is solidly in place & will not slide forward & stop fretting over minutia. The clip and/or spring has to fail for that to happen & disassembly & reassembly put more stress on those parts than they ever get from normal bolt cycling. The BIG magnum rifles usually have a very low round count and thus less wear & tear than smaller game cartridges or varmint rifles, so the chances of the bolt guide showing problems is even less. If you are so worried about the unbelievably remote chance the bolt guide will somehow fail during a rhinoceros charge, get a rifle that doesn't use a bolt guide. After 50+ years a shooting hundreds of rifles I have NEVER had a bolt guide fail. The only one I have seen fail was on a rifle that someone had disassembled the bolt on. Anything mechanical can fail. To expect zero risks with anything is a fool's errand. Just my two cents.
 
The number one cause of the bolt guide sliding forward is from people unnecessarily taking the bolt apart. Check to make sure your bolt guide is solidly in place & will not slide forward & stop fretting over minutia. The clip and/or spring has to fail for that to happen & disassembly & reassembly put more stress on those parts than they ever get from normal bolt cycling. The BIG magnum rifles usually have a very low round count and thus less wear & tear than smaller game cartridges or varmint rifles, so the chances of the bolt guide showing problems is even less. If you are so worried about the unbelievably remote chance the bolt guide will somehow fail during a rhinoceros charge, get a rifle that doesn't use a bolt guide. After 50+ years a shooting hundreds of rifles I have NEVER had a bolt guide fail. The only one I have seen fail was on a rifle that someone had disassembled the bolt on. Anything mechanical can fail. To expect zero risks with anything is a fool's errand. Just my two cents.
Thanks for the feedback! Your advice is sensible, reinforcing, and convincing. I should go on record that I have no intent to do anything if it's not proven to mitigate risk. I had no idea what the problem was with the bolt guide - never heard of it before, and it seems a bit of a stretch to me, TBH - but have heard from some that it might be good insurance. The likelihood my bolt has been disassembled at all is almost zero, so I'm increasingly less-concerned with this. I ain't taking it apart, that's for sure.

I plan on shooting this rifle, though obviously not to the extent one would shoot a 270 or similar. If I don't have to waste my time and $$ on activities that are fruitless, so much the better. I have some extractor springs and higher scope rings on the way right now to give a go at this ejection angle thing. If that works out, it's off to the range!
 
Here's an update - I know everyone was on the edges of their seats. :)

I ordered a different scope, the traditional Leupold 1.5-5x20, and some accompanying Talley rings. Should all be here by the end of the week, and I can likely get it mounted and tested for the weekend. My hope is the reduced tube diameter and especially the lack of the chunky illumination turret on the left side will address the ejection issue.

Should that not work, I think I'm out of home remedies. I've heard of a common practice among those with similar style actions to bevel the top corner of the extractor very slightly to get the cases moving in the right direction. I haven't been able to find a picture of what this looks like, but it might be worth considering if my plan doesn't work out.
 
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