New Sako 85

[South Pender]

I recently purchased this Sako 85 in 270 Win. It's the first Sako I've owned that is of newer manufacture than a number of L- and A-series guns I've owned over the years. I like 3-lug actions with their shorter bolt lift and have owned a few--Wichitas, Sauers, and a couple of Champlins, each with a 60° bolt lift. This Sako has a 70° bolt lift. The bolt tracks very smoothly back and forth with no binding. This rifle has the single-set trigger option that allows one to "set" the trigger for a light let-off of about 8 oz. The trigger permits quite a bit of adjustment over the unset range--from 2 to 4 lbs., weights appropriate for hunting applications. I have adjusted it to about 2.25 lbs. in unset mode.

After taking it apart and checking everything, I agree with those who are less than enthusiastic about the recoil lug setup. I guess it works, but I don't understand why Sako didn't just retain the integral lug of earlier models. This rifle weighs 7 lbs. 4 oz. bare, and will go at about 8 lbs. 6 oz. with the scope and mounts I intend to use. It has a 22.5" barrel that tapers to a muzzle diameter of about .635". It seems to balance well.

Aesthetically, I'm pleased with it. I could have done without the slight Monte Carlo rise in the buttstock, but thank goodness it's not roll-over style and it's not excessive. The quality of the wood is the best I've had in a Sako rifle. Most of the recent wood-stocked Sakos I've seen (like the Bavarians) have had European walnut, but this looks to me as if it might be Claro. It reminds me of the wood we used to see on some of the nicer old Browning FN- and Sako-actioned sporters of the 60s and early 70s. The checkering--which appears to be either 20 or 22 lpi--seems to be very nicely done in adequately large patterns, although I'd have liked wraparound patterns, particularly on the forend--like those early Brownings!

Here are some pictures:

 

[stonecreek]

Super wood! Thanks for your report, and let us know how it shoots.

 

[XTrooper]

Very nice rifle! Congratulations!

Have you taken it to the range yet?

 

[douglastwo]

Love that wood. Makes me want to buy one.

 

[icebear]

Amazing wood. The wood and the checkering remind me of the limited production Sako Classic models built on A-series actions.

 

[South Pender]

Very nice rifle! Congratulations!

Have you taken it to the range yet?

Haven’t had it to the range yet. I snapped it up when it went on sale earlier this summer at an enticingly low price with the idea of getting to it when I was finished with some other projects.

The plan is to fit it with a Swarovski 3-9x36 scope in vintage Sako mounts (as in the picture below). This is a new Swarovski 3-9x36 in the Z3 series with the 4A reticle which I prefer to the duplex. I’ve used earlier Swarovski 3-9x36 scopes in the past (essentially identical to the present Z3 version) in a variety of hunting applications over the years--for everything from pronghorn to elk and moose--and have found this Swarovski model to be just a great all-around hunting scope. It is compact at about 12 in. in length and light (12 oz.) and has 5.40 in. of mounting space in the central tube. The optics are clear and bright and about as good as you can get in a 1-inch scope of this size. I've found the 39 ft. FOV at 100 yards at 3 power adequate for all close-range hunting applications, and I've never felt the need for more magnification than the top-end 9 power. I don't need ballistic turrets or the cluttered range-finding reticles you see with a lot of the latest scopes.

I do have some 30 mm. scopes, but they’re not not ideal for the present application. I can mount this scope--with its 1.65 in.-diameter objective bell--very low on this rifle in the vintage Sako mounts (these are the medium height), and this is important to me with respect to getting a good cheek weld and rapid target acquisition, and preventing the rig from getting top-heavy.

Aesthetics are a big deal to me, but there's no way these days that you can get a scope to match a rifle's finish unless the rifle also has a matte finish. My Sako 85 has a high-polish blue finish, but at least the mounts (also high-polish) match.

 

[XTrooper]

With all the scope options available today, it's quite a coincidence that the scope you bought for your Sako was one of two I had in mind for mine. When I recently went to buy one or the other of the two, the Swarovski 3-9x36 was unavailable so I purchased my second option which is a Steiner 2-10x42 with 4A reticle which I too prefer. It's slightly heavier and longer with a 30mm tube, but essentially in the same length and weight category as the Swarovski with similar crystal-clear glass.
Your rifle should look magnificent mounted with that scope and vintage rings combination. I used a set of the current production Sako 30mm Optilock ringmounts. These eliminate the separate ring bases and mount directly to the receiver's integral mounting rail. I just used them last night to mount the Steiner on my rifle and I think it looks sufficiently compact and is just low enough for me to almost instantly acquire a good sight picture.

 

[South Pender]

You chose a great scope, XTrooper, one that will be just fine in pretty much all hunting applications, short- and and long-range. Your choice of the Optilock ringmounts over the two-piece Optilocks makes complete sense. For one thing, they permit a slightly lower mounting height than the two-piece version, and, of course, they eliminate the need for additional bases which are redundant with the excellent Sako integral dovetail system.

 

[XTrooper]

You chose a great scope, XTrooper, one that will be just fine in pretty much all hunting applications, short- and and long-range. Your choice of the Optilock ringmounts over the two-piece Optilocks makes complete sense. For one thing, they permit a slightly lower mounting height than the two-piece version, and, of course, they eliminate the need for additional bases which are redundant with the excellent Sako integral dovetail system.

Thanks, amigo. I have no experience with the scope or any of the Sako rings so I was hoping I'd made wise choices. Your comments are reassuring.