wow, very informative feedback, thanks much for the pic of the bolt. i am going to pass on the Sako 85. just can't see spending that much money on a rifle that may give me issues that generate from the design engineering fundamentals...
Dogger,
You do not need any assistance, in talking yourself out of a Sako, as you have already started your thread from the negative.
On the other hand, if you have interest, and are trying to wade through the BS, I'll offer my opinion:
There are quite a volume of Sako 85s in use all over the world. Search for videos showing any of those Sako 85s that will eject straight up, through the grip of the extractor. You will not find a single one, as it does not exist. Search for any video showing a Sako 85 that ejects straight up, so that the case goes into the scope tube, and bounces back into the receiver, so to fail to reliably eject and fail to reliably feed. It does not exist. However, you will find quite a number of videos, both slow motion, and real time, showing Sako 85s cycling and ejecting well.
For near a decade now, I've noticed the same handful of people, circulate the same repeated stories, of a few rifles, that at most, would "tink" the scope as the cases were ejected, and turn these incidents into stories of "failure" to eject. When pressed, at the times they still had possession, they would never post a video to demonstrate such claim. Even when offered a hand at a fix, the same handful, reply from the negative, as having no wish to attempt doing so.
You will see this predisposed negative attitude toward Sako, the mounts, the stock, etc. If you look below the surface, you will find much of this BS coming from those who have never run an 85, have never run a Sako synthetic stock, and have never run a current set of Sako mounts.
My advice, if a Sako fits you out the box, and you are not one having a tendency to crawl the stock, THEN, a Sako is worth a good look. On the other hand, if it does not fit you, you tend to stock crawl, or you have need to replace the factory stock to make it work, THEN, a Sako may not be worth a good look.
As for ejection, the claw holds the case, and the standing ejector will only push the case UP, within the spacial clearance between the case head and bolt face. This is enough height to clear the rail. But from that point, the case is under the control of the extractor claw, and MUST follow that path of ejection. The only possible way for the standing ejector to push the case straight up through the grip of the claw, would be if something is askew or out of spec. Examples of this:
-Parts not properly cleaned, and are gummed up and sticking.
-Claw is out of spec, and not holding the case.
-Case is worn or out of spec.
-Spring tension is weak.
Outside of this, some combinations are such, that full hard ejection dinks the case on the way out, but it does eject.
If you look, you will find the same complaints about most every make of rifle made. Just recently there was a thread on ejection issues with Kimber. Quite a number of such threads will have some, piling on, with a volume of repeated BS.
Best of luck
