DJ. I know your a huge Sako guy and they can do no wrong,I like Sako's too and other than their sorry mounting system which is also way too heavy and bulky, not mention you can't mount your scope low enough. I can find no fault with them. If it's such a fantastic "can't fail" system how come it's not used on every other rifle made? 547.
As far as Sako being able to do no wrong you must have missed my posts about the firing pin retainer that broke on my TRG-22 or where I've compared some of the features of a Kimber Montana being superior to those of a Finnlites. I like both and feel each has it's strengths and weaknesses. The TRG-22 is a superb rifle but you sure don't want to dry fire one much!
As far as why other makers don't use the same system there's probably two reasons. One is that it might be patented by Sako and therefore other makers aren't allowed to use it. Two is that most shooters tend to prefer cheaper to better, going with what works OK at lower costs than something that's better but costs substantially more.
I do agree that the Ruger system is also excellent. It doesn't allow windage adjustment like the dovetail system does and isn't quite as well made but it's solid and a bargain at that.
BTW the low optilocks are indeed what we usually would call a medium height ring but they do make extra-lows (which I haven't tried yet) and one peice ring bases that are even lower. In addition there are other manufacturers that make ring systems for the Sako Dovetails that do allow lower mounting and several of my freinds here prefer anyway, read Talley's and Conetrols. You aren't stuck with just Sako rings on Sako dovetailed rifles.
So in the end we can all have what we want anyway. If you don't like the Sako Dovetails buy the A7 discussed by the OP. They seem to be a solid bargain of a rifle just as the Tikka T-3's are. If you don't mind spending a little more for something a little better move up to the 75 or 85 series rifles - They all shoot great!....................................DJ
