Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Sako FinnFire Varmint P94S - Range Report

A few weeks ago I bought an as new in the box Sako Varmint P94S in 22 L.R.
I plan on using it for Ground Squirrel Hunting come next season.
I mounted a brand newish Leupold straight 12 power scope on it with the fine Du-Plex reticle.
The Sako Rifle has the wide forearm on a very pleasingly styled oil finished Varmint stock.
The barrel is heavy, brightly blued and is 22 1/2" long.
The trigger is superb at just an ounce over 2 pounds!
No creep what so ever and crisp as could be.
I used Burris high rings ($34.95!) to mount the 40mm scope on the Sako's grooved action.
I don't think "medium" rings would have allowed the scope to clear the barrel?
Once all set up I began the usual "wait" for a windless day to test the 3 varieties of hollow-point ammunition I prefer to use on Ground Squirrels.
Today was the day.
To begin with anyway.
I set-up at 25 yards to zero the new rig and quickly got that done.
Then I moved my target frame to 50 yards and began testing the Winchester Super-Speed 37 grain hollow-points which are reported to attain 1,330 F.P.S.
Right from the get go it was obvious this Rifle liked this ammo!
I shot two five shot groups at 50 yards that measured .480" and .448" respectively.
Sadly the wind began to swirl and then to blow hard putting an end to my testing!
I did not get to test either the Winchester 40 grain Power-Points or the Federal 36 grain bulk pack hollow-points that are also both very lethal on Ground Squirrels.
Hopefully tomorrow I will get to test them.
What a nifty and great looking Rifle this Sako Finnfire P94S is!
Haven't a complaint one about function or accuracy.
If I was forced to find even a small fault with the Rifle it would be a minor cosmetic one and that would be the barrel is exquisitely bright blue and the action is a pleasing matte finish - I wonder why?
Made me think about which finish scope and rings to get.
I went with bright blue on both and it looks O.K but probably would look a bit nicer if the action and the barrel had similar finishes?
All in all I just LOVE the new Rifle and can't wait to test some more Hunting ammunitions in it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Congrats! That's a nice rifle that I have often considered buying.

No pics?

Kingston:I have not yet mastered posting pictures on line.
I do have several computer type cameras so maybe I will take a picture and send one to you in an E-mail.
Or heres a link to a similar Rifle: http://www.gunbroker.com/item/579537118
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

All you need to do is to load your pictures from the computer to photobucket. Next to every picture you load at photobucket there is a box containing an IMG code. You just click that box and it will highlight in blue. Then right click to copy. Then just right click in any thread and paste that IMG code anywhere in your text.

R H Clark: Thank you for those instructions - I have printed them out!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

No problem my friend. PM me if you have any other questions or problems. We will get on the phone and talk it over.It wasn't too long ago I didn't know how to have two browsers open at the same time or even to copy and paste. It's easy enough if someone simple minded enough (possibly me) can talk you through it in normal English rather than computer nerd speak.

Sounds like a super gopher rifle!!!!

WyoCoyoteHunter: Indeed this Rifle, I am sure, will be a first rate Gopher bonker - sadly I will have to wait til next March to put it to good use on them.
By the way I had one more short session (wind came up again!) at the range with the nifty Sako heavy barrel yesterday and I got off two groups at 50 yards with more of the 37 grain Winchester ammo and those two five shot groups at 50 yards averaged .482".
Sadly the wind came up and put an end to my shooting before I could "season" the barrel with the 40 grain Winchester Power-Points.
Those are up next if the wind ever quits.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Got out to the range again with the Sako P94S and again I was just pleased as punch with the accuracy!
Today I tried the 40 grain Winchester gray box Power-Points.
I was able to season the barrel a bit then I fired three five shot groups at 50 yards in nearly dead calm conditions.
The 40's did shoot better by a tad than the 37 grain Winchester's.
I wanted to fire five five shot groups but only got three groups completed when the wind burped up.
I also wanted to compare these old cardboard box (50 rounds) Power-Points to the "new" plastic box (100 rounds) Power-Points as I heard somewhere (I think on this site?) that the newer Power-Points were not as accurate as the older ones?
This Sako P94S is nearly as accurate as my heavy barrel single shot Remington 40X!
And that's saying something.
Again, the trigger on this P94S is just superb.
I hope to get out again tomorrow to finish my groupings and comparison.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've never had much luck with Winchester ammo. 30 years ago it was good stuff but what I've tried lately hasn't been nearly as good.

Sako's are accurate. Mine liked SK and RWS better than the Winchester stuff. The SK magazine is the cheap stuff. RWS rifle match a bit more.

Smithrjd: Thank you for the tips on the most accurate 22 ammo.
I have noted your suggestions in my shooting/loading log book.
I am trying to find the most accurate small game and Varmint Hunting hollow-point ammo - mostly for Ground Squirrel Hunting.
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks for the review. Just looked one up on-line, nice classy rimfire. Gonna be hard to put anything with a rifled barrel in my safe that is not a sako product after my experience with T3's.

Varmint Guy: Your going to love the SAKO and retire the 40X. I added a Jewell trigger and Lilja barrel to mine. I went with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14 x 50 with target turrets, which makes it very versatile.

I've got a friend that runs his mouth about Winchester 52's constantly. I finally took him out and we shot the 25 dot drill at 60 yards. I left the Texex home and just took Wolf MT, and cleaned his clock, with a gun weighing half as much.

IIRC, fastest lock time in the business.

Good choice.

Oh, and hold into the wind!

TomM1: As promised somewhere above I tried to compare the accuracy of the brand new 100 to the plastic box 40 grain Winchester Power-Points to some old 50 to the cardboard box Winchester 40 grain Power-Points.
The test I conducted a few days ago was cut short by the wind coming up.
But I did get two 5 round groups with each vintage bullet at 50 yards and accuracy as I alternated five shots of each then five shots of the other was virtually the same.
Very good again, by the way!
Then the wind came up and I quit shooting.
I will try this test once more before next spring I am sure.
I have heard a couple of folks say the older Power-Points are more accurate than the new - maybe my cardboard boxed Power-Points aren't old enough?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Grand: I did NOT know that about the fast lock time of the Sako P94S!
That's good advice about the variable scopes being versatile - I will probably trade into a variable scope with adjustable objective for my Sako.
I have shot enough Winchester 52's to know you are saying something by besting your friend there at the range!
Yes I do already have strong feelings for this Sako!
I have to tell a "hurtful" story on myself.
About four years ago I was at a tiny gun show in SW Montana (Whitehall) and I came across a Sako P94S that was for sale at $450.00!
It was being sold by a friend of the former owner and his estate!
I knew NOTHING about these Sako P94S Varmints and decided to walk out to the trunk of my car and reference this model in my "Blue Book of Gun Values".
Once done with that quick reference I decide to "go make an offer" on the Rifle.
Well that 5 minute hesitancy cost me that Rifle as the friend had sold it, and some magazines for $400.00 during my absence!
"He who hesitates, has lost"!
I am just thrilled with my new Sako even though it cost me much more than $400.00!
Again thanks for the lock time info.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Did you purchase that P94 in Ennis?

Daveinmt: Yes I did - good old Shedhorn Sports!
And its a P94S - I am not sure if there is a plain old P94?
Got my first Varmint with it this week - it was a black and white winged nest robber!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The rifle looks very nice on the company website. And, Sako has a great reputation, which is confirmed here. Although, it does not speak so well to hear about replacement of both barrel and trigger.

No 22mag! and they do have 17 mag? There is nothing there for me! I am mystified with that logic. I understand the 17 is popular but I find the 22mag more versatile.