Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sako 85 ??

Who here loves the sako 85? Just traded into an 85 hunter in 06 I’m considering a McMillan for, post pics of your sako if you have them!

Well Bradley I'll give you my experience. It is a positive one.

I own a 85s classic in 308. Bought it online on a whim sight unseen. Always wanted a Sako.

The rifle is well very constructed and the walnut stock is nicely figured. In my opinion, the fit of the wood to metal leaves a little to be desired for a rifle of this cost. I like a slimmer grip and a trimmer forend but the rifle comes to shoulder and points very well. The palm swell, cast and cheek piece feels nice. The stock geometry actually fits me well. It is not a light weight rifle and it was designed outside of that bubble.

Mechanically, the rifle is fantastic. Coming from Winchester 70s the 60 degree bolt is supper quick. I like it. The trigger is excellent. The magazine is well designed. The action is very smooth and the rifle shoots most factory ammunition very well, meaning sub MOA.

It really needs nothing. I toy with putting it in a McMillan too. No real need other than to protect the wood.

It is a very nice rifle. It has taken a few hogs and a couple deer. I. took it out today and shot pretty little groups.

I have a Sako 85 finnlight in 6.5x55. Great rifle with very smooth action. Very accurate with factory ammo but not a lot available. Haven’t had time to work up a load for it.

My stock went sticky and beretta wouldn’t warranty it and neither would europtic. I was pretty pissed off about it for several years. Beretta graciously offered a replacement stock at cost for $600. What a joke. I finally got over it and ordered a McMillan for it and it really has a nice feel to it. I went with the Sako classic. Just put a scope on it but haven’t shot it with the McMillan yet.

The rifle really does function and shoot well. I really should move it up in the rotation.

Some 85 long actions had ejection problems. Ejected empty straight up, into the scope and then fall back down into the chamber.
You may want to run a few rounds through it while working the bolt smartly.
Some have said there was a fix in using a stronger ejector spring.

g

I had and 85 Grey wolf that suffered from the ejection issue. I believe it was an issue mainly with long actions. I never heard of anyone having this issue with short actions, may have happened but less likely I would think.

I think my Grey wolf would have been fine with different rings and bases but I really have a thing about mounting my scope as low as possible. Looking back I could have put a 50mm scope in a little higher rings and probably been fine but back then I refused to get any bigger than 40mm I have since started liking the larger scopes maybe because my eyes aren’t what they used to be.

I have two 85 Finnlight's, 300 WSM (24") & 308 Winchester (22"). The 300 WSM is in a Dakota stock. The 308 is still in its synthetic Sako stock. Both are extremely accurate. The 85 is the most gun you can buy for a commercial rifle. Both are my front line rifles.

Yeah I have owned many Sako 75/85 models and I had the straight up ejection issue on an 85 Finnlight chambered in 270 win, I sent it back to Beretta and they sent the rifle back to me saying it was "in spec" but the empty cases still ejected straight up into the bottom of my scope and would settle in the ejection port. I sold it at a very cheap price to a guy that was aware of the problem....I did have several short action 75/85's that did not have the ejection issue. They were all accurate and I am sure they are quality rifles but i was never a fan of the Sako scope mounting system ( heavy, bulky and expensive) so i have not owned one for several years now and I dont miss them......Hb

I've been reading about these ejection problems for several years now. Have Sako done anything to tweak the long action 85s or have they buried their heads in the sand? It would seem a relatively easy fix.

None that I am aware of 👎🏿......Hb

I've had 3, all long actions, and never experienced an ejection issue.

Here ya' go, Bradley. I can't remember which McMillan stock that is.

Skeen,

That looks like mill creek... you must be a member there too huh?

I am a Sako nut.

I have a 260, and 280AI.. Both in McMillan Sako hunter stocks.

I’m also a gunsmith so I get to screw on any chambering I want..

Mill Creek, fo' sure. It's been great as of late. Almost like my own private shooting range.

I have 6.5 Swede, it's a one hole rifle with 140 Accubonds, ejects like chit!

It’s a pure sucky design done by an idiot. Ejector is at 6 o’clock. Where does it push the case? Hint......94 Winchester. The extractor is also located in a bad position to fight the straight up push by the ejector. On my Finn Lite 30’06 it was easy to watch happen. 1” scope, medium rings.

Ejector pulls the case out and immediately pushed the case mouth into the bottom of the scope. With the extractor unable to clear the case, it’s head is pulled further back. With the case mouth hitting the scope bottom there’s no place for the case head to go but down, out from under the extractor.

Beretta customer disservice kindly explained to me they only guarantee to get the case out of the chamber. Really. They couldn’t be responsible for all the potential scope set ups shooters use. Really.

Far as I know this only happens on the ‘06 length action. Shorter actions with shorter cases seem to get away with it. And it doesn’t happen on all longer actions. But it happens on a lot and far as my experience goes Beretta says pound sand. It’s said a stronger extractor spring will help but Beretta told me it would make no difference. After all, it was in spec. True story. I sold mine at a loss with full disclosure.