Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats REM Extractor vs. SAKO Extractor on a REM 700/Predator/etc..experts weigh in

If you were building a rifle with a rem 700, predator, etc.. would you go with the rem extractor or sako extractor and why?...

Rem extractor - it's a proven design. Yes, it can fail but at least it won't wind up in your flesh like the Sako can.

MtnHtr

I just run stock Remington extractor on most of my Remington 700s as long as they work fine. But if the 700 extractor needs replacing such as they break or don't always extract I get them machined for a good QUALITY Sako extractor.

I owned more than a few Sakos over the decades. I have yet to have a Sako extractor removed from my flesh. Nor have I had to have a Remington 700 with a Sako extractor removed from my flesh. But I learned a long time ago that their are people who could break a rock given a little time to play with it.

I have 5 700's and never broken a factory one yet. I wouldnt waste the extra money on a Sako.

I know a few people who know a hell of a lot more than me, all of which have had both types ...

ALL of them have told me that the ONLY reason to go with the Sako extractor, would be if you have to open up the bolt face to go with a different chambering (i.e. going from a .378" bolt face (.223rem family) to a .473" bolt face (.308win family) ...

even then, all of them have told me that they'd still much rather trade/sell the action and build up on a new one, rather than going with the Sako extractor ...

should add, that on 7 different 700's I've had/have, none have shown an issue with the factory extractor ...

Pretty much hits the nail on the ole' head.

I have one on my predator but was curious..

I prefer a 700 extractor over a Sako,but now have a Borden Timberline 300wm and an Alpine Mag in 7WSM and Jim Borden is one smith that knows what he's doing when Installing sako's in a 700 type bolt the ejection angles are perfect no cases hitting the turrets or scope tube,I was a little uneasy about some of the safety Issues but the more I use them they work very well,but never had any Issues with the factory extractors,I would be more worried If I was left handed shooting a RH rifle or a Rh shooter firing a LH rifle!

Stick with the 700 the Sako is oversold (for a Rem conversion)

I've seen a couple of extractor problems in the 721/722, but never in a 700.

I've had one 700 extractor give a problem.It let me know before the hunting season and I had it replaced.It had just wore down over time and you could see the wear if you actually looked.That was about 30 years ago.Otherwise I have many examples of both.Dont really have feelings one way or the other.The important thing is to get out before season and shoot.
dave

I have one model 7 and 4 700s, all have worked great.on my last build I asked the gunsmith what he thought. he simply replied, 'have you ever had any trouble with the stock 700 design", i said know.....he said he had seen very few problems over the years and does not put them on his personal guns.that was enough for me to stay with the stock version!

Put me in the camp of the stock Remington extractor over the Sako style. I've seen enough Sako style extractors get a little debris under them and not work as they should or slip off the case rim when they were really needed to work. E.

I have both. Each has it's pros and cons. The Remmy is probably stronger under an overload situation where the case head expands and locks the extractor down. The Remmy extractor doesn't require and cuts in the bolt, and such a cut may provide a place for gas to ecsape.

The downsides to the Remmy are: susceptibility to debries, the extractor itself often causes such debries by shaving off bits of brass, and the extractor is not too tolerant of variations in case head size. I personally have had a Remmy extractor break when a piece of brass got between it and the bolt face--even though I frequently clean my bolt faces. I have had one that would not extract a Winchester brass reliably (that lot of Win brass head diameter .005" less than Rem brass), and I have had a Remmy extractor not close over a particular brand of brass that was a little oversize in the head.

The Sako extractor keeps the bolt face VERY clean and is not so fussy about head diameter. Enough have been shot with hot loads to indicate a properly installed Sako extractor doesn't seem to weakn the bolt, although under severe overloads it might.

The bottom line is either usually works well. In a Rem rifle where I want the utmost in reliable feeding an extraction I like the Sako. In a high accuracy application where I may let the load be a little warm I like the Remmy.

I've had a Remmy extractor break on an elk hunt and relegate me to camp jack. That's why.

On the other hand the chances of that happening to any one person are very slim but when it happens to you (without a back-up rifle) it leaves an impression.

I could add the Sako ext is on a 340 Wby and has been shooting warm loads for 15 years and has functioned flawlessly.

Gdv

Blaine, I was always under the impression that the Sako conversion on a 700 was for reliability and function. I have several and they feed and eject perfectly.

Roy

My experience is if the Rem M700 extractor is going to fail, it will be a case of infant mortality. I don't think the Sako (or M16) extractor installation is necessary. The Rem extractor can take small slivers of brass off the cartridge case, and those can migrate over to hang up the ejector, but that is two mights in series that can be prevented with a bit of bolt-face cleaning.

jim

Thanks Jim. In hindsight, I could have used the money spent on the Sako conversion elsewhere or just save the cost altogether. It was the popular thing to do and I was probably just going with the flow. I have to say that I find it interesting that Remington is going to the M-16 type extractor on some of their tactical rifles such as the 338LM.

Roy

Not always.............