Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles All weather rifle - Sako 85 or Kimber Montana?

I have been looking for a new hunting rifle and doing as much research as possible. I have been looking at Winchester, Kimber, and Sako. The Sako 85 Grey wolf interests me because of the laminated stock and their great reputation. Kimber has a great reputation too, evidently. Never shot one.

The rifle needs to stand up to severe weather changes and rough country. I like accuracy and strive for it in every weapon I build. Stainless and weather proof is the mission on this one.

I have already been advised that the Kimbers are good tools, and I am leaning that way, but I love my old Winchesters and the Sako Grey Wolf has really caught my eye. I have laminated stocks on other rifles and love the warm feel of wood in a weather proof design.

Which one would you buy? Why?

I know what you are thinking, I should just buy them all. What harm would it do? If so which one first?

I have used a sako 85 grey wolf 30-06 for the last 3 years and am happy enough with it. I started handloading this year and have the odd 5 shot group where all holes touch. Of the factory ammo I tried the winchester supreme silvertip 168 gr seemed the best and could shoot about 1 inch.

I've never owned or fired a kimber, but I have looked at a few a the gun counters. What appeals with the kimber is the weight or lack thereof. If you plan on doing any serious hiking I would have to say the kimber is a no brainer. My 85 with a zeiss conquest 3-9x40 weighs about 9 lbs, which is not too much but after hiking for 7 hours or so, I wouldn't be complaining if it weight a lb or 2 less. If you plan on stand hunting, I'd go with the sako as I suspect it is a "nicer" rifle to shoot due to the extra weight.

I'm sure someone here owns both and can give you a fully rounded opionion.

Exactly.
My S/S WSM 85 goes about 8.6lbs all up.
The 85 is a nice rifle but IMHO the Montana is a much better choice for a serious hunting rig. I really don't care for the magazine setup on the 85. It seems to be pretty solid but I'd much prefer a blind magazine.

I own both Kimber and Sako rifles. The Sako is a much better made rifle IMO. The Kimber's fit me a little better but I appreciate the engineering, solid construction, and superior design of the Sakos. Finnlight if you want light.

While I can appreciate the good reputation of the Sako, I do not like the removable magazine and the two piece safety. Not a year goes by when someone is looking for their lost magazine in elk camp. Some find them others hunt with single shots.

I am partial to the simpler & lighter Kimber Montana lineup - even with a few quality control issues.

This lost magazine thing that some have problems with...do they loose their car keys like this all the time too??? I have never lost or misplaced a detachable mag and I have hunted with them for a very long time and anyone I have hunted with has never lost one...I dont get it or is this more of a urban legend type of thing?

Anyways, I would take a Sako over Kimber anytime. The quality in a Sako is far superior to Kimber IMO...and I have had no problems with my Sakos, I cant say the same for the Kimber I had.

Have any of you guys had issues with the cartridge heads not popping all the way up in the back of the magazine?
I went to rack one in the chamber the other day and the bolt slid right over the case. Had to pull the spring out and give it a good tweak so it works now. Not a good thing to deal with while hunting.

Here's how they were hanging up prior to the fix.

I definitely prefer a removeable mag over cycling rounds through and/or picking them up from the snow. Sako really seems to pack them in there too.

The Sako Finnlight is the one that I lust after at just over 6# stainless and synthetic with rubber inserts for grip.

Depending what caliber you desire I have seen a few deals on Finnlights. Just not the 260 that I an after...

i'd get the sako. the one's i've shot have been outstanding in every way. i've owned two kimber centerfires. there both gone now. with a sako you know the accuracy is going to be there.

On the last 2 deer I've shot, one was with a Sako Grey Wolf 270 WSM:



And the other was with a Kimber Montana in 325 WSM (sorry no Pics it was a funky horned cull buck).

Either rifle is an excellent choice in a hunting rifle. The biggest difference between the Grey Wolf and the Montana is Weight. The Kimber is quite a bit lighter. If you hunt from a stand the extra weight of the Grey Wolf might be an advantage (once you carry it there). If you do a lot of walking while you hunt the Kimber is a no-brainer between the two.

I've had excellent luck with both Kimber's and Sako's. I would say the the Sako's might be more consistantly accurate but some Kimber's shoot exceptionally well (better than my Sako in the same caliber) and all the Kimber's I've had have shot sub-MOA 3-shot groups. I prefer the extractor and the safety on the Kimber. The 85's magazine system is excellent and they feed superbly. The Kimbers are FAR better stocked.

The std. Sako 85's and especially the Finnlites are closer to the Kimbers in Weight than is the Grey Wolf. So I guess you could split the difference and go with a Finnlite for a more carryable Sako.

The 84 Montana's are VERY light rifles. You didn't say what caliber you were considering so bear in mind that the 308 Action Montana's are different handling rifles than the WSM Montana's which are also different from the LA Montana's. It's kinda nice having small/medium/large choices in rifle handling qualities.

For me I'll gladly hunt with either. I love the Finnlites and Montana's. Handle both if you can and pick whichever one fits you best.............................DJ

Sako for me thanks...

Too many Kimber horror stories for Me (though I never had a lemon in the few Kimber 84's I've owned) I can't stand a blind magazine, shucking the bolt back and forth and picking up My ammo on the ground, It's a real pain in the Azz...that alone would make Me go with Sako between these two..........I wouldn't choose either of these Myself as My first choice and yes I have owned several of the sako 85's. I don't like their cheesy clamp on mounting system, it's a shame that with rifle of this quality that they couldn't come up with a better system than this................Good luck..........547.

Your motor skills,aren't an inherent design "fault" attributed the Kimber....................

I have had a Montana and wasnt impressed. CRF, sure, but the damn thing didnt feed at all. Had to change follower (took one from a mauser 96) before it fed reasonably well.

I`m now on my 4:th Sako 75, and this one stays!
I am just gonna order a Mcm EDGE for it, the weight should be right about 3.2 kg, which I think is just perfect for an 06.

Oh, yea, all of the Sakos shoot better than the Kimber did.

elkhunter130,

The Kimber 84M Montana stands out as a rifle we have not seen or had before in factory guns! It's a landmark rifle. It stands alone.

I suggest you get one and see how it fits into your battery, how its being very light yet retaining the classic (M70) design features impacts you.

Skip the Sako for now. Its just another heavy gun. The Kimber will work or you will get it to work. I have.

Thanks Savage 99 and the rest of you. I would like to get it in the WSM .270

After doing a lot of personal research on calibers and loads I liked the WSM line and settled on the WSM .270 as my choice. I am building this rifle for a hunting rifle but do not mind the extra carry weight as I like heavier rifles because the tend to be more stable.

I still haven't decided yet but it sounds like either choice would be a good one.

I plan on adding a Leopold Vari III 4x12 40 (old eyes) and working up hand loads for the rifle.


I own larger caliber rifles but I am really looking forward to building up the WSM .270 It would be the smallest caliber "big bore" I have owned.

I hunt primarily in Oregon which could mean cover so thick you cant crawl through it to the wide open desert and rim rock. Mostly a deer rifle the .270 may be used on black bear as well

I have seen many a bear fall to the .270 and the project gun really intrigues me.

Thank you all for the great advice I appreciate the no bashing and good info. When it is done being built and broke in I will share results and pics.

I have a Sako 85 and a Kimber 8400. Both are walnut and blue. Both wear VXIII 2 1/2 - 8's. the Kimber is noticeably lighter, but weight doesn't matter much to me, I'm only in my early 60's. the way things are going, in another 10 or 15 years I may change my mind about that.

The Sako is a better built rifle and, with the extra weight, easier to shoot. That said, my personal taste runs more with the overall style and the stock of the Kimber.

I usually don't like DBM's on hunting rifles, but the one on the Sako doesn't bother me. It's too tricky to release to have it fall out accidently and it works fine as a fixed magazine. I never take it out of the rifle.

I can highly recommend Sako 85 Gray Wolf...I have one in .300 wm a marvellous long range big game rifle. Shoot these Reindeer at 242 metres using 180 gr. Accubond DRT. Very accurate with 180-200 gr. bullets. By the way mine doesn�t seem to like some lighter bullets for some reason.

Thanks for the sig line!

At least it's not a crap shoot with poi.The Sako doesn't come oversea's unless it shoots.The Kimbers a sweet rifle but their accuracy reports on the Campfire tells me stay away.