Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Guess I drew short straw on a new Sako

I originally cleaned and prepped my bolt with TW25B leaving no residue. I have since removed the TW25B and have converted over to Froglube. Removing the cocking piece and firing pin is simple with two hands, but I needed an extra pair of hands for the extractor. I used a detent spring tool I have to detail strip a 1911 to fully compress the coil spring so the plunger was fully seated within the recess. I then used an extra set of hands to fish out the extractor from the bolt body.

Not sure where things stand with your bolt, but this is how mine is working. With bolt removed and in hand, take a cartridge case and place the base of case flat against bolt face below extractor. When you slide cartridge case upward against extractor, it should stop. You do not want the case head to loosely slide under the claw, and you do not want it so tight you must muscle case head under the claw. Best I can describe a proper fit and proper tension, the case snaps into place with an audible click as if it were a magnet.

As such, with bolt in hand oriented as if closed in the rifle and shouldered, the claw extractor holds the round into place and it does not fall out. It has the appearance of being one with the bolt.

Advantage of this 85 system vs. the 70 and 98, is you do not need to undercut the extractor for it to snap over a cartridge case inserted directly into the chamber. Therefore, I'd not want the spring tension so tight that it becomes difficult to do so.

Fit of the claw on my extractor is that it fills the groove of the case head and fully engages the cartridge over the entire extractor width. It would probably tear a chunk off the case head if the case were stuck solid inside the chamber.

I tried several commercial cases, with the poorest quality being HDY, and the fit was positive.

With bolt in hand and cartridge case snapped into place against bolt face, test the extractor claw by tilting the case to the opposite side of the claw. If good, the claw will hold and you'll feel a positive stop. You can roll the tilted case around toward the 12 o'clock position and still feel the claw grab and hold. As the case rolls around to the extractor position, it tilts out, same as ejection. So, if your claw was out of spec and/or the spring tension of the claw against the bolt was poor, then the claw would not hold the case and you may even be able to flip it out at the 12 o'clock position, or even earlier.

I'd make sure the parts fit well, without burrs, so they can move freely without binding. I suspect it possible going to a heavy spring merely masks such issue. But, if things are loose and move freely, with a good claw extractor, then maybe there are a batch of bad springs out there having insufficient strength. If I were switching to a stronger spring, I'd start heavy and shorten the stronger spring until I could snap the extractor over a case inserted directly into the chamber. I'd probably stop at that point and go no looser.

Good Luck!

Thinking of trying something else also. This chit is getting boring as hell with every one I buy.

Pat85,

What load is that?

I have a Sako 85 finnlight that is being cranky about 180 grain bullets but really likes 165's. Go figure.

Dink

80.5 grains of h1000 . 180 grain accubond out of a 75 bedded in a Macmillan stock.

I just saw this and have a few comments to add.

I do buy and go through several rifles. Maybe it's because I like to experiment? By no means do I detail every rifle I purchase and I seldom bash any platform that's not worth bashing. There are several in the safe that have no mention here..

I've never "detailed" any issues with a SC M70 with a poorly or loose fitted extractor. I've been vocal about their triggers, but in don't recall any extraction issues with the 70's.

There are several rifles designs that benefit from tinkering and Kimber is one of the best platforms currently on the market.

I've only owned one 85. It was a stainless long action 270. It was truly a miserable piece of work. It shot extremely well, but ejected brass falling back in the chamber isn't my cup of tea. As I said earlier, I'm sure the issues aren't as frequent in the short actions.

I'll stand by my other statements. It's truly a poor design. The extractor is simply in the wrong place to work properly with a standing ejector at 6 o'clock. The problems are so frequent, the rep advises shops not to purchase long action 85's because of this issue. I'm no fan of their Optilock mounting system either, but that's another story.

They do have what I consider some desirable features. I like the safety and the magazine lock. They feed reliably and have what I consider the best factory barrel on the market (I'm no stranger to Tikka's). Maybe someday I'll buy a short action 85, maybe not?

I'm glad you enjoy your Sako's and obviously you've found a "fix". Just as I've stated about other manufacturers (including Kimber), if it's so easy why in the heck don't they fix it? It's not like they don't have knowledge of the issue...

I agree!

I must be getting the short straw also.........


best I could do at 100 with my 75 in 260 Rem.



I'm using the 2.900 oal loading. for my go to hunting load.



wonder if he knew that it was a "short straw Sako"

JAFO,

GWB

Pretty funny to me how as the OP the train of conversation has drifted to "look at me I have a Sako 75 that works like it is supposed to."

That's nice....but it's worthless if the thing doesn't work.

There is a lot more to a hunting rifle than just grouping ability.

Kinda like evaluating scopes based on the view and ignoring the mechanics of the thing.

Hang around a while and you'll see quite a few threads that tend to meander, if you catch my drift......

And FWIW

I did get two bad Sakos in 338 Federal, the other two dozen or so from Riihimakis to 85's have been fine rifles.

JAFO,

GWB

Your word ain't worth a squirt of dog piss.

No dog in this fight so to speak, but..........

Come on Rick, don't sugar coat it like that. Tell us how you really feel. LOL


Best,

GWB

Neither are your knives.

Now I do have a dog in that fight.........



I sure as heck hope they are worth more than a squirt,













[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/Blades/IMG_09161_zpsf90f319f.jpg[/img]

'cause I got a bunch of them..... LOL

More than JAFO, in this case.


GWB

Neither are your knives.[/quotet
U have just proven my point

I've got a few others to compare to and have to disagree with your assessment.

I got one....I stopped there.

I keep it around so guys at the range can use it to pluck cases from Sako 85's that failed to eject.

If Ol' Rick wants to go on personal attack mode because I happen not to like rifles that don't function correctly, that's his business. Apparently this sort of rifle design doesn't bother him.He must own a pile of Sako's.I'll spend the money elsewhere, thanks.

Sizzle and no steak is always funny....I'm trying to be polite.

As would 10,000 other people who own his knives..

Don't own a one. Can't put a good trigger in one. I don't run my mouth unless I KNOW of what I speak ;furthermore, I'm prone to tell the truth!