What is up with Sako and this rifle, plastic stock, mag, and such? I thought they already had the Tikka for the bargain hunters. Is this the new direction for them?

Look at an 85. Much nicer.

Sako should stick with what they do best. The Model 85 not the cheap plastic stocked rifles.

Sako wanted to show people they could put crappy stocks on thier guns and still outshoot remmys.

I would imagine an off the shelf Tikka/Sako A7 would outshoot most others 9 out of 10 times.

I wouldn't doubt that these new rifles can shoot very well. It's just that they look so cheap to me, IMHO. Kind of like pride and craftsmanship is becoming a thing of the past.

I just bought an older model, New/unfired Sako 591 in 308. If it is as nice as my two Sako A1's, I'm going to be a happy camper.

I was excited til I picked one up. Eerily similar to a T3. No thanks....

That is how I see it.
I think if I buy a Sako at some point, it will be an 85 or if I can find one, a 75.

POS in my opinion... maybe one of these days Sako will get back to making the traditional type of rifles they are capable of making.

I am sure it will perform well - just feels like a piece of cr*p!

Tikka is a POS too and it probably shoots just as well as my Bansner but you couldn't give me one for free.

Jm,
Everyone I know that shoots a Tikka raves about the accuracy and reliability.
You couldn't pay me to shoot one however, just too cheap looking.
Just my opinion and no offense to the Tikka guys out there!

No offense taken. Different strokes for different folks! But, you are correct about the accuracy and reliability. I'm pretty happy with my T3 '06. Mine has the blued barrel and plastic stock -- and again you're right, not very pretty! So I added some cheap Krylon and now it looks a lot better!! For me, Beauty is as Beauty does.

I may be a little too cavalier about appearance though. I painted my BAR Mark II that has a gorgeous stock. (I did use Bow Flage though! So I'm not a total animal!!)

Ha!...Sounds like my kinda rifle...EXCEPT...Up here the A7's are running close to $1200.00 for SS (more with taxes)...But the 85's are over $1800.00!...phew-we...where does it end?!!!

My local guy has a closeout on Sako 85 grey wolf's in 338 fed for $600, only two left. I'm heading over now to grab both of them.

This sounds just like when Glock came out with plastic guns.Everybody thought the idea was stupid-would never work-going to kill the shooter-wearout in a week ect.
I have rifles to carry to the range and enjoy shooting(fancy slings,walnut)and I have rifles to play with and one of them is a Tikka 25-06.Everything has a place and purpose.I like them all.

Saw an A7 yesterday. Yuck works for me!

Whether you like the A7/Tikkas is up to you, but they are proven tough, reliable, and unbelievable accurate with most anything you feed 'em. I like the fact I can drag 'em through the sand, dirt, mud, etc, something I won't do with my Pre garcia sako finnbear, or my steyr mannlicher.

Actually the A7 is based on the 75. It has 3 lugs to the Tikka's two, metal lips on the mag. a way of unloading with the safety on that the Tikka doesn't have. There are enough differences to make them interesting. The cost is in the Remington 700 range and they'll probably be put together and outshoot the Rem.

I have got one in .308. Its lightweight and nicely put together - its got that Sako quality on the bits that matter. As a tool for hunting I cannot fault it.

I like the A7. the only thing I do not like is the plastic trigger guard.

Personally, I luv how the rig handles for me, but I'm about the only one in the world that seems to likey them so I'd doubt that they're very long for the world...<g>

Dober

I guess too many people care about their image. I bought my tikka's to hunt with and go where ever I want to go, not put on the wall and look at.