Sell it or keep it?? I just picked it up on trade looks like new condition.Just can not decide if I should keep it or not !?!? Has a great feel to it,light enough, great looking rifle.Hard for me to be excited about a 30-06 but I do like running some 165 accubonds through them, Maybe some RL17..

Shoot it,that might help you decide;but be prepared to keep it afterwards.

I have one, the reason I like it most is it makes me look good on the range and in the field. Super accurate , low recoil, a stock that suits me, cheap practice rounds that still accurate, and the ability to place bullets well on big game makes the 06 look like a real hammer.........which it is!

These 85's sure have a great feel and balance. I really like the Mag too. Action is super smooth !

If you decide to sell it please let me know. For some reason I think I need one.

Dink

I have tempted by this exact rifle a few times now. As that little beaut sports a trim 22" barrel, light enough & the more I think it over the more I think I will probably finish my hunting with an 30-06 & 9.3x62. ....The 06 is just sooooo balanced!

I love the 30.06 caliber and the Sako rifles are as good or better than any production rifle on the planet BUT I never have been able to warm up to the clamp on scope mounting system, I always thought it a shame that with such a finely made rifle this is the best system Sako engineers could come up with?? plus the Sako rings and bases are very bulky, heavy and too high for my taste not to mention very expensive even if you go with Talley or others they are all pricey except maybe leupolds joke.............Good luck.............Hb

Not arguing with you VaHillbilly, but I hear this ring argument a bunch, and I don't get it. I've had the optilocks on a Tikka 695 going on 13 years now. They've never blinked, moved, etc. They are tough, stay where you put 'em if you know what you're doing in the first place, and I love the inserts that are easy on scopes, alignment, etc. Then there's the old, what I call "original" Sako rings without bases that clamp right on. There's never been a tougher, more reliable setup than this. A 40mm scope, with these medium rings, mount real close to the barrel. What more could you ask for? Find both of these used/mint for under $100 all day long.

I think at this stage of the game Sako believes the tapered dovetail a trademark of the brand. Yes the Europeans like a taller larger obj scope than here. The cost of the rings is trivial since we're talking about $1400-$1900 rifles.

The dovetail arrangement for scope mounting needs a bit of thought before it is dismissed as inferior. During the machining operation of the action a jig is used with an automated drilling process to put 4 holes in the action. Are these holes in direct alignment with the bore, are the chamfered holes in the mounts centered or are they a bit sloppy from tooling wear?
The dove tails are cut in one operation and are parallel to each other, even if they are slightly off square with the bore it is the same amount off square, scope adjustment will make up for this. scope rings have best chance for perfect alignment with this system. Less variables the better and the 4 screws introduce variables. Never had a problem with the dove tail arrangement on sakos or cz's

That's exactly what I did 85's in 06, and 9.3x62, with McMillan stocks - hard to beat.

What do the Finnlights weigh?

S actions 6 3/16 lbs., SM/M actions 6 3/8 lbs., L actions 6 13/16 lbs.

me too, except i went 9.3x66

I really like how on the sako's and tikka's you don't need a base. It's 4 less screws that can come loose and eliminates a part.That is a bonus to me.

What's wrong with Leupolds ring for sako's ? They seem fine to me.With the design of the taper of the groove, the ring can only get tighter.

The problem I have with them is the lack of flexibility in moving the position of the bases/rings. Someone should market some sort of self-centering adjustable dovetail base. You could then take advantage the entire length of the dovetail.

I have owned more than a few Sako rifles and also have never had any trouble with their clamp-on scope mounting system but I can't imagine this system being nearly as secure as one that is actually screwed to the receiver, I have read a few Sako horror stories on the campfire that related instances of scopes sliding off Sako rifles rings bases and all, an African PH wrote that he had seen more than one Sako rifle loose it's scope while standing up in a truck rack. I can see how this might happen to a scoped Sako rifle, or the guy who related the story where he was on a horseback hunting trip and was sliding his rifle back in it's scabbard only to watch in horror as his Swarovski scope went careening down a rocky slope, whether these stories are true or not I don't know but I can see how it would be possible for this to happen with this design, I also noticed that Sako didn't go with this system when they designed the new A7 rifle, I know Tikka uses a similar tip-off type system but I have no experience with Tikka rifles, Tikkas by most accounts are very accurate but they still reek of cheapness in my book, too much plasteek for me..................Hb

Under recoil I agree but if the scope takes a wrap from the front it could pop right off, this system doesn't seem very secure in my eyes. The reason I don't like the Leupold ringmounts is a little experiment I made with them several years ago, I mounted these rings on a Sako mod 75 with a 1" dowel instead of a real scope to test for frontal impact as I had my doubts about this system, I tightened the clamp on rings to 40 inch pounds of torque and it only took one decent rap from a 16 oz hammer too the front of the dowel and they flew right off, this was an experiment I came up with to see how the system would react to a hit from the front, as I said in an earlier post I never had any trouble at the range or in the field with the Sako or the Talley base ring set up but I also never tried this same experiment with ether of these, I only did it the one time as I was afraid of scratching the receiver of my rifle, I don't think one decent rap to the front of a dowel mounted in screw on ringmounts would have any effect though I have never tried...............Hb

Currently my favorite version of the Finnlight, the new Black Bear. Basically a black Finnlight chambered in 9.3x62 with Recknagel Sights and barrel band swivel mount, weighs 6 1/2 pounds.



Recknagel sights which are fully adjustable for both windage and elevation.






My favorite ringmounts are the new 1-pc Sako Optilock Ringmounts. If they fit your needed ring spacing, they are outstanding. Simple, uncluttered, good height for natural cheekweld and eye alignment, solid clamping, and a repeatable fit where the scope goes on and off the receiver like it were on a precision ball bearing rail.



Best

Yep - but it's almost cheaper to find a used 85 and rebarrel it to 9.3x62. They didn't import those beyond a few special orders.

I wonder if the steel used in a Sako barrel takes a re-bore? If so, that may be a good route with a used Sako on a budget. But doesn't need to be a 9.3x62 to be a great rifle, I was just pointing out how I'm liking the Recknagel sights and the new ringmounts added to a Finnlight package. I'm using scopes with forgiving ring spacing and generous eye relief, so the compact stand-up ringmount fits well without any need for off-set. I also like how the Sako dovetail system is machined for windage adjustment at the front mount. I have room to move the front mount forward or rearward, which moves the point of impact left or right in a calibrated degree so that I can keep my turret centered in its range of adjustment.

I'm also liking the S&B turret which is well marked having an indicator for adjustment travel within its range.



Best

The scope would be F'd so the mounting system is a moot point.

Your probably right in the case of a hammer blow like my little experiment ............Hb

Darn it GaryVA, Now I have to find one of these

To answer the question, keep it!

The Sako 85 Finnlight 30-06 is a sweet rifle.

Sorry, but the dovetails are not parallel to each other

Can't the ring mounts simply be clamped down with enough tightness to hold? What about cranking on the screwdriver a little tighter?

If it works as well as mine does I doubt you will want to get rid of it.

Jim

Frankly you should sell it to learn a lesson, that indeed you don't know what you have.

Sell it for a donor action for around a grand, then the guy who buys it can post some teeny tiny groups and lots of dead game .

Questions?

I only tried this one time with 40 inch pounds of torque applied to the ringmounts,as I didn't want to scratch the receiver of My rifle, I did have a horrified buddy that observed my experiment go home and tighten his Lepold ringmounts so tight that he snapped one of the screw heads off, I don't know how much pressure he used but it must have been quite a lot. I think that my little experiment exposed the leupold Sako ringmount is an inferior system and I think it also exposed the inherent weakness of the Sako scope mounting system overall, If Sako wants an integral mounting system machined right into the receiver I think they could have taken a lesson from Ruger and designed a similar type bomb proof system then in my opinion they would have nearly a perfect rifle....................Hb

A couple years ago I mounted a set of Optilocks(minus scope) on my 85. I'd read about the stories of them popping loose so I had to test.

Took a piece of 1" or so wooden dowel about 16" long and beat on the Opti's. They didn't budge.

Wholly crap dudes I was kidding , just saw you posted it in the free classified.

Well you'll learn either way

Excellent Sam that's some good information, I'm glad someone else has done a similar test to mine, it sounds like the Optilocks are pretty solid................Hb

Gave it some thought ,but put it in the classifieds. If I keep it ,I have to buy another scope !! Scope after scope after scope where does it end?!?! If I don't sell it I won't be heart broke..

It ain't a cheap sport, I understand and have been there myself.

I too know the pain this man feels all too well! I don't think there is an end for a rifle looney unless it would be death...................Hb