Had this setup on an a Sako 7mm-08. It shot just fine and was hunted with for three or four years. The scope developed a faint rattle, so I removed it and sent it to Leupold. They replaced the erectors in the scope and returned it to me. Now, the gunsmith I have mounting the scope, says this scope/ring combination will not work. The tube on this scope is too short. Apparently it was not mounted properly in the first place.

Does this make sense? Anyone have this scope on a Finnlight using Optilocks?

Do you have a before and after pic?

Sounds like you need a different optilock base. They make extended bases, but the long action base might work. What do you have now? I might have the bases.

I have a Sako 85 Finnlight 7-08 with low Optilok Ring mounts and a VX3 2.5-8x36 on it...no issues

Well, this setup was working fine for me too.. Not sure what this gunsmith is talking about exactly, but I'm going to stop by tomorrow and see for myself.

With the Optilock ringmounts there are no bases, they attach directly to the Sako dovetail.

No, it makes no sense. Why do you need a gunsmith to mount a scope? If you don't know how,it's a lot better to learn than relying on someone else who may or may not know how.

There are four Optilock mounting configurations: one piece, short, long, and extended. Each of the four Optilock configurations have a unique but limited range of front to rear ring spacing on each action size. Optilocks are secured by a single tapered dovetail clamp and screw opposite a fixed tapered dovetail. The rear ring's integral lug/pin is designed to restrict its mounting to a single position centered over the bore's axis. Alternatively, the centerline of the front ring isn't restricted to any particular position. At first glance, one might think this means the front Optilock can be mounted anywhere along the forward dovetail. However, unlike Sako's original ring mounts, which were designed with adjustable right and left clamping rails, Optilocks have one fixed and one dynamic clamping face. This translates into a shifting font ring axis relative to the bore. One that depends on how far forward the front ring I mounted along the tapered dovetail. Mounting the front ring too far forward or too far aft results in the optic's mounted axis being tangent to the bore axis. Essentially, this works like a windage adjustment. If the front ring isn't mounted in the sweet spot, so that it's centered over the bore, resulting off axis mounting eats into your scopes windage adjustment and translates into a shifting POI at increasing ranges.

In theory yes! I have however never had any scope adjustment issues when mounting where I needed it for good eye relief.Maybe I've just been lucky but I have hugged the edge on some short tubes with no issues.

Something doesn't sound right if a 2.5-8x36 Loopy won't fit on a short action Sako. I have one on a Sako 8x57 (slightly longer) and one on a long action Ruger. Both fit and work fine.

Thanks for the explanation, kingston. I believe this is exactly what the gunsmith is talking about. The Leupold 2.5-8x36 is a short scope and with the rear ring fixed because of the lug, there isn't enough length to find the "sweet spot" and therefore it requires too much windage adjustment, like you stated, because it is way off axis.

So, apparently this scope won't work with these Optilock rings. Pretty disappointing, really.

What might my other options be? Thinking I may have to go with the Leupold rings.

You can also remove the rear lug. If Optilocks won't work,no way will Leupolds work. They have to be even farther apart to tighten on the rail.