My son is just about ready to take over my current 22-250 (Rem 700 ADL) and I am in the market for a new one. I have a Sako 75 in .300 Win that I really like. I would like to consider another Sako for my main coyote rig. Now, I call coyotes much more often than I hunt big game (Don't need a tag for coyotes in NM!), so I don't mind investing in a rig that will last me the rest of my lifetime. Don't need a tag for coyotes in NM!
Here are the two models I was looking at (in .22-250):
1) Sako 85 Varmint Laminated Stainless
2) Sako 85 Hunter Laminated Stainless
The gun will be primarily used as a calling rifle, however there are times when we will seek out a specific den and go after them, and we could end up hiking quite a bit.
The varmint model seems to be a bit heavier than the hunter model, but is it heavy enough that I should rule it out? Like I said, most of the time will be spent with us sitting and calling, with the gun on a set of shooting sticks waiting for something to come in. Does the varmint model offer anything significant over the hunter model? Other than the beefier stock, I see a fluted barrel and the option to use the trigger as a set trigger.
Just looking for opinions and any practical experience with either rifle.
Thank you!
