Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Sako Rifles

I am considering buying a new rifle and am seeking opinions about Sako rifles. Does anyone have any experience? Are the triggers adjustable? I was seriously looking at the Sako 75, but am also considering the Kimber bolt rifle. Anyone have an opinion on which is a better buy?

Thanks to all who reply

How much experience are you looking for? I am still using a Sako Forester, L57, .308W I bought new in 1961. It's still capable of punching hole double holes on a regular basis. Hell, I was carrying it today but didn't see anything to shoot.

It has never spent a night away from home for service or repair except for the one time I had some wood butcher trim the buttstock, (that SOB). Sako has had a lot of changes over the years and the 75 my brother bought a couple years back is a little heavier than my older model. But I've shot his and it is very accurate and appears to be of superior quality.

I've never owned or shot a Kimber.

I have two, and love them. Mine are the older models, and I think they are second to none. If you are thinking about a 75 get one quick, as Sako is comming out with the 85, and there are no long actions, or Monte Carlo stocks as yet. My 2 cents.

I have 3 currently, all model 75's and can't recommend them enough. Perfect, no, but darn close in my mind.

I been shooting and hunting with a Sako 75 SS in 338 Winchester since I bought the thing with a tax refund back in 1997. All you need is an allen wrench to adjust the trigger if you need to. As for weight yep it's not light on the other hand its very shootable both on the range and in the field. I have owned other sakos, and you pretty much get what you pay for, a good solid no BS, hunting rifle that you can take out of the box, mount a scope zero it and go hunt. From what I understand the New 85 is going to be even better. You can go wrong with one.

Very fine rifles. There are some lightweight models of the 75 around if that's what you're looking for. I used a stainless/synthetic 75 with a 20" barrel, chambered in .308, for a while in 2005, taking a pronghorn at 250 yards and a mule deer at 330. The trigger was very fine out of the box, as was accuracy, on the order of around .5 inch at 100 yards with several handloads and some factory ammo. Weight was right at 7.5 pounds with a scope that was really too big and heavy for the little rifle.

Don't see why the 85 should be any different. Sako has always known how to put together a rifle.

John Barsness

More than one gunsmith, in answer to my question - "What make that you sell, is least likely to come back with problems" has said "Sako". It seems most gunsmiths consider them stone cold reliable. Most hunters that I know who own them, think they're dead accurate too.

Of the more than 100 big game rifles I have owned over the past 40+ years, only ONE was a Sako, it was a Finnwolf in .308. When I bought it, new, from a dealer, it would not feed roundnose bullets from the clip mags, which pizzed me off severely.

I had this fixed and gave it to my brother, who gave it back to me many years later as he quit hunting. I then gave it to his son who loves it and will NOT even consider ANY other rifle as it's equal although he has been offered my Dakota and so forth.

He shoots the Federal 180 NP load into boring 3 shot moa groups and whacks deer with it with the early '70s 4x Redfield. Sakos are beautifully machined rifles with fine finish, but, they are too heavy for my taste and very few of them are CRF, which I prefer.

I just checked out a new Mod. 85 last week, too heavy for it's .30-06 chambering, but, I would certainly buy it in a .338 Win. or a 9.3x64....which they do NOT offer, so........ Overall, I consider the CZ-550 a superior rifle when price is considered and tend to like MKII Rugers as well.

I dont think I have handled a smoother more precise feeling action than the Sako AV I have.

I don't know much about the 75.I've been stuck in a finnbear phase.My old factory 338 is a really good shooter with multiple bullet weights used.I also perfer the finnbear action when rebareling building ect.Have 3 like them all.

Sako's cannot be beat other than they are a little heavier than the Kimber or your run of the mine Remchesther. In my experience they will also out shoot them. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
I can't imagine anyone not liking them. You have to look to make sure my 20 year old Fiberclass has actually fed a cartridge. It feeds upside down sideways, prolly underwater!

try a steyr.

For a similar price point, Steyr is the only rifle comparable to a Sako.

I have a SAKO 75 in 270 Win. I have used it every season for the past 12 years, it remains very accurate and is my favorite rifle.
TIKKA rifles are made by a company owned by SAKO. TIKKAs are also very accurate, right out of the box. For the money, TIKKAs can't be beat, I have three of them.

My Sako 75 is in the 25-06 offering. Great rifle, smooth as butter, but a bit heavier than I would like. Hardly a valid complaint when all else is so positive.

Shoots 110gr. AB's into tiny clusters with max load of RL22. Must admit to handling it a bit differently when in the field. Never thought I'd do that as I treat all rifles with great care, but these Sako's are a step above.....IHMO.

Had a boat motor mechanic pull alongside a boat I was tied up to this summer. He looked at my new Honda OB's and said that he has never worked on a Honda OB (130hp) since they came out. Same as BCBrian's story about the gunsmith. Buy quality and MOST times you're rewarded with less issues. A bit more up front, but worth every penny.

Peace of mind is worth alot to me.

Good luck.

I've hd four, two 75's, an a1 in 223 and currently an AV in 300 win. I am ABSOLUTELY a Sako slut.

I own an AV in 270win, it is a tad heavier than some other rifles but everything works precisely and glides beautifully. It has good accuracy and is in some ways too pretty to hunt with, however, I overcome the fear of scuffing it up and it always delivers!

Do you feel peace of mind with Sako or Tikka now as they may be on top of things after the blow ups?

By the way Michigan 70 welcome to the forum.

Even their magazines are top notch. Solid, perfect fit, extremely well put together and flawless in function (again...a bit heavy, but part of making it a quality part). Not cheap, but the workmanship and resulting product is far and above standard detachable magazines.

All of my Tikka's and my Sako were not involved in that "recall"....thank god. Other's were not so lucky and I feel sorry for them. I'm not sure if your question is constructive and sincere or meant to rekindle flames long since extinguished. I'll take the positive approach and assume the former.

I had several conversations with Beretta when that "issue" became known. Initially, it was difficult to ascertain from their answers what exactly was the problem and more importantly, had it been dealt with. The recall of those #'s between this and that # were eventually posted and I'm not aware of any events occuring since that time to indicate that the issues weren't dealt with responsibly.

The barrels in question were manufactured with less than their appproved quality control standards, for both Tikka's as well as Sako's, as they come off the same line. Unfortunate things occur and will continue to do so, no matter how vigilant a company may be. Repeat performances are less tolerated and would be valid reasoning to question the QC of any company.

I expect that each and every large company, whether firearm related or not, has something on their record indicating an unfortunate and unintended result concerning the manufacture of one or several of their products.

Ford, Chevy, Dodge and all the rest have had more recalls than I can count....some quite dangerous and therefore disconcerting to the owner's, I'm sure. But, those defects are corrected and we move forward while still purchasing from the same companies.... trusting that we are not exposing ourselves to the same or different mistakes.

So yes...especially since I would expect their QC to be much more "alert" and less tolerant of any part of their manufacturing process that seemed "lacking"...for lack of a better word.

I'm sure that Beretta would very much like to put those episodes far behind them...who wouldn't? Why would anyone want to dwell on the past?