Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sako's, Tikka's and Styer's... sigh...

TM---Buy a Sako and don't look back. Seriously. I've owned over 100 factory specimens. Worth the money all day. It's only money, and once you get over the sticker shock, if there is one, you'll be happy ever more......

Have to admit the Sako magazine impressed me. It's substantial like nothing I've ever seen. Worth at least $50. Unlike the Savage, Tikka and Steyr mags which feel like you could crush in your hand.

Sako's are quality no doubt. However if I could buy several Steyr mags with a gun and still be under a Sako price tag - it would still be a toss up in my mind. I think they are equal other than the magazines.

Like I said, I am thinning the herd. I may go for the Finn Light 243 in a trade and pony up real $ for the Steyr and a couple mags.

Then I'll have some first hand experience. It's all good... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TM

Once you pony up for a Sako, let me know. I'm easy to thank! They're most definitely more refined than said others......

Regarding the drumminess in Tikka Synthetic stocks - there is an answer:-

I use the expanding foam product that plumbers use, in an aerosole can. Just take the recoil pad off the butt and fill it with the foam (keeping the stock upright) using the extension nozzle that comes with the can.

A word of warning, its takes a while for the foam to expand to its full volume, so only fill the stock about 2 thirds of the way up, leave it for a while, then top up if necessary.

Otherwise you will end up with this messy goo everywhere and believe me it sticks like s**t to a blanket!

The foam is light, so it does not change the weight much but it definately has a dulling affect on the drummy sound when you tap the stock butt.

Hope this helps.

"Great Stuff" is not a great answer. But I'll agree, it don't come off......

I don't own a Sako, but shot my friends Sako's several times. No doubt, very good rifles, but not a bit better than the Steyrs, not at all. I own a Tikka T3 in 6,5 Swede. Sure, it does not look pretty, the action is not as rugged as a Steyr action, and it has som no-nonsense-approach, but it shoots light out. Altough I don't like the Tikka magazine, I haven't had a failure until now. I will admit, that on the overall appearance of a T3 one can say it looks "cheap". But it IS cheap, especially compared to the Steyr ProHunters. I own 7 of them. They costed me a lot of money, but......they're worth every cent. At first look they appear to be expensive, but, in fact, they ar not. The stock is very ergonomic, has adjustable length of pull and can be changed within seconds to one's specific needs, the actions are rugged as hell, in my oppinion the strongest and safest action in the world, the safety has three positions and is located very ergonomically. The hammer forged barrel with it's typical forging marks is a pleasure to my eyes and it shoots lights out every day every time you want. Not to forget the fully adjustable tirgger of the ProHunters, which are a class of it's own. Last but not least, a Steyr never ever failed me in the field. And I am not a one-deer-per-year - hunter, I'm out in the field every week at least once, all over the years and in every imaginable weather condition and my average total number of game killed per year is around 60. For me, there's no doubt, which rifle out of the three I would choose every time.......

just my 0.2$

Gerry

+1 on all of the above.
My dealer and friend had tried for 2 years to get me into the Tikka camp. He knows I like light weight, (cause I'm gettin old), and accurate. Finally got one early this year, got another last month.
"Pretty is as pretty does" Iv'e heard said and the Tikka does! Wanted a Sako but got two Tikkas instead.
I've got pretty rifles that go to the range or the stand but, when it is time to hunt hard the Tikkas go now.

its not just an opinion. the sbs actions are proofed to 120,000. who else can say that?
i own/ have owned steyrs in the double dozens digits and am always looking for good deals when i have the $ to get another. i just picked up a Sako L579 308 and it seems to be a sound rifle. i'd never sell a steyr to buy a sako and i'd trade it for an SBS in a heartbeat no matter how well it shoots.

The "Great Stuff" does actually work. I used it to cut down the hollow sound in both of my Sako Finnlights. The std Sako's don't seem to need it..........DJ

Yep, when I saw the title of this thread I thought "Theres someone that has never shot a Steyr and just looked at all 3 from across the counter or online." IMO, Steyr and Tikka are not in the same league and I own both...Steyr win hands down, by a mile in any catagory. Sako? I don't know never owned one.

back when you could get the T3 for $400-$425 i thought about buying one and went to a local store that stocked them. after opening the bolt and closing it twice i handed it back and said "ill stick with mt steyrs".
I dont know a single person who has spent any amount of time shooting a steyr that doesnt own one, if not a few.
I have only ever owned the Finnwolf and this L579 so i cant judje them against a prohunter. I do own an Steyr classic euro carbine and comparing it to the L579 i'd say fir, finish, lockup, bolt smoothness they are equal. the wood is better on the steyr and the blue is also better on the steyr. CRF goers to the Sako as does the extractor. cold hammer forged BBL goes to the steyr. plus this sako is gonna have to shoot .3" groups w/ its 23" bbl to compare in the accuracy dept. to my classic carbine.
dealer price wise the steyr just went up to $809 blue synth so the ones on gunbroker for $600-$700 are a steal.
the classics are now $1700+ dealer cost so if you can get one for $1500 do so, youll not be sorry.
i paid $1400 shipped for my classic w/ true turret mounts and 2 mags. i dont think i'v paid more than $600 for a prohunter to date, w/ the exeption of a few of the tactical models.
if you take all things into consideration including availablity weight accuracy ect and leave out things like ugly colored stock or spacy looking design you will come to the conclusion that many steyr owners have.

I bought a Steyr Classic Delux (Factory Upgrade) in .222rem a few months ago. I looked at Sako's, and everything else I could find available. I wanted to buy the best I could find, price was not the issue.

I bought the Steyr.

It is gorgeous, stock is fantastic, bolt is slick and smooth. Trigger is excellent. Groups .5" easily with various loads. I have shot 14 foxes with it at night with a spotlight over the past two months at ranges out to 185 yards.

I am seriously considering changing my Sauer 202 for another Steyr to have a matching pair.

Did I say it was pretty? :

ClaretDabbler, if you dont get that GD nylon sling of that steyr im gonna blow a %#@ fuse and start bleeding out my nose.

Cohiba,

Our local gun monger here had a truckload of SBS's last week...unloading them at $599. I couldn't get there fast enough to trade him back my new Tikka T3 for a chambering I wanted before he sold out.

Cohiba, sorry about the sling. I have a lovely webbing and leather sling for it but I need need new screw in studs to fit the larger QD sling swivels. I have these ordered but the Steyr studs are a funny large size and I'm waiting for the replacements.

Question, especially for ClaretDabbler:

Would you get a steyr classic deluxe over a Blaser Prestie?

Petr, I have to say I have never been a fan of the Blaser R93. No doubt they are an excellent rifle. That said I have started to warm to the Blaser recently. Don't know if I would ever buy one though.

To be honest, the Blaser is in a different price bracket here than the a Sako, Steyr or Sauer. I would generally group these three brands togther as they are close in price and quality. Standard wood models of all three of these rifles run �900- �1,000 here in UK - that's roughly $1,800 - $2,000. Factory upgrades like the delux Steyr above run from around �1,250 ($2,500) for the Sako and Steyr, and �1,500 for a Sauer. A Blaser Prestige is towards �2K ($4K) if I remember rightly.

I just find I prefer the german style stock of the Steyr and the Sauer over that of the Sako. Also the action seems slicker than Sako's I have seen recently. None of these rifles are ever a bad choice.

I don't honestly think you can discuss a Tikka T3 compared to the other three. It is at a completely different price point and quality to the other. The Tikka T3 was introduced so Beretta could have a mass market rifle for north America to compete on price with the likes of Remington.

Go with the Steyr. I have one in a 308 & 280 and they both shoot sub MOA. I had a Sako 75 Stainless in 300 Win Mag. It felt great and was very smooth but I have never been so disappointed it would not shoot worth a crap. The best group I could get was about 1.5" @ 100yds. and that was trying factory and my own reloads.

If the Sako were a 308 or 280 and the Steyr a 300mag would results be reversed.....? 'tis a trend I've noticed over the years.....