Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Sako L61R ejection problem

I have recently purchased a Sako safari magnum L61R stamped AIV on the action, chambered in .375 H&H. Lovely rifle in every way, handles like a dream and very accurate. But I have had some trouble with ejected cases failing to eject or falling back in to the action. Some cases were hitting the bottom of the scope turret. I immediately replaced the Leupold 1.5-5 in old style low mounts with a Leupold 4x in medium height Optilock mount to give the scope more clearance. I have been trying to operate the action with brisk movements, I understand this will ejection failure will happen if a fired case is eased out since there is not a spring loaded ejector in the bolt face like on a rem 700. The higher mount helped a bit, but did not solve the problem entirely.

It seems that that the problem mostly occurs when the magazine is loaded with one or three or five rounds, ( this model has an extra deep magazine) meaning the fresh loaded cartridge coming up is on the right side of the action. It seems like the belt of the loaded round might be contacting the back of the fired case being drawn back and ejected, before or at the same time as the fired case is supposed to be hitting the ejector. I do not recall ever having an ejection problem when the magazine was empty.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is it fixable? I do not see any wear in the rifles moving parts, it has been shot very little since it was new in the 1980's - perhaps less than 100 rounds. It is clean and well lubricated. I am considering trying a more powerful spring in the ejector/bolt stop, wondering if that might help if it is not snapping into the slot in the bolt face quick enough. The geometry of the magazine box also has me wondering, It seems that if I squeeze the magazine together slightly on top, the loaded rounds do not stick up quite so high, and the interference with an ejecting case is reduced.

Your thoughts and experience please.

I have seen similar on a sako l61 30-06. problem was the wrong follower...it was pretty obvious tho how it fit....you could tell it wasn't the right one....you could try to swap one if you can find someone with a magnum sako......they should be the same ....

Call Midwest gun works I think that is where I got a new follower..

Ha! I traded followers with my AV that someone else customized with a .35 Whelen barrel. Voila! cured the problem. thanks rainierrifleco !

Nice!!!

Glad to hear it.....now to find the correct follower....

I had that problem. Fired cases would hit the windage turret on the way out and fall back into the magazine. Solved the problem by putting on a 5 star Redfield scope. The turrets are farther forward than on the Leupolds so as to not interfere with the ejected cases. Sako parts can be hard to find.
Young Bill

I like the old Redfield 4x12’s

I have heard over the years about the brass hitting the scope. This seems to be unique to the newer 3 front lug Sakos....I have had them in the shop..near as I can tell they moved the extractor to make room for 3 lugs..