Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sako finnlight 85

I picked up a Sako 85 (synthetic stock) in 2010 for a sheep hunt I had scheduled for 2011. I have used it very sparingly on a few deer hunts since. It's been a safe queen most of it's life. Yesterday I went to retrieve it from the safe and when I went to pull it out it felt like I was touching fly paper. The whole stock has a very sticky feel to it. I called the gun shop where I purchased the gun and was told they have heard this happening on occasion and my best bet is to call customer service. So...after work I call customer service (Beretta USA) and I'm told the gun must have come in contact with something that reacted with the "rubber" stock. He mentioned "deet" will do that to synthetic stocks and they hear that from a lot of waterfowl hunters. I told him....BS, I'm not buying what he's telling me. The gun is always cleaned and wiped off before being put in the safe. He wanted me to send it back for "evaluation" and most likely I will need a new stock, but they will sell it to me at wholesale price + probably about 1/2 hr. bench time and shipping. I said....and then what, I can buy another one in 10 more years. Am I missing something? Has this happened to anyone else?

I feel your pain snootie...

Im from New Zealand an have the same problem, my 7mm08 was one of the first 85,s with the soft touch stock so is around 10yrs old. Mine started going tacky and thinking it was sweat from my hands i washed it in with dish washing detergent.
It made no difference, still sticky and tacky. Leaves stick to it as does dirt, hair etc. The soft touch is starting to wear off it some places... really pisses me off!!!

Ive contacted beretta about it on 2 occasions and they tell me because of the age its no longer under warranty. Like you I got fed the deet bs!! They would sell me a new stock at full price(1200-1500nzd). Ordered one, 12months later it still didnt look like arriving. Cancelled order as I was lucky to locate a new one on ebay.

If you do some research you will find browning soft touch stocks had the same problem an Im pretty certain they were replacing effected stocks.

cervus - I wouldn't have wasted my time even calling Berretta NZ. Have got a four year old Sako 85 Black Bear and the rubber coating has started to wear off in a few places. Hasn't gone sticky though. I'll eventually replace the stock, which I have never liked anyway, with a McMillan or Southfort Labs carbon.

I have seen this same thing happen with the benelli shotgun softtouch stocks as well, which is a beretta owned company. I will not buy any softouch stocks, they all seem to have issues long term.

Cervus, Thanks for the reply! I also read that Browning is aware of the problem and is replacing affected stocks. I thought maybe Sako (Beretta) would do the same. Guess I'm cheap but tonight I figured I had nothing to lose so I started working on the stock. Only thing I found that would take off the soft touch finish is acetone. I kept soaking an area of the stock then wipe it off, using lots of clean rags. I have it about 90% completed. Really doesn't look to bad but I can see areas that the soft touch must have hidden. I will either send it off to be painted or tackle it myself. Funny thing, I was checking out Ebay last evening looking for a replacement. If I could find a "Grey Wolf" stock reasonably priced I'd go that direction.



Spence1875, Did not know that about the Benelli shotguns. Guess who bought an M2 in 20ga. 2 yrs. ago for turkey hunting! Thanks for the heads up!

I loaned my Finnlight to a friend while I was overseas, and unfortunately he coated it with some kind of preservative and the same tackiness occurred. He meant well, but I too have worked on it with isopropyl alcohol to remove the gunk. I love my Sakos, and the other two have not had any issues with the stock.

Best of luck with the stock. BTW the Limbsaver recoil pad fits nicely on the Finnlight stocks.

I stick with my 75’s. No such problems. 1/2 of them are in mcmillans though

My first 85 did it. But, I had already restocked it. So it did so while sitting alone in the closet.

My second 85 will get restocked before it does the same.

Thanks for posting this.

I was considering one of the Sako 85 Black fluted rifles, but I assume the soft touch on them poses the same risk.

I'll stay away.

I’ve had three 85 Finnlights, if it’s a light rifle I’d take a Kimber Montana before the Sako any day.

Fwiw, I currently own a Sako Finnlight and wish I still owned my Montana.

None of my 85’s have had this problem though.

Beretta CS sucks! Good luck.

I am a Kimber fan too, but the "black Finnlite" at $900 looks like a nice gun for the money. Almost Tikka pricing

At a listed 6lbs 6oz, the "black Finnlite" is still about 12 ounces heavier than a Montana 84L

I am not too big on the soft touch stocks anyway, so if/when I buy another 85 it will be a wood stocked rifle.

What timing. Looking at the black fluted also and just got off the website and got on the forum to look for a thread on the 85 and presto. Great to be a member and have thorough members who share.Thanks.

I know the feeling

Why? It’s the barreled action you want. Get it restocked & you’ll have a fine rifle.

I purchased the black 85 308 Win & it had a 22” barrel. Wonderful, as I did not like the 20” barrels Sako has put on them. The black guns have a longer barrel.

+1

Agree on the 20" barrel. I'd prefer 22" as well.

But the tacky stock concern, when considered along with the ejection issues some have reported just puts me over the top.

And Beretta CS seems to be another question mark.

If I want a good barreled action, there are a lot of other good options.


Edit: I have a NIB Sako 85 Classic 7Mag sitting in my safe right now . . . . that's enough risk for now

I like my old L-61’s. They all shoot well.

Sorry to hear this has happened to you. I'm not (Beretta USA) fan. If it were me it would get sent down the road. I recently sent one down the road and took a little bit of a beating. I would figure out if you would come out better selling it the way it is or putting a new stock on it.

I like low mounted scopes. If you put a low mounted scope on Sako 85 you will an ejection issues. You may not notice if you shoot them at the range and slowly eject the shell and pull them out by hand. But if you test it like you were in a hunting situation most likely you'll find dents in your casings where they bounce off the scope or worse yet end up in your action causing a jam.

Because of this I will never buy another Beretta product again. I've tested the majority of gun manufactures out there and my personal preference always ends up back at Brownings. My experience is they are very accurate and reliable and I would put my Browning rifles up against any out the box rifle. My latest Xbolt .300 win mag will hold a 3 shot 2" group consistently at 400 yards and so will my Abolt .270 wsm. Haven't finished testing my Xbolt .308 Win yet but what testing I've done I think it will also shoot.

Again sorry about your bad experience.