Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Sako Vixen vs Montana in .223

Given the choice woud you rather have the Vixen or the Kimber Montana. I have been offered a Vixen in 95% condition for less than $1000 and am thinking of going that route and throwing it in a Edge sometime in the future.

Apples to oranges, but stainless, kevlar, and 1-9" twist gets my vote.

As a pure hunting rifle I would also rather have stainless and Kevlar.

Recently however I spent my saved rifle money on a Sako Forrester Deluxe rather than a Kimber.My reasoning was,the 1969 Sako was in nearly new condition,nice wood and a good price.Even though it takes me a while to save $1000 to spend on a rifle,I knew I could more easily find another Kimber later, than a Forrester in that condition.

What twist barrel do the vixens have

14 on most of newer ones in 222 anyway.

the Sako because the action is the correct length for the action. The Montana uses a 308 length action for the tiny 223 cartridge: not a big deal to most, but a huge deal to me.

In the situation you described I'd buy the Sako. Montanas are still in production.

My vote goes to the Sako, but I'm a bonafide Sako slut!!!One of the neatest little actions ever built!Lotsa soul! It kinda depends on what you wanna hunt with it. You can always drop it into a mcmillan stock if the the synthetic is a factor. BUT it is twisted slow and being petite it will have mag constraints if you wanted to run, long for caliber bullets. Definitely a factor if you wanted to hunt med size game. My little triple duece sporter calling gun dotes on 40 grain v-maxes, I am sooo glad I was holdin it last month when I had the biggest bobcat I or the taxidermist had ever seen come in to the call!!!! One entrance and stayed in!!!!!

My thoughts as well and, IMHO, many of the older Sako's are better fit and finished.
YMMV,

BD

Dr.Lou - purchased a SAKO L461 Vixen with the heavy barrel in the mid 70's when the .223Rem chambering was not common. 1:14 twist but shoots 55 gr loads just fine. Paid $250 for it new. When I took it to the range the local National Guard unit was there qualifying with the M16. Their NCO's could not believe a "civilian" was shooting a bolt gun in that caliber. Best part - made a deal with my young son. IF he policed the GI brass that came my way he'd make a penny each ($.01). He was human vacuum cleaner filling up his bucket! Regards, Homesteader.

The Sako has no advantage anywhere and disadvantages everywhere. It's the same old constant,that boolits matter more than headstamps and the Sako's twist rate and mag confines,knock it out of any serious contention Today.

Only the first (5) boolits on the left are Sako 223 doable. The first (4) in a Sako Deuce. The Montucky will happily shoot them all,except one as an absolute certainty(the furthest to the right),though the 4th from the right is 50/50.



CM is at a distinct disadvantage over S/S. Walnut is at a distinct disadvantage over a good synthetic(which the Montucky is). The Sako receiver's mounting system and it's modest spacing,preclude much latitude in glass selection/position. The Sako's very slight mag confines preclude upper echelon BC's,even with a rebarrel being factored in the equation,to speed up it's pedestrian twist rate. The Kimber will happily cough up a 2.500" COAL.

The Sako isn't even a consideration,for a hard use Utility Rifle,in direct comparison.

Stick, have you found some Montanas to not twist the 75Amax quick enough?

Don't listen to the man behind the curtain...

Sakos have been around for decades, lasted the trial of a utility rifle and still perform beyond the standards set today. Sako actions are designed around the size of the cartridge and not made to fit a pre-existing larger action. The simple truth is they are reliable, accurate and better made. The Kimber can be a good gun, but the Sako has proven over the years to be a great gun...

my sako vixens shoot the 40 to 55 grainers sooo good. i have no need for a heavier bullet. i just got a heavy barrel 1967 .243 sako. shot 4 different loads ; two different bullets. the big groups were in the mid to low .2s. my brothers 40x 6ppc does not do any better.

+1 to what shrapnel said. The older Sako's are among the finest factory produced rifles ever made.

Here's an old Sako in action...

NOTHING beats a Pre-Garcia Vixen. Have owned both rifles in question.

Stick, you have obviously changed your mind since this post...

But I think that you are currently just fishing. Sorry to scare the fish away.

http://www.asrealasitgets.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/73131/

That's debateable. I put my order in for a 223 Montana in November and still no rifle.

oops