Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Any opinions on the Sako 85 Bavarian?

Been eyeing one in 308.... No particular reason, just keeps catching my eye. Anybody with any experience good or bad?...I recall reading the euro stocks are nice to look at but not comfortable to shoot...appreciate any info...thanks.

Just handle one first. I have not handled that rifle but I have heard the stock doesn't lend itself to cheek weld with higher mounted scopes.

^^^^ What he said.

good to know....I need to check one out just for my own curiousity

Since you asked,��.
JMHO, but one caveat, I�m a sako-holic, so take this with a grain of salt, cause this is not an objective opinion.
A friend of mine has the Sako Bavarian in 6.5 x 55. He says it shoots every different factory round he has put through it sub inch at 100.
I have the Bavarian Carbine in 308 Winchester. When they came out, I had to have one. I�ve become fond of the Mannlichers and the hog back or European style stocks.

Here�s my Sako 85 Bavarian Carbine in 308 Winchester. Blue steel, oil finished wood with contrasting grip cap and fore-end. It also has a set trigger that breaks at about 9 oz when set. At the bench or off a shooting rest, that will spoil ya�.







The bavarians are not light dainty rifles. Solidly built with excellent fit, finish and furniture. My 308 will hold 5 rounds in the detachable magazine and can be fed through the receiver into the magazine without the magazine being detached. I like that. I love Coopers, but the repeaters you must load the clip, then put the magazine in the rifle. Also, to disengage the magazine on the Sako 85, you have to depress the magazine with some force, then depress the latch. No losing magazines due to slight bumps and jarring. The magazine is of steel, not plastic construction. I like that too.



The one negative for me however is the thickness of the stock at the magazine. The point of balance for me is with the index finger of my left hand even with the juncture of the receiver and barrel. I�m 5-8 and 190 lbs. and don�t have particularly large hands. Guys with large hands or folks that don�t carry rifles much probably wouldn�t notice this at all.



A friend of mine who is a gunsmith states he loves to work on Sako�s cause he never has to true the actions. The bolt slide on the action is smooth as silk. I do use a small amount of grease on the rails though.



Another feature you may or may not like. When the safety is engaged, the bolt cannot be lifted unless the catch in front of the safety is depressed.

I had heard that a few of these earlier Sakos 85 Bavarians had a problem with the finish/bluing flaking on the bolt shroud. You can see the small round spec where that appears to be evident on mine. I use my guns, so the get nicks, scratches, dings and assorted character marks, so I did not consider this to be significant enough to send the rifle back.

And best of all, it shoots like a Sako���..


[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/Rifles/IMG_1183_zps53dee6f3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/Rifles/IMG_1185_zpsc37a9a41.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/glenn1221/Rifles/IMG_1182_zps1f85141b.jpg[/img]

These are a few groups shot of the bench at the Pearland Shooters club @ 100yds during load development. My go to load in this rifle is 150 gr. Nosler Accubonds over 46.5 gr. Varget, Lapua Brass, Fed 210M primers and 2.820 OAL.
As to recoil. I employ a lead sled with 40 lbs of lead shot when doing load development. Usually don�t shoot more than once at each particular game animal, and then my focus is on the game and the squeeze, not recoil. The scopes I employ are usually no more than 14 power max and 44mm objectives or less, so low and medium rings work fine, so cheek weld and sight picture are no problem.
The Bavarians are pretty new so you may not be able to find one pre-enjoyed. I usually don�t buy new rifles. However, in this case lust got the better of me and I could not wait.
Best

GWB

I don't think Europeans are bothered with a lack of cheek weld. A lot of their stocks are lower in the cheek area and work great with iron sights. They also seem to use a lot of very large objective scopes designed for night hunting which have to be mounted so high cheek weld isn't possible anyway.

I bought a 6.5x55 Bavarian in January, have not hunted with it yet. It seems to be a very nice solid rifle. The thickness through the magazine area is a little thick but I've had not problem with that. Have not really found any down sides to it yet. Load work was no problem. I have not found anything that did not shoot very well so far.

I would have one in an instant in 6.5x55 if you didn't have to mount Scopes so darn high due to the ejector being where it is and ejection issues with brass hitting the bottom of the scope.

I had a sako 85 338 fed that fit me really well and was an excellently finished rifle...also have an L579 forester 308 that is my go to gun, it's a beauty with a few character marks just to make it "better"....whenever I peruse the Sakos...my eye just goes back to the bavarian 308. I know it's not my forester...but maybe my forester needs a friend...

Sir,
I�m not sure I understand,

I�ve owned Sakos in Riihimaki, l-461, S491, L579, L61r, AI, AII, AIII, AV, m995, 75, and 85. I don�t recall having trouble with either of the issues you raised on any of the Sakos I�ve owned.

Here are two different Sakos.

The first is a Sako Varminter, l61r, 7Mag, topped with a 4.5 x 14 x 40 AO, Leupold Vari-x III





The Second is a Custom AV in 280 AI. It is topped with an old Simmons ATV, 4.5 x 14 x 40 AO





Both have Redfield Sako Bases and Leupld low or medium dovetail rings.

AS you can see, on both the scopes, the center of the objective is less than 1.5 inches above the top of the barrel and would approximate 1.5�t0 1.75� above barrel centerline. Top of comb of stock would be about 2� to center of eyepiece.

In addition, here is a short video of the ejection of rounds from these two rifles. As you can see, the cartridges do not touch or deflect off the scope at any time.




Best

GWB

There are no issues with ejection on pre 85 models. I have no problem on my finnbear or 75 guns.

Big thread discussing the issues here:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/6439384/Sako_85_ejection_failure

Maybe so. I've had two other 85 stainless synthetics, which I no longer own, but ejection was not a problem.
I just tried three rounds out of my 85 Bavarian Carbine. No problem ejecting rounds or mounting/cheek weld problems.

Another short vid. This time of my 85 Bavarian Carbine, 308 Win.




Best

GWB

Old wives tail. I went with the Model 85 Hunter Stainless in 7mm-08 cause Alex at Europtics had two of them, I got the prettiest one IMO. I looked real close at the Bavarian, they are plentiful. Personaly, I like the traditional "American" sporter look, no sights and it feels great.

HOWEVER, That full stocked Bavarian is a sweet looking rig

That pancake stock is fugly IMO and doesn't work well if you like your head down on the rifle.

Europeans are taught to shoot with the head more erect.

Thanks for the photo's of the 85 Carbine.
They are a little hard to find in my local shops, but I would take one in either 308win or 30-06 springfield.

IIRC only six distributors got the carbines. You might look on gunbroker. There are at least three different houses that have the carbines. I got mine from Cove Creek Outfitters. They seem to be fine folks to work with.

Best

GWB

Another vote for Cove Creek. Very easy to work with and usually have a large number in stock. Prices are good too.