Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles SAKO 85 Finnlight

+1 on europtic. He set me up this summer with a new 85 finnlight in 6.5x55, optilock ringmounts. Put a leupold vx3 2.5x8 on it. First group down the barrel was 3/4". That is just the first ammo I tried, I think I have a real shooter.

Well sold off a couple of M70's and I am buying another Sako 85 Finnlight 7-08 from my wife...she wanted a sako back, didn't like the M70 FWT she had. Found a set of Optilok Ringmouts and they are in mail to me for it. It will have her Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 scope on it..should be good to go for next season!

I have even been debating selling off a FN M70 Super Grade that is being trued up and getting a 25-06 barrel put on it right now for a Finnlight 30-06....

Can you tell me which size action the 6.5 uses III or IV and the weight with that Leupold?

It may very likely be the fault of the Partitions and not the rifle. I have NEVER had fortune with PT's shooting consistently. So much so that I do not ever test them anymore.

The 6.5x55 uses the IV action (same as 30-06). Scope is 11.4 oz.

Great combination!

The 6.5 uses the IV action.

I have one in 260 and it's one of the most accurate rifles that I've shot, tackdriver.

There have been reports of ejection problems with some Sako 85's, i.e. the brass hitting the under side of the scope. This appears to be unique to the LA 85's based on the reports that I've read. My SA doesn't have this issue nor have I read reports of this problem with SA 85's.
One poster with this problem corrected it by replacing the original Sako ejector spring with a Gre-Tan spring. I don't know how widespread the issue is but there was a thread about it last year.
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/6439384/Sako_85_ejection_failure

MC--what bullets are you shootin that 260?

120gr TTSX currently

Looking for a Finnlight in 243. Seems to be a rare caliber.

I really like the handling of the Finnlights. While I know the barrels are the same as a Tikka, the feel of the rifle is much better.

IF only they made a Finnlight in 35 Whelen !!!!

Which 85 ejects the brass right into the scope, and then back into the breech?

85 finnlight 6.5x55 with IV action so you can set the bullets out which helps on any 6.5. With optilock ringmounts and leupold vx 3 2.5x8 no sling no ammo weighs 7lbs 3 oz.

I think you could get under 7 with different mounts.

Has anyone put a mcmillan edge on one of these and how much weight did it save??

I had a greywolf in 30-06 that hit the scope if you put medium or high rings that fixed it. I didn't want the high rings and sent it down the road that was a deal breaker.

I came back to give them another chance because what everyone says about their accuracy. I also wanted a quality 6.5x55 and choices are pretty limited in that caliber.

I used the new superformance 140sst @ 2745 very good round.

They do. Almost. Try a Sako Black Bear in 9.3x62. It's a Finnlight with fixed sights and a 20" barrel.

Not a Whelen, but close, 9.3x62. The Black Bear is indeed nothing more than a black Finnlight with Recknagel sights. The sights are top shelf and worthy if put to use. Otherwise, go with a standard Finnlight if fixed sights are unwanted. Mine has been the slickest feeding production rifle I've owned. Easy to shoot well, ergonomics are spot on for my liking.

my 85 stainless hunter, 7mm-08 shoots great, and always puts the cold bore shot dead zero, just saying

The long action models.

If your neck ever gets any longer, I bet you could grind off the rear mount's recoil lug, move it forward and have a more versatile mount. The Leupold ringmounts hold well without the lug and aren't built near as heavy as those Optilocks. I've only heard of one Leupold ringmount failing and that was with a very heavy scope(near 30 OZ I think) and some big magnum like a 375 H&H or such, memory fails.

9.3 looks interesting. I already have a few finnlights (7mm-08, 30-06, 270WSM & 300WSM). Pretty much have things covered. It all started one day when I happened upon the '06 on a used rack. It was a great fitting rifle and then my sickness began.

Thought about buying another '06 and having it bored out to 35 , but afraid there is not enough metal in the barrel to bore it out.

A 243 would be nice as I already have a Tikka T3 in 6.5 Swede, but what a cool caliber

I'm a big fan of the Sako Ringmount if they fit. I tend not to stock crawl and they are a near custom fit for my needs. Even with the big S&B, they place the optics where they need to be for my dimensions. With a more trim LEU, they'll give more room to work. I'll often remove the scope for travel and to address the fixed sights. For this, the Sako system on my rifle has proven spot on repeatable. They use the same Torx head screw mounts as the rifle action screws, so it keeps things simple. My test group from last season, pulling the scope between shots to test the mounts. I cannot get this level of performance using the LEU mounts.