Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles SAKO 85 Finnlight

Glad they work well for you. I just noticed ,from your picture of the Black Bear, that you might possibly need more room.

You make an excellent point. Like boots and backpacks, what fits and works well for one, may be an ill match for another.

I've come to appreciate that whomever the Sako engineers used for middle of the road average dimensions for fit with this rifle, must have been my twin. Most everything they engineered into this platform, falls right into place with my needs for correct fit and function. So to the OP and this thread, if the shoe fits, it should come out of the box running like a champ. Well worth the price of admission. But, if you end up needing to Frankenstein the rifle, spending additional big bucks, due to an ill factory fit, you'd probably be better off going a different route.

6.5 would be a MEDIUM action size in the model 85 rifles and a "IV" action size in the Sako model 75 rifle.

Correct it is labeled M in the 85 but just so everyone knows this not an intermediate action it is the same as 30-06, 270, etc standard long action.

I had my 270 finnlight rebarreled into a 9.3x62.

So I have a 260, 30-06, 338 Federal, and a 9.3x62 Sako 85...

I guess I like them.

At the moment I'm thinking about rebarreling the 338 Federal

Last summer I got the Sako bug, and just had to have a Finnlight in .308. It was quite costly, and when I got it, it really did nothing for me. It just didn't "fit" me. I think I took it hunting with me once the whole season. Definitely a well made rifle but it may be up for sale soon. Vault space is too limited to keep a gun that I don't use.

Mine in 260 does cloverleaf as well with 120's, and 123 Scenars

I have a Finnlight in 30-06 and a 370 Sako Mag (9.3x66)both stainless /synthetic. There is hardly a dimes worth of difference between the two in handling characteristics, the Finnlight is slightly lighter and has a fluted barrel 'cool'. Both are sub MOA rifles @ 100m. Amongst one of the slickest actions around (My Tikka/Tac is slicker though), magazine fit and function is perfection. If there is a down side it would be the 'look' of the stock, however, it functions as it should. The upside of the stock is that I don't mind using it as a tool.....which it is.
I've had a 7Mag for 20yrs and when the Finnlight was bought I was thinking real hard on another 7. But with the knowledge available today and running ballistic programs and vast array of 30 caliber bullets I went with the 30-06. In practical terms it equals the 7mag (sure you can use those slippery high BC 7mm bullets but you most likely limit their potential by magazine length) and on the upside you can run a 200gr AccuBond at ~2700fps, this is a serious bullet at a serious Muzzle velocity and on light bodied animals the 168gr bullets @2900fps are very good.
Anyway caliber aside, the Finnlight is an excellent choice and my 'go to' rifle for moose,deer, and b-bear.

No experience yet....yet. Looking forward to shooting this one soon. Sako75 - 260rem. New/Never shot. 7.5lbs w/scope.

Great set up with the Zeiss 2.5-8x32 slg888! Very nice.

I had a Zeiss 3-9x on my Sako 85 260 - now it wears a Leupold 4.5-14x.

The Zeiss was moving zero all over the place.

Other than that mine is wearing a Mcmillan stock -

A new Sako 85 finnlight 7-08 is in the mail now for my wife....she will be very happy to have it!

I have this same rig in the same caliber. You won't be disappointed with accuracy, feeding or extraction. Velocities on mine are quite as high as I had hoped for even with max loads for a 120 gr BT.

devnull pm sent

Stoney, go shoot that thing and tell me how it does...I would love to hear!

I bet you will!

I have a Sako 75 Finnlight in .260 Rem. One of the best hunting rifles I've ever owned!

If she is happy i am happy! I won't be shooting it though...