Looks like Sako discontinued the entire 85 line. New production rifle will be a switch-barrel, one action size only---no more baby Sakos. Never should have sold my Bavarian .223 Remington.


https://www.sako.fi/rifles/sako-100

Bummer

You got that right. Hope Sako knows what they're doing. I have my doubts---'bout the only major manufacturer left making a quality wood-stocked rifle.

They finally got smart. Hopefully the new one will have the ejector in the right spot. Wait, then it would be a Tikka T3..

Wow! That is one ugly action on that thing 😆....Hb

If folks aren't going to ride laps in the whambulance about it being assembled in Portugal (they will, which is ridiculous considering it's being compared to Sako), the current production Model 70s with walnut are very well made and all that I've owned shot at least MOA with factory ammo.

I had my thoughts about getting an 85 or a 75.Kinda shame they quit making them,they are nice rifles.

Now it’s a more expensive Tikka

CZ had so much luck with that switch barrel idea that Sako wanted to get in on the action....

Wow…that is one hideous looking bolt action! Not sure who they figure they’re targeting with that, but I can’t imagine die hard Sako lovers think it’s better than what they already have. I get it’s a switch barrel multi caliber do all rifle, but damn…that’s uuuugggggllyy. 🙈

Doc_Holidude

I believe that's a fine example of what Chuck Hawks dubbed "Eurotrash" style.

I don't believe the new switch barrel will sell well in the US. Too much of the European influence for me.

agree with ya both!

I like that rifle. Small chance any Gunshop around me will handle it but I trust Sako.

Amazing! Just think, you can buy just one rifle and change it around to suit any game or cartridge you want. Never have to buy another one! Wow. Just wow.

Never heard anything like it before 🙄

The lack of any mini bolt head calibers is short sighted IMO...

Remains to be seen, if in fact it makes it to the US. Might just stuck with the S-20.

The 85 was doomed with its ejection issue - they should just re-start a line of revamped 75’s and a vintage AV for kicks.

Well I have always been a Sako fan. From my first Sako Forester I got 40 years ago to my latest Sako 85 I have now. But I sure as He!! don't like that one. I guess now the old saying "They sure don't make them like they used to." Will be True with Sako's too.

Chuck Hawks now there is a gun authority.

Could have gone with the U-G-L-Y song instead?

Pappy, SigArms marketed their 970 SHR back in 2000. It was a switch barrel with two different action lengths and two different bolts for standard .473” and magnum .532”. Jon Sundra did some testing with the 30-06 by zeroing then taking barrel off, slapping it back on for accuracy, in doing so it held a 1.25” MOA.

SigArms didn’t sell very many but price point back then was around $400. Extra barrels were available. The bolt simply locked into the barrel itself unlike a typical action where the bolt locks into the action itself.

SigArms eventually dropped it and went to switch barrels on their expensive models with straight pull actions.

It looks like this SAKO could be a straight pull action with rear bolt and part of action moving on a rail. I didn’t see them define it. Looks like they are just copying SigArms type rifles with switch barrel technology.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

You mean Sig Sauer? Yeah I bought one of those in 270 win , it was a nice rifle , a little on the heavy side but it shot great. Made in Switzerland.

Back then it was SigArms for conducting sales and distribution of the 970SHR rifle for USA distribution.

I’m glad I got my Sako when I did. Supposedly multi barrel options are popular in Europe with European gun laws. I have zero interest in switching barrels. I like collecting guns not barrels. Zero interest in a do all rifle. I want stocks, steel types, action lengths ect tailored to a purpose and ready to go, not a one size fits all rifle.

Seems Like they are trying to re invent the wheel and make or bring a new style Of bolt actions. It’s not ugly, but it’s not pretty by any means.
Probably because it’s out of the standard norm. Too bad I can’t buy guns anymore. I want more wood stock Rifles. Regret not getting more 527 or 550.

Well that’s a disappointment. I was hoping that the replacement for the 85 would be very similar to the 85 but with the ejection issue fixed.

It's not a straight pull. https://www.sako.fi/sako-100-legendary-bolt-action

It looks like they incorporate a new proprietary scope mounting system.

That should be popular...


Sako should just file bankruptcy.

They probably will after this latest marketing move. IMHO, they do not understand the American market and why American shooters have historically loved Sakos.

My Sako 85 (6.5x55) is probably my favorite hunting rifle. It works well, shoots incredibly well and is not hard to look at. I have never experienced any “ejection issues.”

Realistically, I will probably never buy another hunting rifle. I’m actually trying to thin the herd. (Never mind that I just bought another shotgun and have my greedy eyes on a particular nickel N-frame.) If, for some reason, I felt compelled to get another hunting rifle I would give this Sako a close look. From the pictures I don’t think it looks bad…different, but not bad. I’d probably look for a reason to have a couple of different caliber set-ups just to switch back and forth because I like the level of manufacturing precision necessary to make that work. I have a Sako Quad 4 barrel set that works well.

I like the early L-61’s

I don’t really care. As with most quality firearms, Sako peaked in the 60’s with the Pre-Garcia/Bofors guns. I keep my eyes out for those guns and will add one once in awhile.

I do have a 75 deluxe 300 Weatherby that is a nice gun with the covered bolt and no lock. The 75 with the drop floor plate is a decent gun, but that 75 with the proboscis sticking out the rear of the bolt is too hideous.

I have one 85 heavy barrel in 223 and it is a nice gun, but nothing like the 60’s Bofors guns.

Where Sako is headed, I don’t know and really don’t care. The best Sakos have all been made and sold years ago…

Where do you see the 85 is being discontinued? Their website still shows many different style 85s, I didn't see anything about it being discontinued, just looks like the 100 is additional model, not a replacement.

A while back I ended up on the CZ site for Yurrup because I was using a VPN with a euro IP address. That’s where I first heard that they were discontinuing the old rifle models in favor of the 600s. Caught a little crap here when I posted about it because the U.S. site didn’t mention it. Didn’t take long for them to catch up though, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Sako is gonna do whatever they think will make them the most money. The U.S. market is just one piece of their pie. Just like with CZ’s dumped models, owners of the old ones better get magazines and other bits while they can.

Phone convo with Eurooptic on Monday. He said they are Sako's biggest American distributor and he was adamant about it. I wanted to bring in another new Sako Bavarian in.223 Remington and he said it couldn't be done.

Anyone see weight specs on the 100?

I'm guessing it's gonna be fairly heavy, even the carbon stock version. Lots of "stuff" going on with that rifle and the weight adds up.

I wonder what the EuroOptic sales guys think about the new 100’s. I live about 20 minutes from the shop…might have to stop in and see what their thoughts are regarding these hideous new beasts.

Europe's gun laws strongly favor switch-barrel capability, so they are serving their target market.

And following Blaser's lead, they have decided more profit can be made by selling expensive barrels and scope mounts than by selling complete rifles.

The rifle reminds me most of a Sauer 200/202 which were switch-barrel too. Unfortunately they failed to duplicate the trim clean lines of the Sauer.

May as well. Because Sako 85s are steaming piles of dog crap. Owned 2 that had "ejection issues"

Never again.

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I have been looking for one of those for YEARS! Never even got a hint of one!

You mean Beretta should since they drive Sakos sales introductions.

This. Oh and it does look like crap

The Italians want to build ugly rifles and promote clothing that literally no AMERICAN hunter would wear in the field. Quite frankly they don’t give a damn about America and what guns/clothing they want. There are rifles they sell in Europe that I’d live to see here. Instead we get an ugly azz switch barrel that is as ugly as the Benelli Lupo or any other rifle in similar category. I had a buddy that worked with Beretta USA for years and he told me that a long time.

It had beautiful wood. Ordered it from Eurooptic. Took 8 months to get here from Finland. And being the dumbass I apparently am, I sold it.

I just confirmed in a TC with Beretta: the Sako 85 line is no longer in production. I also talked to JB at Accu-flite. Apparently in December, 2021` Sako made a deal with Finland and also Sweden (or was it Switzerland?) to manufacture assault rifles for both countries to assist in the defense of their 800-mile border with Russia. The production demands of that contract is apparently what necessitated Sako's decision to stop producing the Model 85. Another casualty of Russia invading Ukraine it seems.

I would like to offer my services to help you owners of the lowly A- series guns transition to these new wunderguns. Send pics/ deets of your AI's, AII's, AIV's(safari grade) and AV's to me, I'll gladly evaluate them and reply with a market adjusted offer. This goes for Rings, ringmounts too.

Seems plain to me that this isn’t intended to compete in the US market. It’s Euro all the way, and they’ll probably love it over there. Sako has a very successful American product (Tikka) and I’m guessing the market share for nicer wood stocked pretty rifles is smaller than ever these days.

Seems that way. Switch-barrel rifles have never taken off here. Sauer has the 202/404 line and they have their adherents, but it's a pretty small following. What makes Sakos desirable (for me anyway) is the panache of old European design and craftsmanship. It's about the only push-feed that isn't a Remington clone. The steel is first-rate and I like all the sculpting of the metal (flats milled on the side of the actions, sculpted bolt shroud, serrated flats on the top of the action and on the shroud), three-lug bolt, Sako extractor and the wood stocks. Sako has (had?) a knack for designing cool stuff and executing the manufacturing at a high level. Also, having numerous action sizes was appealing I've always loved the baby Sakos. Bought and sold more Riihimaki L46s, L461s, 75s and 85s than I care to remember. I do have a Sako 85 Carbon light in .223 Remington and I am keeping that one. It has a 20 oz carbon fiber stock and Sako uses a manufacturing technique different from everyone else to make it.

oh well

Lol.


Have either of you looked at a new rifle rack in a store lately???


All ugly.

Maybe they’ll bring back the 75.

According to their website they are offering more Sako 85’s than ever before.

Rumor has it that the Sako 100 will be available only as a Beretta Gallery gun aka big $$$. In the same context, they will likely be introducing the Sako 95 at the 2023 NRA show. Thev95 supposedly has a redesigned bolt and eliminates the ejection issues that plagued the 85. (Beretta finally admitting that the 85 had ejection issues, imagine that!)

LOL…fair point.🙄