For those who have owned or shot both are they the same rifle? Price, weight, magazine, etc seem to be very close or equal. I am thinking of buying one in 30-06 so I appreciate your input.

Huge difference......if the price were within a couple hundred or so I'd take the A7

This will tell you pretty much everything you need to know....

http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/sako-a7-review

Same barrel...bigger loading port opening, 3 lugs in lieu of 2 lugs, different action sizes,similiar magazine and bolt shroud although the a7 is plastic coated metal. If it were within a few hundred I would pck the A7

Thanks guys, I was able to find a few articles that illustrate the differences you posted. Both seem to have great accuracy but it appears the Sako's are amazing. I can find the T3 Lightweight local but would have to order the A7.

I have had an A7 and currently have a T3. The T3 is great but the A7 is better for all the reasons listed above.

I have a few Tikkas and a Sako A7, I do like the Sako for above reason's as well, Mine has the soft touch stock and I personally like that also. It is a 270 and I haven't shot it much at all but seems to shoot very well. I have been thinking about selling it for a couple years and just can't seem to let it go for some reason!

Cabelas has the A7 varmint on sale, 150 off regular price. The ad came in today's mail, I don't know the final price. The A7 has limited calibers.

My A7 had a little stiffer bolt lift but other than that I liked it better than my T3's. I wouldn't mind a stainless a7 30-06 myself. Where can you find one and what do they run now?

Bb

The A7 Varmint and the A7 Big Game Rifle are sweet, I have been on the fence about buying one of the big game rifles for a couple weeks now. They are not putting the Big game on sale but the cabelas here will have the Varmint on sale starting Thursday. From $1199 to $1049.

The stiffer bolt lift is partially a result of the three lug bolt....you have to compress the firing pin spring the same amount but do it in less degrees of bolt lift.

This requires a steeper angle on the cocking cam which in turn requires more force on the handle.

Even on sale that's 50% more than a T3. Are they that much better rifles?


P

You and I both know that's completely subjective to the buyer. There are several variables, things that these rifles have that the Tikka doesn't.....

Stainless Fluted 24" barrel in the 06 with a larger contour
3 Lug bolt
B&C stock
Open top Ejection Port and the ability to feed the mag from said ejection port
The sako style mag release

Even if you started with a Superlite, which would still be a 22" barrel and a much thinner contour, and then added a B&C you'd be close to a $1,000 and still not have the action designs of the A7. The Big game rifle I looked at is a 30-06 and all up weighs 7 lbs and it balances superbly. Just have a hard time dropping $1300 (tax included) on it at this time. Here's the kicker, they had a FinnLite right next to it also in 30-06 and it comes with a 22" barrel like the Tikka. But the mag cal Finnlites were identical to the big game 30-06 barrel. It's like they put a mag contour barrel on the 06 in the big game rifle.

Word on the street is Beretta isn't importing the A7 any longer, so what we have on the shelves is it. Any truth to the rumor?


P

I cannot confirm that, but I do know I never see a plain A7 on the shelves or for sale online anymore, so that could be the case. I really like that A7 Big Game rifle but it's still got the plastic Tikka trigger guard and bottom metal/bottom plastic, shroud, etc, and that's what's really made it hard for me to pull the trigger on one to the tune of $1300 and personally I don't care to buy a FinnLite knowing that it has a cheap stock on it. Kind of an expensive catch 22! My temporary option has been to buy another SS Tikka T3 in 30-06 and mull my decision for a while. I was ready to jump on a Forbes but there's some things I don't like on it too and the starting point is the same price!

I'm struggling with the decision! I can buy 2-T3's almost for 1-A7. There are not many out there and then there is the Forbes 24B and Kimber Montana....... I just want to buy an accurate rifle that doesn't weigh over 7-lbs.

A number of years ago, those A7's were on Gunbroker at a very low price. Many were shipped from $500 - $550. Those were wild times!

Absolutely Joe, it was supohunter or something like that who had em regularly for that price. Hard to imagine they have gone up so much in price!

Whichever way you go you really can't lose. The accuracy of the tikkas and sako are well documented. Aftermarket support and magazines are definitely easier to get for the tikkas. I own an A7 Tecomate in 270 wsm, which is very similar to the a7 big game from cabelas. It's the most accurate rifle I've ever owned and great to shoot. My dad has a tikka 695 in 7 mag and friends have t3 lites and superlites And all of them are great with no exceptions. My Tecomate is average weight with a zeiss conquest 3-9x40 in talley lightweights. It's not super light, but light enough and it fits me perfectly. The only thing I added was a stainless 85 bolt shroud and an extra magazine (as I was concerned parts would become unavailable if sako stopped importing them). You just have to decide which one you like and go get it. Good luck with your decision.

Craig

I was in a similar situation to you hunting1. I just bought two Tikka Superlites and have no regrets at all. They are about 7lb rigs. Check out my initial range reports if you haven't already. Like many have said though, if money is not a big concern, the A7 is probably the better rifle and should hold its value better than the Tikka. I too was seriously considering a Forbes, but was hesitant because they are so new. That said, after a year or so, and any bugs, if any, are worked out, I would really like to get a 20B. Check out pics of shortactionsmokers Forbes 20B...sweet looking rig. All the initial Forbes reports I've seen so far seem to be good.

Just my 2 cents, but from what I've read on here, I would not take a chance on the Montana unless it was a known shooter.

the A7 is probably the better rifle and should hold its value better than the Tikka.

True ...but is one used A-7 worth more than two used T-3s??

If $$ is not really an issue then I'd love the A-7
but in my case (being a cheapskate)
I'd take two T-3s

Either way it's hard to go wrong

Find a mint used Sako m75ss and be VERY HAPPY !!!

I had had 2 T3's in the LS models- great shooters but love my Sako m75 rifles. Never really looked at an A7 since I have had Sako m75's since 1997.