I am looking at investing in a .300 WSM and have narrowed it down to these two options. I have an 85 Finnlite in .270 WSM and really like it, but the XBolt is not quite as expensive. Which and why? Thanks!

If you like the Sako, why take a chance? It only hurts for a little while.

Personally, I find the metro-sexual styling of a lot of Brownings, including the X Bolt, to be a bit bizarre.

There's a reason the Browning is less expensive. Get the Sako.

This site is full of Sako guy's so no matter what rifle you compare to a Sako the other rifle will lose ( a pile of very vocal Kimber guy's on this site too which I find hard to understand givin Kimbers track record) .....I do understand the Sako fans as I have owned around a dozen or so brand new 75/85's over the years and they all shot fine but some of the standard action rifles did not eject properly ( most would hit the bottom of the scope) however I have also owned several Browning X-Bolt rifles and none of My Brownings ever had any function isssues at all and as I have posted on here before the most accurate rifles right out of the box I have ever owned have been Brownings and as you said they are cheaper to buy which is a plus in My book......I am going to go against the grain here and advise you to go with the Browning.......Good luck......Hb

Always had good luck with browning. Never had one that didn't shoot. My x-bolt gray stalker is one of my most accurate rifles and very easy to carry also. You could spend $500 less on the browning and spend the money on a real good scope. Just my $0.02.

Another vote for the Browning. I have an XBolt Stainless Stalker in .280 that has been perfect right out of the box. I also have a Sako A7 in .300 WSM that took a lot of tinkering to get right. It's always been very accurate with a smooth action that feeds well. The problem has been the common Sako issue of brass ejecting up into the scope. Had to try a bunch of different scope and ring combos and my only solution was to use high rings and a Leupold scope (due to the adjustment caps that fit more flush than other brands). I didn't want to use high rings, but had no other workable solution.

Alex hit the nail on the head why I dont have My Sako's anymore, I had to use high ringmounts and it never was comfortable for Me.........Hb

Yes, cry once

I recently bought a Sako 85 Finnlight chambered for a 7mm Rem Mag. When I buy a rifle, it's mostly about feel. I handled a fair number of new bolt action rifles, the Finnlight felt good, the action was smooth, the safety set up was intuitive. The Finns have a good reputation for making out-of-the box accurate factory rifles. I'm still getting my scope sorted out, but we'll see how the rig shoots. I don't have anything bad to say about the Browning. The Sako does have fewer "aftermarket" options. Folks to seem to really like or dislike the tapered dovetail rail. The stock apparently is an improvement over the old one, but I'd eventually put a McMillan on anyway. Probably the biggest knock on Sako is warranty work. People have horror stories about dealing with Beretta, currently Sako's mother ship. You shouldn't need warranty work, but even good factories have bad days. Good luck with whatever you buy.

I have both and I'm the last guy who will get hung up on the cost difference between the two. They are both excellent rifles, so it comes down to personal preference between the two. In my experience, the Sako is not more accurate and is not the "better" rifle. That doesn't mean you will form the same opinion or that others are off the mark, but it is my personal opinion. Pick the rifle that feels the best in your hands. I doubt many people on this forum would lay down money on the accuracy of one over the other. I sure wouldn't.

I have had numerous Sako 85s and one X-Bolt. Sakos, at least in Canada, are double the cost of an X Bolt. IMO, they are not twice the rifle.

Not on this thread

Oh its not over yet My man, they will show up sooner or later....Ha!..................Hb

The only rifle I ever saw lock up was an XBolt. Bolt locked closed at the shot with factory ammo. Just saying.

I have 3 Sakos and they all are very accurate.

Yep.

Sako vs. Browning is not much of a comparison.

My feelings as well. I have a couple of Sakos and they are flawless in performance and easy to look at. "Metro-sexual" is a good descriptor for the Browning style these days. I only own one Browning, a Belgian .22 auto. I've seen and handled a lot of X-Bolts and BLR's. The Brownings don't feel good to me and they're hard to look at.

Like boots and backpacks, what is a good fit for me and works well, may be an ill fit for you.

Go by what you prefer. But for me, Sako must have used my twin brother when they came up with the dimensions and ergonomics for that rifle. If they had a custom shop and a master fitting service, the rifle would differ very little from what comes out of the regular production box. So in my case, the rifle was worthy of its expense. It fits, runs, and performs like a custom or semi-custom that would cost even more.

I've owned both and would go with the X Bolt. My 300WSM shoots amazing little groups and it is fairly light and nimble.

I had to hammer the bolt open on a Ruger 308 once, and I never had it before or after with that rifle.

The ammo was some factory Hirtenberger factory stuff, and something wasn't right with it.

Point being, that a one-time occurrence means about nothing.

I have had a few Browning bolt rifles, and they all functioned well, and were maybe the most accurate out-of-the-box rifles I've had.

I'd prefer a more classic stock style myself, but the Sako synthetics don't horn me up much either, and having to replace the stock on a $1500 Finnlite is ludicrous. I guess if you want a Sako with a good synthetic stock you have to pony up $2800 for a Carbonlite

In any event, I wouldn't take a flyer on an 85 given the ejection problems that guys are having (and Beretta won't fix). I hate a scope sitting way up high.

No contest.


Because one is a Sako.

I own an X-Bolt in 7wsm (stainless stalker) and I quite like it. Fits me well, has a stock and pad that really reduce recoil, feeds flawlessly and cycles smoothly, and is consistently sub moa with multiple loads.

It was just under $1k purchased in fall 2014, and I consider it an excellent value. That being said, if Sako made a 7wsm, I would definitely compare feel and fit of them both and get the one I liked the best. In my case for a variety of reasons, I was looking for a 7wsm and the X-Bolt fit me best of the options available.

Sako

I pretty much agree with all those points. I would look for a 75 or older if buying Sako.

On a lark, I purchased a .280 Rem. X-Bolt. I had to fuss with it a little, but it is now shooting with my Tikkas, and I am very pleased with its overall performance. It is a far cry from my favorite, but it is a decent enough rifle. CP.

I usually look on firearms purchases as long-term investments. Trendy styling may look good to some now, but down the road, it will likely start to resemble some of the Japanese cars of the 70s and 80s. Classic styling always looks good, like Harris tweed, Levis, and Stetsons.

I look at firearms purchases as indulgences (for the stuff I plan to use, once the basics are covered) and don't give a flying flip what is popular among the interweb crowd at the moment. Pick the rifle that feels best in your hands and never look back, because there isn't anyone on the forum offering a money-back guarantee on the rife of your choice. Browning gets very little love around here, which is fine by me. I can pick up nice rifles at great prices, which suits me fine. Guess I should probably push the theory that Browning rifles are junk to create more opportunities for myself, but that's not how I see it. They are both good rifles.

Good point about getting whatever feels right to you. Whether or not I care for the style or design features, Brownings are high quality guns that work well. I prefer the older ones, but that's because I'm a reactionary old man whose tastes were acquired in the 1960s. The few issues I've heard about are minor stuff compared to ones from the other makers. Can't recall ever hearing about a safety issue on one of their guns, or about one with QC issues.

I don't like the way the DM assembly on the XBolt looks, but I bet it works.

My biggest complaint about the Xbolt is the magazine rattles in your hand if you carry there. Also wiggles around when loading which feels cheap. Otherwise excellent rifles. I've owned 3. Still own 2. Prefer my Sako 85s but not by much. All 3 Xbolts had wiggly mags.

Sako

I've owned my .308 X-Bolt Hunter for several years now and have yet to experience the loose, wiggly, rattling magazine. The magazine on mine fits very snug even when empty. Guess I got lucky.

I guess you did. Mine have all been long action. Maybe they fit better when shorter. Dunno but I'm 3 for 3 on wigglers.

I have a Sako 75 Finnlight in 300 WSM, and I can't think if a thing I don't like. It is heavier than the 308 M85 I have in 308, but the barrel is shorter on the 308, and the M85 is lighter than the 75. Cry once.