I'm in the market for a long range rifle and I'm undecided as to which way to go. I've got some good, accurate bolt actions but nothing that is my go to rifle for long range. It's use would be deer hunting, occasional coyote hunting and target shooting. Based on the broad use I don't want a heavy barrel as I cover a lot of ground when I hunt. I also enjoy shooting itty bitty groups as well as long range shooting (perhaps out to 600 yards on targets). The easy route would be to buy the Sako L691 .270 Winchester I've been eyeing up lately. My other consideration is to buy a high quality custom barrel and either build a standard weight sporter on a commercial Mauser action in .270 or 30-06 (if it's a Mauser I'm going to be traditional) or to do up a heavy sporter on a trued Remington 700 action, likely in 6.5 Creedmoor. No matter what it will be a blued steel and walnut sort of rifle simply because that is my taste.

Looking at pricing, either semi-custom option will run 50% more cost than the Sako I was looking at. Given that I enjoy shooting small groups and I like to shoot targets at long range how much do you think I stand to gain in terms of accuracy with a high quality custom barrel on a Mauser or a trued Remington over a factory Sako rifle? I used to own a semi-custom 6mm BR and I miss its accuracy potential. I'm no longer interested in competitive shooting and I want a versatile, highly accurate rifle that can be the best compromise of accuracy, power and portability.

Building on a 700 or one of its spinoffs sure keeps things simple. With that being said, my go to rifle for coyotes and white tails is a custom L579 in 243 with a brux 26" 1-8 twist shooting 95g burgers. I really like the way those old sako stocks with the high cheek piece fit. I had it pillar bedded and she is a rock solid outfit. On the custom barrel deal I'm fiddling with a custom model 75 sako for a buddy of mine and can't get under an inch so far. I've tried 3 bullets and five powders, so a custom barrel doesn't always guarantee anything.

My love for commerical Mausers is completely irrational, and I have owned some that shot extremely well, but for pure accuracy I’d choose a 700, then a Sako, then a Model 70, then a Mauser.

If you go blue and walnut, why not buy the Sako, test it and see what happens? You might have a real treasure on your hands. You might also want to run the numbers on any work that will be required to get the Sako up to snuff. That stuff can get surprisingly expensive in a hurry.


Okie John

Those Sako's are usually really accurate, I would probably go that route first. If it doesn't shoot for some strange reason you can always get a new barrel installed. I had a take off barrel from a 85 Bavarian installed on my L691. it would be a lot cheaper to go that way and Sako barrels are usually really good. You might luck out and find a heavy barrel 6.5x55 or something like that.

Do you plan to use a rangefinder for your deer/coyote hunting, and what is your accuracy requirement of the rifle? Any chance it would be used on bigger stuff (moose or black bear)?

I've got a NIB Sako Bavarian in 7 Rem Mag I'd sell for $1,295 shipped, if interested.

SAKO! It will still be worth more and the end of your day IF you are not pleased with it. I love mine.

I don't know nearly as much about it as some of these guys but I wouldn't build a custom anything until I knew exactly what I wanted,and the reason I had to build it was because that was the best way to get exactly what I wanted. I think until you know that,you are just wasting money on a shot in the dark.

A Mauser in 6.5X55 Swede with a 1/8 twist barrel throated for the 147 ELD-M would be a nice rifle.


Trystan

Do what I did...

Buy the Sako and have it rebarreled to exactly what you want by a top end Bench rest gun smith.

Go Sako!!

A Sako 85 Hunter (comes in blued steel and nice wood stock) can be had in various chamberings, and has a sub MOA accuracy guarantee. I would go that route before wasting tons of money and months and months of time dealing with gunsmiths, only then to roll the dice, accuracy wise.

A Sako in 6.5 Swede would do well for coyotes and deer, and still be light recoiling enough that target shooting with it would be enjoyable.

Euro optic has a fair selection of sakos in stock to choose from right now. That would be the direction I would be heading.

I went with a SAKO semi custom. It's an AIII re-barreled by Clay Spencer w/BRUX to 6mm-06 with a McMillan Classic and it shoots tiny groups.

Unless set on the SAKO which are great I would buy a Howa barreled action for $250 at PT&G if the barrel was not to my liking then no problem getting a custom and you are still ahead of a SAKO. SAKOs are really smooth but the Howa can be polished up nicely and will work smoothly. If the lugs are honed and the action face and bolt are square then it will be as accurate as the barrel is.

That is a great looking rifle, but for the sake of discussion, let me say I can't see the logic in doing that unless you got a screaming deal on the action. You could easily be in that action $700, and for that money you could go a few hundred dollars more and use a custom clone of a Rem 700 that would give you far more options in terms of scope mounts (how many places offer a 20MOA base for a Sako AIII?) or bottom metal or triggers.

But yours looks like a great blueprint and I am sure that with Clay and a Brux barrel it shoots bugholes.

Thanks for the compliments. You are exactly right, I really had to fret over whether or not to do this. I did get a screaming deal on the action. When I purchased the rifle for less than $400, it was missing the bolt, the stock was cracked, the finish on the receiver was(still is) discolored, and it was chambered in 270Win. After a long time looking, I finally found a replacement bolt and was able to sell the cracked stock and the original barrel. At 3350 FPS, I'm hoping I won't need a 20MOA base. So, I took a rifle that I had no use for and turned it into something I've always wanted.

Yep, I've got some coin in it and I'd still like to send it off to Robar for a NP3 PLUS finish.

It's too heavy to carry all day, and that leads me to another rifle I may have spent too much money on: My Kimber Adirondack re-barreled by Clay (HART barrel) in 6x47 Lapua.

It looks like an amazing gun, and thanks for not taking umbrage at my critique of it as a general model. It sounds like you rescued the best parts of that rifle, and turned nothing into something cool. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, and I am a bit put off by people who say (or imply) "only action X is worth using" or "only scope Z is worth the price," etc.

A good barrel, installed by a competent smith, bedded into a rigid stock, will almost certainly make the nut behind the trigger the limiting factor.

I'd order a Barrett Fieldcraft in 22-250.





Dave

I'd go factory first. Get familiar with it, and what you "miss" that customizing would help. THEN go custom.

You will look long and hard to find a sako that doesn't shoot good....rem 700s are cheap and easy to put togather....parts and upgrades are everywhere....Mausers are cool but the cost of doing one right just doesn't make sence these days....think about a Winchester classic...new haven production....if you like blue and wood those FW are nece....