# sako 85



## caribukiller

i'm looking to buy a sako 85. i'll be using it for moose, caribu, mabe deer and the odd bear that comes a little to close. i'm never shot a sako centerfire rifle and i'm wondering how it will compare to a remington 700 or a rugar 77


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## SLG

SAKO IS MUCH SUPERIOR. GO WITH A SAKO, OR TIKKA. EVERYONE THAT HAS A NEW TIKKA IS THRILLED HOW THIS GUN SHOOTS FROM THE BOX.


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## Csquared

Hey Killer, SLG is absolutely correct. You should sell me your 700 ASAP, then put that money with a whole bunch more and go buy that 85. We ALL know the 700's are junk compared to those foreign made Sako's, so I'll take all of your's off your hands for you right now.

Later, after the Sako is broken in, post a target. I'll go out the next day and make one with a 700 of the same chambering, and then we'll see which is superior.

What's a 85 cost? A thousand and what?

Holy Shiite! Go buy a like new 700 from the 70's or 80's for about one fourth of that and never look back!


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## caribukiller

the sako 85 is $1599 canadian


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## Jiffy

hhhhmmmm, there must be a reason for it being 2 times the cost of a Remington. I bet Sako priced it that way just because. It couldn't be because it is a better weapon could it? IMO it is a far superior weapon. You get what you pay for...and that goes with just about everything.

Will a Rem. do just fine? Yep!! It will work just fine IMO however is the Sako 85 a better weapon?? You better believe it is!! If you can afford it, go with the Sako. You won't be sorry.

More importantly, go with the best glass you can afford. I guarantee you won't be sorry with that decision. Good luck.... :beer:


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## Horsager

In the price range of a Sako 85, I'd but a Kimber Montana first. They are available in all of the 308 based cartriges, 30-06 based cartriges, all of the WSM's, also 7Rem, 300Win, and 338 Win. Prices should be similar, the Kimbers are selling down here for $1100-$1200.


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## caribukiller

ya but i know a few guys with kimbers and nobody has a sako


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## Horsager

Sako's are a nice enough rifle, but, my buddies 75 in 300Win SS SYN is almost 10# with a 3-9x36 Zeiss and a loaded clip. In everything except the Finlight the Sako is a PIG. My preference is a 8# or less all-up rifle.


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## SLG

KIMBER IS A NICE RIFLE ALSO. THOUGH THE TIKKA/SAKO IS STILL HARD TO BEAT. YES, IF YOU WANT TOP OF LINE, YOUR GOING TO PAY FOR IT. IF YOU CANT SWING THE CASH, HEAD FOR WALMART FOR A RUGER/REMINGTON.


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## Csquared

Jiffy, I bet you're one bad *** ex- marine, 'cause judging by your attitude here I'm sure your gunny had you doin' push ups on a regular basis!

Will a 7.62 bullet still bounce of those pecs?

Should've spent more time in math class though, 'cause at the prices stated the 85 is much more than double that of a used 700.

Killer, sounds like you WANT a Sako. Don't need any other reason than that!

But if you truly want a comparison, I honestly think the only place you'll notice a difference is in your bank account.

For that money, you can buy a used 700 for $350, send it to a gunsmith with $750 and it will come back with the best barrel money can buy (whatever brand you want), EXACTLY like you want it (length, contour, twist, finish, etc.) and have a Jewel trigger installed...and all for the same money as the Sako.

I guess we can debate what makes one or the other "superior", but if accuracy is the determining factor this discussion is going nowhere.

If the possibility of using the rifle as a back-up anchor on a float hunt is an important option, well then as Horsager has stated, the Sako is obviously "superior" 

Oh, one other thing before I go Jiffy. I understand your rifles are assembled with the distinct possibility of a human being seen in the scope at some point, so I am perfectly comfortable referring to your rifles as "weapons", as you do.

For the rest of us, though, I sure would like to hear 'em called guns.

pm me if you want my address for your Christmas card mailing list!

Seriously, Jiffy, all kiddin' aside, I know very little about Sako 85's. What makes them so great?


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## Horsager

Csquared, I'll take a stab at the benefits of the 85 vs. 700. The 85 has Sako's Diamond Lapped barrel, no break in well established accuracy. The 85 is a CRF vs. pushfeed, some say that's only important with dangerous game, I'd ask you to ask the opinion of my buddy who stovepiped a 7WSM while shooting at his mule deer, the rifle was brand new for the trip, it jammed up after the 1st shot and he was obliged to use my Classic Winchester with CRF, only had to shuck shells once with my rifle, but it did so with no hiccup. Having adjusted the triggers on better than a dozen 700's and a handful of Sako's, I'd give the nod to Sako triggers for ease of adjustment and consistancy. Sako's integral dovetail scope mounting system is so simple it's stupifying. The dovetail is tapered and gets wider towards the front of the reciever, under recoil the rings can only get tighter on the action. The 85 has a shorter bolt throw, but that to me is insignificant. Both platforms have good clip systems with enough length for reloaders who have a passion for long slippery bullets. Sako's barrels are free-floated from the factory, none of that stupid tip pressure to remove. Lastly I'll take a fixed blade ejector over a plunger any day. I think the 700 is a fine rifle, I own one in a 22-250 SS Fluted and it does it's job well. I also think Sako's are worth the extra they ask for them. I'd buy another Kimber Montana or Winchester SS Classic before either of them.


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## Jiffy

I actually know nothing about rifles. I just wanted to get under your skin. It is quite apparent it has worked. You're way too easy buddy. You are fun though. I will admit that!!

Actually for my line of work when I was in the Corps, the premonition of a 7.62 bullet bouncing off of my chest would have been a "grave" mistake. One I am not so privy to make.

Why do you have to be so negative about WEAPONS man? Can't we just all get a long? I seriously have never shot a rifle before&#8230;.oooppps&#8230;.I mean weapon. So how can you expect me to comment on the Sako. I just read it in a book at the library. So give me a break!!

Do your own research; you'll see the Sako is a better weapon!! Better yet, shoot one!! It WILL be quite apparent.

As far as your comments on sending your Rem. to a gunsmith goes. I will say this: You can polish the hell out of a turd. What do you get? A shinny turd!!

You are pretty "kool" though&#8230;..

I bet you own a scope with a mil-dot reticule because "those dots just look so neat" don't you?? Wait, don't answer that, I REALLY don't want to know!

PS: Just for the record, when you let off, I will&#8230;.. :wink:


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## Jiffy

Oh yeah, I don't think you'll want a Christmas Card from me.....you may not like it too much.


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## Csquared

Thanks for the info, Horsager. I'll grant you the fixed ejector and consistent triggers, but everything else is "ford" or "chevy" to me.

You gotta remember I'm talking about OLD 700's, so the talk of "clip" mechanisms is kinda moot.

Maybe if I would personally see a jamb I would start to understand the hubub surrounding the CRF. I have never seen a 700 jamb.

I noticed you said your buddy was shooting AT a deer. If he had a 700 he wouldn't have needed the second shot! 

CRF is a benefit if you hold your rifle sideways like a gang-banger holds a pistol, but I just haven't ever felt CRF was necessary, but I don't hunt things that want to eat me!

The other stuff just seems like a new mouse trap to me. Conventional scope mounts work perfectly, and I believe are MUCH cheaper (do Sako's come with the rifle?)

I've got you beat on the 700 triggers, and if by inconsistent you mean large variations from rifle to rifle with the 700's, I would agree, but most can be adjusted to be anywhere from VERY good to great. Never messsed with a Sako trigger. Only Sako I ever worked with is a buddy's Finnbear (I think that's what it is called) in 7mm Rem Mag. It shoots well, but not as well as any of my 700's with .28 bores.

As far as barrel break-in, I don't believe it's possible to "break-in" a factory barrel. Kind of like trying to smooth oak planks straight from the quarter saw with only steel wool! I don't know what Diamond lapped is, but I certainly would not be surprised to see the Sako's barrel is much smoother than a Remington. I do, however, doubt that that equates to much improved accuracy for the Sako, and when compared to an aftermarket barrel at the same total cost, I also doubt the Sako would favorably compare. But I could be wrong.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, enlighten me on your love of Kimbers. I've had two Kimber of Oregon 82's, and they both SUCKED! Both had horrible bolt problems. One went back to the factory and the other is still waiting for a new home at our local gun shop.

Thanks again!


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## Csquared

Dawg gonnit Jiffy you're showin' your liberalism again. You know how the libs say if you say something enough times eventually people will start to believe it, even though it isn't true?

You're not under my skin. I STOP talking when I get ******. I'm lovin' this!

Before I go any further...I DON'T OWN ANY MIL DOT SCOPES!   

Stay in touch. We'll teach you everything you need to know about rifles, and you can keep everything you know about weapons to yourself, where it's less likely to cause you grief in the future! I know you like to keep your head in the sand, but rest assured, someone is watching you!

Seriously...keep in touch. If it wasn't for BS like this it wouldn't be fun!

I'll send YOU a Christmas card if you pm your address!!!!!!


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## Horsager

I think the only advantage to the diamond lapping is that it does make the barrel smoother and therefore easier to clean, I don't put any stock in the lapping making for better accuracy.

I have a Kimber of Oregon 82 classic in 22 that shoots well enough for gophers, squirrels, etc, I don't do much "paperwork" with that rifle, and couldn't tell you how it even groups, I sighted in the scope 2 years ago and just keep shooting it. It eats Win Powerpoints and Kills what it's pointed at.

I also have a KOO 84 Super America in 223 that shoots extremely well with a case full of Varget and a 53gn flat-base Sierra Match HP (and gets 3400fps over the chrono).

My latest Kimber is the newer Kimber of America 84 Montana in 243. It has shot 80gn Federal's to .284" for 3 @ 100yds, I have the target and a witness. It is 6.6# with a 4.5-14x40 Leupold and 4 shells in the magazine. It's small, trim, light, and shoots very well. The trigger is excellent, the barrel is easy to clean, it has CRF and a fixed blade ejector, and a pillar bedded McMillan from the factory. What's not to love? I'm having a serious internal struggle as I want the same rifle now in a .308, and I guess I'll likely have it by spring. Not really much internal struggle.

The problem on my buddies mule deer wasn't that it was a pushfeed or a CRF, it was that I was trying to talk him through a shot at a distance he was uncomfortable with. We had a good rest and lots of time, it's hard to say what went wrong with the shot, since I wasn't behind the scope. The push feed came into play when a second shot was needed. I don't believe any rifle would have made the 1st shot, he just wasn't ready to shoot that far. I also don't think that push feed and WSM/SAUM cases go together.


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## Jiffy

What in the hell are you talking about??

I guess you lost me there.....Dawg gonnit!! :roll:

Never-the-less, I hope to "learn" more in the furture. :lol:


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## Csquared

Horsager, you and I need to fill the back of our respective trucks with rifles and meet somewhere in WY in June or July, and see how many days we can shoot prairie dogs before we're sick of it.

Work will wait!

Maybe I'll leave WY with the understanding that someone other than Remington builds rifles!


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## Jiffy

Csquared, you know who you sound like??

You sound like Plainsman.....IMO

Except Plainsman is much smarter. :wink:


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## Longshot

I also bought a Kimber of America 84 Montana in 308 this summer. I found a load that shoots well using 165 gr. Sierra Game Kings. I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy along with the weight. I topped it with a Burris 3-9 with ballistic plex and it performed well on coyote and deer this fall. I would definitely recommend this rifle. It was worth the money. I have a Remington 700P in 308 also that shoots very well, but seeing a couple of experiences others have had lately I don't think I'll be buying one in the future. The next will probably be the Savage Model 12 Long Range Precision Varminter.


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## Jiffy

Longshot sounds like plainsman also..........

Or maybe even huntin1 with that savage comment. The "savage pimp" number 2?? :lol:


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## Csquared

Jiffy said:


> Csquared, you know who you sound like??
> 
> You sound like Plainsman.....IMO
> 
> Except Plainsman is much smarter. :wink:


I have read his posts.........I agree on both counts!


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## Jiffy

Csquared,

If you want to reply with a quote all you have to do is hit the quote tab below the "Posted Date and Time" of the peson you want to quote. Otherwise you get this:


Jiffy said:


> Csquared, you know who you sound like??
> 
> You sound like Plainsman.....IMO
> 
> Except Plainsman is much smarter.


I thought I would lend a hand. It's just another "weapon" to use. :wink:

Well, at least we agree on that!! 8)


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## Jiffy

WOW, that was weird!! I cut and pasted it and it worked. WTF?? Ok, I really don't know what just happened there.

caribukiller,

Have you made any decisions yet??


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## Csquared

That's exactly what I'm doing, but it doesn't show in white. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. My generation didn't grow up with computers, so we got to spend more time on vocabulary and reading comprehension. :wink:

It's times like this that make me wish we had computers instead.

So tell me what I'm doing wrong, Jiffy. Probably the only time you'll have me ask you that!!!


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## Jiffy

breathing........


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## SLG

Csquared said:


> That's exactly what I'm doing, but it doesn't show in white. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. My generation didn't grow up with computers, so we got to spend more time on vocabulary and reading comprehension. :wink:
> 
> It's times like this that make me wish we had computers instead.
> 
> So tell me what I'm doing wrong, Jiffy. Probably the only time you'll have me ask you that!!!


 your generation didnt have sako & tikka;s either! time to set the 700 aside and keep up with the times.


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## Csquared

NEVER!

My 700's will keep printing groups any Sako owner would be proud of............ and with no foreign accent!!!


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## Longshot

I don't see myself buying a Rem. rifle any time soon, but a 700 action for a project rifle is hard to beat. I would rather take the 700 action and build my own rifle than pay for a Sako.


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## Csquared

Longshot, I had only two reasons for responding to this post originally. The second reason was to give my thoughts on whether it was a good idea to spend that money for a Sako when the same money could get him an almost complete custom rifle, since Caribukiller specifically asked how we thought the Sako would compare to a 700 in his original post.

You have hit it precisely on the head, and I obviously couldn't agree more!

The other reason was due to the use of the word "superior" to demean my beloved 700's.

How popular would it be on here to say model 70's couldn't hold a candle to another specific brand? I'd bet Hillary would receive a warmer welcome at a Bristol/Meyer/Squib company picnic!!!

Gives us something to talk about though, I guess.


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## polebridge

As far as breaking in barrels and Sako's diamond lapping, here is an interesting article on the possible benefits:

http://www.shootingsoftware.com/fouling.htm

I myself own a Sako 75 and two Remington model 700s (my dad owns three M700s and swears by them). One of my 700s is an out of the box 7mm rem mag that shoots great and the other is a custom model in 338 Win mag that has had some smith work done. That rifle has been glass bedded and has a tuned trigger. I must say that the trigger on that M700 is the finest of any rifle I have ever shot.

That being said, my out of the box Sako will outshoot any of my M700s, or my Dad's M700s for that matter. It is chambered in 280 Remington and is the only rifle I take hunting these days. I even went as far as to give my 7mm Mag to my Dad (who, by the way, also feels that the Sako is the finest rifle he has ever fired).

Don't get me wrong, I love the M700 and I agree with my Dad that it is probably the best bang for the buck on the market. I also like the idea of sending one to a qualified smith to have some custom work done. In the end you will have a truely great rifle for less then the cost of a new Sako these days. I believe the new Sako 85 goes for about $1500 USD. That's a lot of cash (I paid under $900 for my 75 a few years back).

They are nice if you have the cash but the question is...is the extra expense getting you that much more performance? I would have to say no but I sure am glad I didn't listen to reason when I bought my Sako.


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## caribukiller

ya i am going to buy a sako 85 in 30-06


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## polebridge

I don't think you will be disappointed. As with all rifles you will find best results with handloads.

I have noticed that my Sako likes Swift A-Frames seated until they just about touch the lands and grooves when chambered. I have also noticed that my rifle seems to like H4831 and Remington 9.5 magnum primers.

Best of luck with your new rifle.


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## 340Wby

85 Finnlight will be out soon :beer: .


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## 340Wby

http://www.berettausa.com/product/spotl ... CGROUP.cfm

http://guns.cs.net/photo_viewer_detail. ... oid=210070
Enjoy :beer: .


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## caribukiller

good thing i didn't get around to buying it yet because now i want one in 7mm rem mag


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## filoman

Whats the difference between the Sako 75 series and the 85 ?


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