Sako 85 problems

ejg

Most injection moulded stocks on factory rifles have a "pressure bed point". The reason for this is not to increase accuracy but more to force a slightly bent stock to the centre of the barrel. Customers judge the quality of a rifle by the evenness of the barrel channel gap. It is almost impossible to injection mould an absolutely straight stock never mind thousands.
Differing pressures exerted on the forend will lead to POI changes. One way of improving this is by opening the barrel channel and removing the pressure point. The barrel channel gap should be proportional to the flex in the stock material. Injection moulded stocks will still have a few unwanted characteristics. A pillar bedded wooden stock as Clive showed is a big step forwards only leaving the moisture problem of the wood. Since the Vietnam era composite stocks have sorted that problem which led to several manufacturers in the aftermarket industry.

At the moment I believe Sako/Tikka have the best Euro rifle products available. They are not as over engineered as some other Euro brands. From the two I prefer the T3 rifle as it is simpler, has only one action size which is a great bonus if one has a few T3's. The T3 is one of the very few rifles that can be bedded with a different T3 action. Meaning if you buy an already bedded stock it will fit on your T3 as long as the bedding is done correctly. Manufacturers can build stocks for T3's that require no further bedding. Further the aftermarket industry offers a wide selection of triggers, rails, three position firing pin safeties, magazine systems for the T3. Way more choices than for a Sako rifle due to the one size action advantage.

Accuracy wise T3 and Sako 85 should be very similar due to the same barrels being used. The resulting accuracy will depend on stock and bedding quality of the particular rifle.
At the moment I have three T3 rifles sitting in aftermarket stocks that are capable of under 1/2" accuracy. The CTR in 308 being my favourite T3 at the moment. Fantastic hunting target crossover rifle that I fitted to our new mil spec stock.

My T3 family: CTR 308/E-Tac3/Hausken mod, 308 custom with 22" lilja barrel / AICS mag/ ASH safety/Roedale mod, 243 in Hunter stock/Hausken mod.



edi

jb88

Is that the rifle you used to win a Gold Medal in the Sporting rifle at the Phoenix in Bisley and Silver medal in the Stalking competition?

clivej wrote: »

Never had any problems with my Sako 75. I use both types of stock with it.
The laminated timber that is the stock that comes with the rifle and used in the summer. I'd put the synthetic stock on for the Deer season. It saves about 2lb in weight and I don't worry about getting it banged about. I put a small picatinny rail on the side for a torch and moved a sling swivel attachment to the side as well.

I can swop these stocks over without any POI change, and the bi-pod has no effect on the POI either. Just make sure the barrel is Free Floating all the way to the action.
Both stocks are pillar bedded and the rifle has a set trigger. See my write up in the tips section on how I pillar bedded the timber stock.
Scope is the Bushnell 4200 Tactical Elite 6-24x50mm. Zeroed @200y and a drop chart is taped to the scope for 100y, and 300y drops.
Also I have a 20MOA Roedale picatinny rail for the scope. I fit all my rifles with picatinny rails. (Even my 2 shotguns have them on)







Photo's of the pillar bedding job on the timber stock.

clivej

jb88 wrote: »

Is that the rifle you used to win a Gold Medal in the Sporting rifle at the Phoenix in Bisley and Silver medal in the Stalking competition?

Yes it is, a great rifle that I'm taking to the grave with me.