Sako 90 action thread

[eLightfoot]

I had a lot of unanswered questions about the Sako 90 action before I bought one so I figured I’d share my findings. I bought a new Finnlight as soon as EuroOptic got them. They emailed me a special price since I had it in my cart before they were in stock. Cheers to EuroOptic for being awesome! It’s 6.5 creedmoor. Stainless fluted with the new parabolic contour belled out to accommodate 5/8” threads. Plans are to make a new walnut stock for it and rebarrel to 22creedmoor.

Number one I wanted to know if the tennon was the same as a T3. I looked all over and couldn’t find any 100% conclusive information. I’d read the 85 was the same as tikka t3 but saw another guy online say the 90 wasn’t the same.

I pulled my factory barrel and promptly screwed on a spare tikka barrel. Threaded on nice and tight. Checked with a go gauge. Bolt closed. Added a single pieces of scotch tape, no close. Pretty safe bet the Sako and tikka barrels are interchangeable.

I was surprised to find that the short action Sako, even with integral pic rail was not much heavier than a naked tikka.

The mag COAL for the creedmoor is 2.950

The mag fits 5 rounds and feeds like butter. While at the range I had to double check a few times that the bolt picked up a round. It always did.

The Sako has a wide trigger that I prefer. The external adjustment is cool but I really don’t see myself moving it from where I put it.

The bolt “feels” like it cocks easier (I don’t have a testing tool) and slides into battery a little easier than the tikka. This could be subject to individual user.

I hate the Finnlight stock. It’s heavy for a plastic stock and the forend is pretty square which doesn’t feel good to me. I’d probably never use the adjustable cheek. From the beginning I knew I’d be changing the stock anyway.

The bedding surfaces on the bottom of the action/recoil lug are definitely goofy. Not sure why Sako needed to reinvent the wheel here.

Let me know if there are any other questions I might be able to answer.

 

[Muley Buck]

This is great information. Thank you for posting this, much appreciated.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

I was just looking at this exact rifle on gunbroker, cool to know they look sweet.

 

[Muley Buck]

From your pictures it looks like the 90 and 85 have the same bedding configuration/design. Is that a safe assumption?

 

[eLightfoot]

From your pictures it looks like the 90 and 85 have the same bedding configuration/design. Is that a safe assumption?

I don’t have an 85 but I do think they are the same

 

[Wrangler13]

What stock are you going to get to replace the finnlights?

 

[eLightfoot]

What stock are you going to get to replace the finnlights?

Going to make my own from a nice chunk of English walnut.

 

[eLightfoot]

Weight difference on the full set up

 

[JCMCUBIC]

Nice comparison on the actions. Thanks for doing that.

It is my understanding that the 85 and 90 inlet are the same. Same magazines as well.

I really like the 90 Peak I've been shooting.

The magazines are very, very nice. That said, at least on my rifle, with 5 down and a closed bolt, I can't open the bolt. The bolt catches on the shoulder of the top round (6.5 CM). I haven't forced it, but gave it enough pressure to leave a mark on the brass' shoulder. It does this with both of the magazines I have. So it's either load a magazine with 5 with an open bolt and chamber it, or if I wish to carry with an empty chamber, it's limited to 4 in the magazine.

Is the same true for yours?

 

[eLightfoot]

Nice comparison on the actions. Thanks for doing that.

It is my understanding that the 85 and 90 inlet are the same. Same magazines as well.

I really like the 90 Peak I've been shooting.

The magazines are very, very nice. That said, at least on my rifle, with 5 down and a closed bolt, I can't open the bolt. The bolt catches on the shoulder of the top round (6.5 CM). I haven't forced it, but gave it enough pressure to leave a mark on the brass' shoulder. It does this with both of the magazines I have. So it's either load a magazine with 5 with an open bolt and chamber it, or if I wish to carry with an empty chamber, it's limited to 4 in the magazine.

Is the same true for yours?

It will hang up on a full mag if moving the bolt really slow. Work the bolt like you mean business and I don’t even feel it. Rides right over the first round no problem

 

[JPW13]

It will hang up on a full mag if moving the bolt really slow. Work the bolt like you mean business and I don’t even feel it. Rides right over the first round no problem

This has been my experience as well with an 85 carbonlight that was a 6.5 and is now a 22CM. Both cartridges will hang if moving the bolt slowly. Interestingly, I have not had that happen on an 85 Bavarian in 06 or in a 90 Finnlight in 7PRC, so I wonder if it might be something with the carbon stock.

 

[eLightfoot]

This has been my experience as well with an 85 carbonlight that was a 6.5 and is now a 22CM. Both cartridges will hang if moving the bolt slowly. Interestingly, I have not had that happen on an 85 Bavarian in 06 or in a 90 Finnlight in 7PRC, so I wonder if it might be something with the carbon stock.

Probably has more to do with the spring tension in the mag and cartridge geometry. With more use the mag spring might soften up. Cases with long shoulders and more body taper are always going to feed better.

 

[JPW13]

Probably has more to do with the spring tension in the mag and cartridge geometry. With more use the mag spring might soften up. Cases with long shoulders and more body taper are always going to feed better.

That could be part of it, but I actually have found it has more to do with the torque on the action screws. That CF stock is awesome, but it's quirky as well.

 

[eLightfoot]

That could be part of it, but I actually have found it has more to do with the torque on the action screws. That CF stock is awesome, but it's quirky as well.

Could be something going on there. I don’t have the carbon stock. However my action retains the magazine completely independently from the stock or bottom metal. The mag locks and latches on the fingers that hang off the bottom of the action. I can load the mag full and latch it in the action without the stock or bottom metal and cycle the rounds.

 

[rookie7]

It looks like the rear tang on the Sako is very thick. That is one of the complaints on Rem 700 actions is very little thread engagement on the action screws. The Tikka's rear tang is also thin, but I don't know if it is any better than the 700 footprint.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

Haven’t noticed any issues with 5+1 and bolt lift in my 90 peak 308.

 

[wind gypsy]

That rear tang looks overly complicated and possibly a PITA to bed? The whole works looks pretty complicated compared to a tikka.

 

[Muley Buck]

That rear tang looks overly complicated and possibly a PITA to bed? The whole works looks pretty complicated compared to a tikka.

I've never needed to bed my 85 it's been in two different stocks. As long as inleting is good, there should be no need. It's really not that complicated, just a little different.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

That rear tang looks overly complicated and possibly a PITA to bed? The whole works looks pretty complicated compared to a tikka.

They aren’t all that crazy however…

I’ve owned 6 Sako 85s, 3 75s, and 2 90s. None of them have ever needed bedding. Most were used with factory stocks however.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

It will hang up on a full mag if moving the bolt really slow. Work the bolt like you mean business and I don’t even feel it. Rides right over the first round no problem

Yeah...not the best move on mine.