What’s Next for Sako Rifles?

[yycyak]

Speaking personally, Tikka wound up with my money. SWFA got my money. Any used LRHS I find gets snapped up.

I so badly wanted this "Weird internet cult guy" to be wrong. I loved my Mausers and Leupold (But the warranty!) Then some clown comes around saying "Prove me wrong. I'll even cover the costs if I'm wrong." I had some money to burn, tried out the Rokslide Special combo, and suddenly all the Gremlins and tinkering and weird things just stopped. 15 years of shenanigans, wandering zeros, and "Let's just quickly check zero, just in case" went away.

Form, and Ryan and Luke, cost me about 5g so far, but the time I've saved from having to dick around with unreliable gear over the last few years is invaluable.

(Big Stick preached this stuff too, back in the day. Credit where it's due. )

Formidable Form - do you receive a commission from Tikka? Hornady? SWFA? Sierra or Sportsmatch? (Pretty sure you don’t it’s mostly a joke)
But, how do you think you have impacted their sales in the last couple of years from all of the info you’ve shared on Rok?

 

[prm]

I’ve always wanted a Sako 85 Arctos.

I can appreciate pure functionality, but it’s just hunting, nothing wrong with some classic style.

 

[JGRaider]

What - the Arken? But lots of people unboxing them on YouTube say they're great!

Experience trumps opinion.

 

[RussDXT]

Speaking personally, Tikka wound up with my money. SWFA got my money. Any used LRHS I find gets snapped up.

I so badly wanted this "Weird internet cult guy" to be wrong. I loved my Mausers and Leupold (But the warranty!) Then some clown comes around saying "Prove me wrong. I'll even cover the costs if I'm wrong." I had some money to burn, tried out the Rokslide Special combo, and suddenly all the Gremlins and tinkering and weird things just stopped. 15 years of shenanigans, wandering zeros, and "Let's just quickly check zero, just in case" went away.

Form, and Ryan and Luke, cost me about 5g so far, but the time I've saved from having to dick around with unreliable gear over the last few years is invaluable.

(Big Stick preached this stuff too, back in the day. Credit where it's due. )

Same here. My last holdout that goes against the teachings of Form is rem 700 actions. But amazing how switching scopes and mounting has made a world of difference in random issues.

 

[BjornF16]

Experience trumps opinion.

So it's been drop tested?

 

[JGRaider]

It has been range tested, and will be hog tested this weekend. Been "testing" my gear like this for 51 years. And a big "negative" to the intentional drop tests. If that floats your boat then knock yourself out.

 

[Mojave]

They still have some 'classy' options.

What interests me is that they also have a few models with adjustable cheek pieces and buttpads ... we need more of that, done well.

I get that. Just when I personally hear Sako, I picture beautiful, classy rifles. My how times have changed.

I get what you are saying, but everyone has to keep up with the times. I have broken the wood stock on a Blaser R8, a Sauer 90 and an original Mauser 98 sporter. As much as I like wood, in 2023 I'd rather have synthetic and preferrably carbon fiber.

The r8 stock broke recently, this was a $4500 tragedy. A gunsmith friend repaired it and it lasted 20 rounds.

Saying that I will probably buy more wood stocked guns especially double rifles and drillings, but for F-sake I hope it doesn't happen to me again.

 

[SDHNTR]

It doesn’t have to be wood to look like a classy rifle. I just don’t like the trend towards rifles that look like something storm troopers will be carrying in the next Star Wars movie!

 

[HighUintas]

I'll always have some wood and some synthetic. But I doubt I'll ever own a chassis rifle.

The best compromise I've found is a nicely colored laminate stock, although they're not light. Sako's grey wolf rifle always stood out to me.

Sako 100 is intriguing and I'd like to have one, but I expect the barrels will be prohibitively expensive like the Blaser.

 

[simplepeddler]

Just picked up a Grey Wolf in 25-06. My first Sako.
I'm just an old fart that likes a traditional rifle.

However, with all of son's coming up, there are a ton more black guns with thumbhole stocks in the rack.
What is ironic is that those old school guns seem to keep rising in value.

I hope Sako does not give up on the wood stocks for sure.

 

[Mojave]

Sako Bavarian is really beautiful so is the Sako that Cabelas had as a partnership rifle. The new Finnbear.

 

[fwafwow]

I want the mods to note I am refraining from posting childish memes in response to some of these posts.

I'm still holding out for a 223 S20

 

[Balderdash]

It doesn’t have to be wood to look like a classy rifle. I just don’t like the trend towards rifles that look like something storm troopers will be carrying in the next Star Wars movie!

I can relate to your thoughts. I have a safe/s full of wood stock-blued metal rifles and shotguns. I love rich grain, deep blueing and beautifully fitted wood to metal. However, I'll also admit to being part of the problem of traditional looking rigs going the way of hand cranks to start a car, as I haven't bought even a used one in years. All of my more recent whole gun and component accumulations have been towards rigs set up for longer range, higher volume shooting.

I still shoot and hunt with my wood-blued rigs, but the modularity and all weather utility of newer designs is too convenient for rigs that get shot and/or carried a lot.

 

[Formidilosus]

It doesn’t have to be wood to look like a classy rifle. I just don’t like the trend towards rifles that look like something storm troopers will be carrying in the next Star Wars movie!

Ha. Well the S20 looks like a rifle from the 80’s (TRG-21) and just a composite/plastic stocked version of Finnish target rifles. As for the look of modern rifles… man, “hunting” stocks suck for shooting. Everything about them is wrong. It is possible to make a stock look less starship troopery, but it needs to have a parallel forend, vertical grip, negative comb, and negative drop at heel. But until people that want those things actually start buying them… well, we’re going to get metal chassis with full pistol grips. I do expect a return to wood stocks in a modern shape once people start realizing that their “custom” rifle isn’t- its just legoed together parts. Though it will probably never return to being the dominate type or stock or look.

As for material, I don’t think the functional issue is so much wood, as it is designs of wood stocks. I greatly prefer wood over any plastic or composite, and metal isn’t even in the running for a field rifle. One could make a mini chassis and inlet that in a wood stock, or make a buttstock and forend for the KRG Bravo similar to the MDT Timber. A wood version of the Gunwerks Clymr or Magbus would be fantastic, doubly so with a mini chassis inlet in it.

 

[SDHNTR]

I don’t disagree, and I’m slowly coming around. I realize the utility of vertical grips and negative comb and flat forends. It just can’t be too wild and futuristic looking.

Here is a custom McMillan that I really like. It’s a wonderful blend of modern ergonomics yet still keeps a mostly traditional profile. I think it’s the best stock I’ve owned for controlling muzzle flip and taming felt recoil. My Manners EH1 is about as tacticool as I can stomach. Great stock design too.

 

[Formidilosus]

I don’t disagree, and I’m slowly coming around. I realize the utility of vertical grips and negative comb and flat forends. It just can’t be too wild and futuristic looking.

Here is a custom McMillan that I really like. It’s a wonderful blend of modern ergonomics yet still keeps a mostly traditional profile. I think it’s the best stock I’ve owned for controlling muzzle flip and taming felt recoil. My Manners EH1 is about as tacticool as I can stomach. Great stock design too.

That’s bette than most. Have you shot a Gunwerks?

 

[SDHNTR]

That’s bette than most. Have you shot a Gunwerks?

I have not. But I’ve heard people rave about them. I have a philosophical objection to Gunwerks’ marketing tactics so I don’t know if that’s a hurdle I really want to overcome. Appears to be a fairly similar design to what I posted above, although I think that one in the pic has a slightly more vertical grip.

 

[Formidilosus]

I have not. But I’ve heard people rave about them. I have a philosophical objection to Gunwerks’ marketing tactics so I don’t know if that’s a hurdle I really want to overcome. Appears to be a fairly similar design to what I posted above, although I think that one in the pic has a slightly more vertical grip.

I understand. It would be worth shooting one if you get a chance as the designs are the best on the market. The grip and buttstock are near ideal. Most are surprised when they shoot a true negative comb and drop at heel which your stock above doesn’t have.

 

[SDHNTR]

It definitely does have a negative comb. If the angle of the camera were more squared up it would be more obvious, but the heel is well above centerline.

 

[SDHNTR]

I understand. It would be worth shooting one if you get a chance as the designs are the best on the market. The grip and buttstock are near ideal. Most are surprised when they shoot a true negative comb and drop at heel which your stock above doesn’t have.

And do you mean drop at comb? Not drop at heel? I don’t really see how you could have a negative comb and drop at heel at the same time. Unless I need to be learned something.