SAKO S20

[LarryLightFoot]

I have one, bought it secondhand with only 24 rounds through it for £1350, I have had no issues with it whatsoever, very accurate, if I do my bit.
I get the whole plastic stock debate and the styling, each to their own, for me its a Stalking rifle not a range bunny and with its makeup it handles weather rather well, pop the stock off wipe down reassemble with no loss of zero etc .
It was the one out of all of them that felt best when shouldering I would recommend trying it for fit.
I was set on the Mauser M12 but it just didn’t feel right when I tried it, tried Tikka’s and unfortunately they didn’t feel right for me either .
If you can have a go of one all the better.

 

[Rural Management Services]

We have an S20 in 6.5CM as an estate rifle. Very accurate rifle out to long range even with cheap factory ammo and the 20” barrel. Seems to shoot everything fairly well to be honest. Never had a miss feed on the 6.5 or the .243, but did have a couple on the .308 one. Two bits of Velcro on the mag made that never happen again though. We use the purpose made Sako mounts to get the best scope position. These are £150 a set but also return to zero so not all that bad. Stock is a little bit “hollow” but it’s not horrible. At 3.4kg base weight it is a bit on the heavy side, but it’s only 500g more that a T3X light or Finnlight 2 so it’s not horrendous heavy. Sako markets it as a dual stalking and occasionally range rifle for the shooter who can only have one rifle so the weight is the compromise this requires.

 

[Border]

I had one for a year or two and it was my “rough gun” for stalking and range use, it was great, did everything I needed and I put around 240 rounds through it without an issue.

Regards,
Gixer

Why was it sold out of interest and what replaced it?

 

[DavyG]

How reliable is this rifle ? if you have or still own one what is your thoughts on it ?would you buy another one?

Toy’d with the idea of buying one. Decided to stick with the T3x and the 85…
DG

 

[wytonpjs]

I have had a S20 in .308 since release in early COVID. I like it but it’s heavy (especially when you fit it with a dS), all 3 of my 5 and 10 mags rattled (cured with a small strip of the loop velcro on the side), stock hollowness cured by packing with microfibre cloth and the occasional miss feed. It’s completely random but seems to always occur when under pressure for multi shot kills - I did think that maybe it’s me not fully cycling the bolt - but when it happened again last week whilst in Scotland, I looked into the breech and the next round had not lifted. This was a magazine fitted with the eBay 3D-printed packer that was supposed to cure this snag. A quick change to the other 5-round mag and that performed flawlessly. This has become my go to for Scottish stalking and the Arran scheme. I also bought a T3X Wideland Veil in .308 last year and with its Z6i, it’s 2/3rds of the weight of the S20. This I use down South when carrying out training as it’s easier to lug around. What I do like it’s that they both have the same chamber and fire-formed brass from one fits the other and the ballistics are the same with the same ammo. I still like the rifle but…………….

Interestingly, I ditched an SS 85 in .308 for the .308 S20 as I lost confidence in that with its constant random fliers……….

 

[gixer1]

Why was it sold out of interest and what replaced it?

It was only sold as I had a dedicated stalking rifle and then bought a dedicated target rifle, the S20 was a mix between the two…

 

[wboulter]

I've S20 in 270 never had any issues with it close to 200 rounds now like others have said sbout the stock never bothered me and would buy another one

 

[User00040]

Why was it sold out of interest and what replaced it?

It was only sold as I had a dedicated stalking rifle and then bought a dedicated target rifle, the S20 was a mix between the two…

Replaced with a Tikka...

 

[gixer1]

Replaced with a Tikka...

The dedicated target rifle you mean? You wouldn’t want to carry the tikka around stalking but the S20 did a fine job as a multifunction rifle.

 

[User00040]

The dedicated target rifle you mean? You wouldn’t want to carry the tikka around stalking but the S20 did a fine job as a multifunction rifle.

Agreed, the Tac A1 has too many poke-y bits.

CTR however....

 

[gixer1]

Agreed, the Tac A1 has too many poke-y bits.

CTR however....

No no, I said “a tikka”…