Sako 85 Carbonlight

rabbitter

Well-Known Member
I thought these were interesting when they were first advertised (a year or so ago I think.) My local RFD has received their first shipment and after handling one yesterday, I gotta say that I am sorely tempted. I was concerned that being so light (2.4Kg), the gun might feel a bit flimsy or the stock would feel 'toyish'. It doesn't. The stock has a very tactile feel and the Finnlight style barrel gives rise to a well-balanced rifle.

I could imagine dumping a low profile scope onto it, throwing it and a few bits in a backpack and hiking off into the wilds, but it would also be a great woodland stalker in .308 or a 'walk-around' gun in .243.

I accept that I am a bit of a Sako fanboy, but I like it!
 
I've been putting off buying an 85 synthetic stainless, waiting for the release of the carbonlight. I've yet to handle one. Is the stock as firm as the synthetic? How much was it with your local dealer?
cheers
Dan
 
The carbonlite is stunning. The carbon layup could be a little straighter, at least on the demo rifle I saw, however the finish is perfect. I'd say it's comparable to a Christensen Arms. The only carbon stock that I've seen nicer is the rare Blaser R8 Monza carbon, but that's £5k+.
 
Its 7oz lighter than my synthetic stocked 85, I wonder what the balance is like? My laminate 85s and synthetic 85s are perfect with a jet Zs and large Swarovski scopes but I bet an unmoderated carbonlight with a Z6i 1.7-10x42 is a delight to hold.
 
Apparently only 12% of the worlds population are left handed which is odd as tests show 30% of the worlds population are left eye dominent sugesting a lot of cultures suppress lefthandedness.

Left-handed-ness is more prominent in men with surveys sugesting as many as 40% of men are left handed left eye dominent

If only Sako would understand the importance of that then I could own a 243 and 308 carbonlight :(

ATB

Chasey
 
How much are these retailing for? I havent been able to find anywhere that sells them?
 
I handled one at the French Game Fair ,unbelievably light & the soft carbon stock glues to your hands , I'm not a great carbon fan but this is something else , lovely
 
+1. I contacted GMK a few months ago to query if there was any likelihood of a left handed stainless/syn Sako 85 being retailed, they could not give a yes or no but did say that given the popularity of the 85 there was a good possibility, but perhaps that was because I told them I would have to look towards a blaser instead! Fingers crossed!
 
I just handled one in gun store in Georgia (US) and I must say they are light and well balanced but overall I prefer the feel of my 85 Sako Synthetic it just feels more grippy, the carbonlite while feeling good felt like it might get a bit slippy in the wet. Retail price in GA was $2828 quite a bit more than the synthetic.
 
I read the write up and i must say it looks like a nice rifle. The barreled action seem to be standard Sako with a carbon stock. Nice as the stock is, about a £1000 more for a carbon stock over say the nice walnut on the Sako grizzly is takeing the ****.
 
The action is the same as that on a Finnlight. I agree that the price hike is a bit much from the Finnlight model, but as a backpack rifle weighing about half a kilo than the next lightest other model, I could be tempted. :scared:

I love the feel of the stock. I guess the only way to know whether it retains grip in the wet is to try it. I wonder if they will let me dunk one in a barrel of water? :norty:
 
The Sako A7 Stainless and the Tikka T3 Lite SS come left handed, and only weigh 6 lbs.
Is there really that much more to the carbon stocked Sako 85, especially if you are going to use in in bad weather? Or a Kimber synthetic?
 
Carbon stocks, especially aesthetically pleasing ones do cost a lot of money to produce, hence the massive price. They're labour intensive to produce and the materials are expensive. Any well made CF aftermarket stock will cost around £1k in the UK. Even a Christensen Arms, which are fairly well priced are close to that here. Blaser charge £4k for their carbon R8 Monza stocks (just looking at it makes you tingle though!) and a 3rd party one will cost close to £2k, so it's not just a Sako phenomenon.
 
Jagare, I agree with you, having handled one I don't think the price increase over a wood or synthetic stocked version is justified just for a carbon fibre stock. My advice would be, if you like wood get a wooden stocked 85 if you like synthetic go for a standard synthetic version, and put the difference in price into some other kit, like range finding binos etc....
 
The Kimber carbon stainless Mountain rifles run about $1,700 MSRP in the USA. A Sako Finnlight lists for about $2,000. Sako Bavarian is $2,000... if that helps.

An aftermarket Kevlar and carbon fiber stock for a Rem Model 7 runs about $160.00, which will take off about 8 ounces.
 
Well, Norways top shooting journalist just reviewed a Sako Carbonlight in 308W in this months Jakt magazine.
He loved the looks and handling but was less than sold on the accuracy, or lack of......
He shot at least two five shot groups with factory ammo from Lapua, Norma, Sako and Winchester.
The best 5 shot average group was 22mm (Norma diamondline 168grs)
The worst, 78mm (Winchester powermax 150 grs)
The others were in the 40-60mm range.
Just a heads up if anyone is thinking of buying one.
 
Well, Norways top shooting journalist just reviewed a Sako Carbonlight in 308W in this months Jakt magazine.
He loved the looks and handling but was less than sold on the accuracy, or lack of......
He shot at least two five shot groups with factory ammo from Lapua, Norma, Sako and Winchester.
The best 5 shot average group was 22mm (Norma diamondline 168grs)
The worst, 78mm (Winchester powermax 150 grs)
The others were in the 40-60mm range.
Just a heads up if anyone is thinking of buying one.

At least T3 308 barrels seem to have a very good reputation lately, can't remember of hearing about a bad one except an A7 in 308. They say T3 and Sako use the same barrels. Maybe it was just a one off duff barrel or some other glitch.
I had a close look at the Sako carbon stock and although it would not be a construction I would choose it was very well made.

edi
 
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