Sako 85 Screw cut?

[270Buck]

I have decided I am going to treat myself to a new rifle.

I want to get a 7mm Remington Magnum and am looking at my options.

My first train of thought was a Sako 85 stainless synthetic. My step dad has one in 270 and it shoots very very well. I am yet to hear of an unhappy Sako owner (although I am sure there will always be 1).

http://www.sako.fi/pdf/specs/85SyntheticSS.pdf

The way I read this PDF file seems to suggest that other than the BIG calibre's which are M15x1 all other calibre's are available factory threaded in M14x1.

I contacted some local gun shops and they all seem to say that the 7mm Rem Mag cannot be factory threaded, despite what this PDF file says. So I called the infamous GMK and they also advised that this calibre cannot be purchased factory threaded!

I have searched the Sako website trying to find a e mail address so I can instead ask the organ grinder. They do not seem to advertise any e mail address. I found an e mail address on another forum and have had no response as of yet.

I do not really want to get a brand new rifle screw cut post haste unless I really really need to.

So 2 questions really.

1) Has anyone else had a Sako 7mm Rem Mag factory threaded. Which given what I have been told by the importer seems to be very very unlikely.

2) What other 7mm Rem Mag's do people have that have a barrel length of 24" or above that can with the right load shoot sub 0.5MOA. I realise that just because 1 rifle shoots sub 0.5MOA does not mean the next one off the production line can do the same, but it is still good to hear of other peoples experiences.

Cheers

 

[Dovebob]

Buck,

I have a Sako 85 in 7mm Rem Mag. It was a special order from GMK and took three months to arrive. It has a 26 inch barrel. It came unthreaded. I got it cut by Mike Norris straight away.

I use 160 grain Sierra Game Kings and Vit N165. Accuracy is superb - better than I can shoot.

Getting the rifle cut straight away didn't bother me, but I appreciate its a personal choice.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[270Buck]

Buck,

I have a Sako 85 in 7mm Rem Mag. It was a special order from GMK and took three months to arrive. It has a 26 inch barrel. It came unthreaded. I got it cut by Mike Norris straight away.

I use 160 grain Sierra Game Kings and Vit N165. Accuracy is superb - better than I can shoot.

Getting the rifle cut straight away didn't bother me, but I appreciate its a personal choice.

Cheers,

Bob

I think I may have seen you shoot your rifle at Carlton moor range when I was there picking something up off Mike. I remember it/you shooting very well.

Maybe I worry too much! Saying that, I am sure Mike Norris of Brock and Norris could do a better job than the machine operator in the Sako factory.

Mmmmmm. Decisions decisions.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Penyard]

My Sako 85 came factory threaded in .30-06 and needed re-threading as the original job was less than perfect. It is now a total tack driver. In 7mm rem mag I would get a 24 or 26" barrel and a decent smith to thread it and know you have every thing just right.

 

[270Buck]

My Sako 85 came factory threaded in .30-06 and needed re-threading as the original job was less than perfect. It is now a total tack driver. In 7mm rem mag I would get a 24 or 26" barrel and a decent smith to thread it and know you have every thing just right.

If the PDF is correct the standard barrel length is 24 3/8". Doing some research anything less than 24" and you will struggle to get a MV of 3000fps using a 168 grain bullet, which is what I am really aiming for.

I inherently trust the work of Mike Norris and would be more than happy for him to do the screw cutting. Given your experience with the factory threading, maybe it would be better to get Mike to do it rather than trust getting GMK to place a "special" order with Sako for a factory threaded rifle, which no doubt would probably take longer than the HS2 to be completed!

 

[Penyard]

Good plan!

 

[Dovebob]

Buck,

I've met a lot of nice people at Calton Moor. It's a great place.

As I recall, the reason mine was a special order was due to GMKs ordering system with Sako. Apparently, GMK get a batch of rifles delivered to the UK every three months or so. GMK order rifles in standard formats and calibres which they think their network of dealers will want. They don't order less common stuff as they might not get an order for it from one of their dealers.

If a customer wants something that's not part of the usual batch of rifles it becomes a special order.

I reached the same conclusion about barrel length, hence I ordered a 26 inch one. Mike Norris made me a thread protector which is indistinguishable from the Sako version.

If you go for an 85 you'll have to wait a bit, but in my experience it'll be worth it.

cheers,

Bob

 

[8x57]

Please pardon my cynicism but almost everything coming from Sako via GMK seems to be special order with lengthy delays.

 

[Dovebob]

Please pardon my cynicism but almost everything coming from Sako via GMK seems to be special order with lengthy delays.

I think that's about tight. If it's not some thing that GMK can sell to their dealers immediately it's a special order.