Sako 85 : stock loose?

[scotch_egg]

Nothing wrong with the 85 if bedded properly and Sako Metal plate is in the bin. Just bed with a T3 Lug. Neither 75 nor 85 will be as good as a T3 in my opinion. That is why you don't see 75/85 at serious competitions but a few T3's.
edi

I believe the reason you don’t see them in competition is much like most rifles designed and intended for the hunting market blaser/mauser/merkal/sauer. The Tikka T3 has been adapted due to the single action size allowing for a more cost effective design and manufacturing process by third party suppliers. The Tikka when first released could be purchased £550 and was a viable alternative to the far inferior Remington 700 that needed blue printing.

When you look at the 85’s features in respect of hunting it meets the design brief rather well.
60 degree bolt lift
semi controlled feed with a mechanical ejection allowing far more control loading and unloading, double stack metal magazine for top loading
Like or loath dovetail integral rail- Near Picatinny works very well
Excellent trigger with safety allowing bolt to be removed on safe and also locks bolt down when applied.
Action sizes apportioned to the cartridge group.

 

[cjm1066]

The semi controlled feed is at it best during unloading, retract the bolt and push the cartridge extracted from the chamber downwards into the magazine.

 

[ejg]

I believe the reason you don’t see them in competition is much like most rifles designed and intended for the hunting market blaser/mauser/merkal/sauer. The Tikka T3 has been adapted due to the single action size allowing for a more cost effective design and manufacturing process by third party suppliers. The Tikka when first released could be purchased £550 and was a viable alternative to the far inferior Remington 700 that needed blue printing.

When you look at the 85’s features in respect of hunting it meets the design brief rather well.
60 degree bolt lift
semi controlled feed with a mechanical ejection allowing far more control loading and unloading, double stack metal magazine for top loading
Like or loath dovetail integral rail- Near Picatinny works very well
Excellent trigger with safety allowing bolt to be removed on safe and also locks bolt down when applied.
Action sizes apportioned to the cartridge group.

Competition shooters will go to great lengths to use the advantages of gear. There is just no advantage in using a Sako 579/75/85 action for competitions like PRS/F-Class. Some T3, many Rem 700 actions blue printed or not and the clones thereof have and are being used. Competition shooters will find out quick what is better, they don't like being handicapped. Hunters just say don't shoot so far.... Then control round feed is needed if you want to shoot a top load mag system upside down, yes cartridge will fall out. Don't need that with central feed magazines as the cartridge is partially in the chamber until the mag lips let go. 60 deg bolt lift has disadvantages too, I prefer shooting a remmy or T3. I have yet to see an advantage of three lug over two lug.
edi