Sako S20 6.5PRC Magazine Feed Fix

[bryn]

The problem is the bolt face doesn’t come back far enough to push the round up from its base but instead pushes the top of the case off the mag which eventually feeds into the breach crooked. You then have to pull the bolt back slightly to allow the round to level up and feed into the breech straight.
If you have a Sake S20 6.5 PRC will understand and wonder why the design flow was allowed into production in the first place.

Anyway

The mag come to bits by sliding the bottom of the mag off the main body. Its then about fashioning a piece of 3mm kydex to fit into the back of the mag and gluing it in. The magazine floor/feed plate will need 3mm shaving of the back.
This allows the bolt face to come back far enough to strip the round from the mag and push it straight into the breach. Works a treat.

PM me if you need more details.

bryn

 

[20-250]

Sako should be ashamed of themselves. Buggered if I'd be fiddling with bits of plastic to make a new rifle work.

 

[jim_allen_uk]

I have an S20 in .243 and it’s started failing to pick a round up when chambering. Can’t believe Sako haven’t sorted this out as it’s a great rifle apart from the magazine

 

[zambezi]

I quite fancied an S20 a year ago. But could see glaring issues with the magazine on the models I viewed at RFDs.

So I raised this to Sako via the UK importer, GMK. Herewith the reply:

 

[Tazz]

I have an S20 in .243 and it’s started failing to pick a round up when chambering. Can’t believe Sako haven’t sorted this out as it’s a great rifle apart from the magazine

I do hear it’s a good rifle but magazin/ feed issues are not great on a brand new design and word gets round pretty quickly on this kind of stuff

 

[User00040]

Would modifying (lengthening) the bolt stop not have been viable?

 

[bryn]

Would modifying (lengthening) the bolt stop not have been viable?

I don’t think so. The bolt release catch is the bolt stop.
bryn

 

[Border]

I quite fancied an S20 a year ago. But could see glaring issues with the magazine on the models I viewed at RFDs.

So I raised this to Sako via the UK importer, GMK. Herewith the reply:



View attachment 245139

Modern SAKO's in a nutshell.
3 letter abbreviations for great design features that don't work or aren't needed.
Head in the sand, No problems with OUR rifles.
GMK one of the most complained about importers....
Buy a Tikka...

 

[gixer1]

The S20 is an very good rifle - I am not a Sako fan however, I did buy an S20 - and I did have to stick pieces of felt onto the mag to stop it rattling. (Mine is a 6.5creedwhore) which is not idea for the cost of the rifle (£1800)

What I found more disappointing was that when I bought it new there was great expectations that it would be a modifiable chassis….which it kind of is, but what they failed to release initially was the cost of the parts that could be changed (stock, monopods etc.) and they are ridiculously priced - you would be as well buying a complete additional rifle rather than changing the stock.

I fail to see how they can get to the figure they do for the parts offered.

A great shame as otherwise a great design of chassis and an accurate rifle that could be pretty versatile.

I don’t think I would buy another Sako.

Regards,
Gixer

 

[gixer1]

Modern SAKO's in a nutshell.
3 letter abbreviations for great design features that don't work or aren't needed.
Head in the sand, No problems with OUR rifles.
GMK one of the most complained about importers....
Buy a Tikka...

To be honest if you buy a tikka you’ll get the same shite but worse! Tikka’s are not what they once were!

 

[patterdale]

Been waiting nearly ten months for a new s20 mag 10 rnd one.

 

[Wsm]

Been waiting nearly ten months for a new s20 mag 10 rnd one.

Have you tried Riflemags ?

 

[patterdale]

Have you tried Riflemags ?

None in long action thanks

 

[C h r i s]

The problem is the bolt face doesn’t come back far enough to push the round up from its base but instead pushes the top of the case off the mag which eventually feeds into the breach crooked. You then have to pull the bolt back slightly to allow the round to level up and feed into the breech straight.
If you have a Sake S20 6.5 PRC will understand and wonder why the design flow was allowed into production in the first place.

bryn

Wondering if there has been a change in design since this was originally posted, I've been testing a 2022 production S20 in 6.5 PRC these past few days and the bolt retracts well behind the case head, by around 8mm - so don't understand why the OPs rifle wont pick up a fresh round, unless the mag is somehow faulty and the cartridge isn't being offered up at the correct angle.

 

[demu]

I bought a Sako S20 Precision (.308 Win) just a two months ago.
I had a lot of problems in feeding and after three round in the rifle range contacted Sako. I finally brought the rifle and magazines to the factory (I live in Finland quite a near the factory).

They admitted that first production patches of magazines were faulty (were made in China, material and dimensioning problems etc.), and the new ones are made in Finland and are much better.

Should be better, should have they said.

I got a new ones (5 and 10 round ones).
After another three trips to rifle range, I have to say that the Made in Finland ones are no better (though no stamping where they were made).

Even the track supervisor (millitary personnel) interupted me and said you seem to have problems with feeding the cartridge.
Sigh. Yes, I had to admit.

Shooting to 300m (rotating shooting targets, 5s on -> 2 shots, 5s off) was quite impossible (got only one round going, then tapped the magazine and/or removed / reinstalled it and other jinxes, lost the target sigh etc.).
Not the best day at the shooting range.

I contacted Sako again and am waiting for their answer...

 

[jon2]

I’m amazed the S20 was ever allowed into production.

 

[demu]

I visited the range today again (-8 celsius and quite windy)
I had brought totally 11 different cartridge types (different vendors and bullet weights & types) to check, if the cartidge as any effect regarding the feeding problems.

The results are here:

Cartridge Number of shots Failed to feed or stucked while feeding
DAG DM 111 NATO Surplus 308 Win FMJ 9,6 g/148 gr 20 11
Geco 308 Win DTX 9,7 g/150 grs FMJ 20 3
GGG .308 Win 9,55g/147grs FMJ 10 0
GGG 308 Win 155gr 10,04g HPBT Sierra MatchKing 10 0
Lapua 308 Win Subsonic FMJ 13 g/200 gr 10 0
Lapua 308 Lockbase FMJBT 9,72 g/150 gr 10 3
Sako .308 Win 8g / 123grs. Range FMJ 10 3
Sako TRG Precision .308 Win 11,3G 10 0
Sako .308 Win Gamehead Varmint RX 8,4g / 130grs. 10 3
Sellier & Bellot .308 Win FMJ 9,55g 20 0
Sellier & Bellot .308 Win FMJ 8,0g 20 0

DAG Surplus and Sako Range failed to feed totally (when they failed). Snapping the bottom of the magazine helped (which I already knew from previous times).
For Geco, Lapua & Sako Gamehead Varmint, the lock lifted the cartridge, which however got stuck between the magazine and the chamber.
S&B cartridges loaded very smoothly (well-polished surface could have had an impact?).

Sako promised to take my rifle for checking, but as there are clearly cartridges which work very well with this rifle, I am skipping this for now.
Instead of that, my son (who is a trained gunsmith) promised to make me the modification (presented on this forum) to the magazines, as long as I provided her with an extra magazine for the modification work.

 

[finnbear270]

Did you just trans your son? Sausage fingers?

 

[demu]

sorry, 'him' (not a native english speaker)

 

[viking850]

I was at the gun shop on Saturday thinking of buying a Sako S20 but After reading this and looking at a few YouTube videos and reading about the issues with the magazine I think I will stick to Blaser