What are the lightest scope mounts for the Sako 85?
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
I believe these will be close to the lightest you can get
Sako Ring Mount Pair 1″ Low, All Action Sizes – Blued – Stoeger Canada https://www.stoegercanada.ca/product/sako-ring-mounts-1-low-all-action-sizes-blued/
Sako Ring Mount Pair 1″ Low, All Action Sizes – Blued – Stoeger Canada https://www.stoegercanada.ca/product/sako-ring-mounts-1-low-all-action-sizes-blued/
I don't think that SportsMatch or Talley make rings for the Sako dovetail, do they? I've never seen nor heard of them, and can't find them online. If they exist, they'd likely be the lightest by far.
Barring that, you can use Burris steel 2-piece bases, which come in two pieces that slide onto the tapered dovetail and are held in place with setscrews. That gives you a couple of pic/Weaver-style grooves at both front and rear, which in turn lets you use your choice of the light aluminium rings on the market. The Burris bases are excellent, small and fairly unobtrusive, and their design ensures that both front and rear rings are perfectly aligned and centered on the receiver. IMHO their only downfall is their appearance; they're not as bad as a full-length one-piece rail, but they still show a bit of that "cheese-grater" style that we all love so much about cross-groove bases.
I much prefer direct-mount rings that attach to the dovetail without bases, but unfortunately they are usually made of steel and are pretty heavy. The OptiLocks are the absolute worst pigs of the bunch, combining all the bad features you could hope for; they're heavy, bulky, complicated, ugly and allow essentially no leeway in positioning the rings.
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Looks like Talley has steel bases and sports match is doing tikka and the new Sako 90 hunterI don't think that SportsMatch or Talley make rings for the Sako dovetail, do they? I've never seen nor heard of them, and can't find them online. If they exist, they'd likely be the lightest by far.
Barring that, you can use Burris steel 2-piece bases, which come in two pieces that slide onto the tapered dovetail and are held in place with setscrews. That gives you a couple of pic/Weaver-style grooves at both front and rear, which in turn lets you use your choice of the light aluminium rings on the market. The Burris bases are excellent, small and fairly unobtrusive, and their design ensures that both front and rear rings are perfectly aligned and centered on the receiver. IMHO their only downfall is their appearance; they're not as bad as a full-length one-piece rail, but they still show a bit of that "cheese-grater" style that we all love so much about cross-groove bases.
I much prefer direct-mount rings that attach to the dovetail without bases, but unfortunately they are all made of steel and are pretty heavy. The OptiLocks are the absolute worst pigs of the bunch, combining all the bad features you could hope for; they're heavy, bulky, complicated, ugly and allow essentially no leeway in positioning the rings.
I use SportsMatch on Tikkas and think they are a terrific choice; lightweight and strong, simple no-base design.
I seem to recall they do the S7 as well, but aren't the S7 and S90 a different receiver profile than the "classic" Sako tapered-groove design? The 85 uses that design, which has been a Sako staple for many years.
Have they now "improved" the Sako design by doing away with the dovetails? Is it perhaps $0.03 cheaper to make a receiver with the new profile, and so therefore the bean counters mandate it to be so? Or is it just to be "new"?
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Yeah, I wasn't sure about the latest Sako models. In true curmudgeonly fashion, I still think that the L- and A-series represent the finest of the Sako rifles. As we progress forwards through the 75 and the 85 they just seemed to go downhill in both quality and class. I haven't even seen or handled the newer S7 or S20 or S90 and can't work up any inclination to do so.
When Sako brought out the 85, which had numerous and ongoing problems with ejection of long-action cartridges...and then refused to correct or even acknowledge the issue...they completely lost me as a customer for their new guns.
I just read that the 85 and S20 are now discontinued; the S20 only came out 5 years ago! There was also mention of a 95 and a 100 model? WTF? They're turning into another Thompson/Center; new models every 20 minutes or so, each one the newest/bestest ever...but doomed to obsolescence to make room for the next one tomorrow or the next day.
Sorry for the de-rail. For the OP's question: Burris steel bases, plus the lightweight Pic-style ring of your choice.
When Sako brought out the 85, which had numerous and ongoing problems with ejection of long-action cartridges...and then refused to correct or even acknowledge the issue...they completely lost me as a customer for their new guns.
I just read that the 85 and S20 are now discontinued; the S20 only came out 5 years ago! There was also mention of a 95 and a 100 model? WTF? They're turning into another Thompson/Center; new models every 20 minutes or so, each one the newest/bestest ever...but doomed to obsolescence to make room for the next one tomorrow or the next day.
Sorry for the de-rail. For the OP's question: Burris steel bases, plus the lightweight Pic-style ring of your choice.
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That's because it's a short action; I liked my .308 85 pretty well also.
Then I got an 85 in .338WM...and the (not) fun began. A long action rifle with no sights...which could not reliably eject a cartridge out from under a scope for love or money. No help from the factory or importer. Done.
Thank you all for the information. My 85 Finnlight came with Talley bases and rings, so I'll probably use them until I find something truly lightweight. I also have more spare Talley rings and parts than I can count, so it makes sense to stick with them for now. Weight is approx. 5-6 oz.
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I had an 85 hunter that I really liked. It seemed better built and finished than most factory rifles.
I'm not surprised the S20 flopped, it was an abomination, and IMO the 90 is a swing and a miss. The grizzly no longer has irons? Come on...
I don't quite understand how anyone can hunt regularly without a scope. Maybe it is because I grew up in Alberta, where ranges were usually fairly long. But also because I have rarely shot anything worthwhile except very early in the morning or late in the evening, and in that legal twilight, a scope is necessary. Peep sights work great in the middle of the day, but are hard to find in twilight. However, I also like hunting in bad weather, in rain and snowstorms, and there are times when a scope can get in the way. I've had them (and my binoculars) freeze over with ice and snow and had to be removed. I shot my best Blacktail buck in pouring rain after I had removed my scope.
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