After doing some research of both hunting rifles, I'm under the assumption that the Sako is roughly a 0.75''@100yds gun while the Winchester Model 70 is more of a 1.5''@100yds rifle. Is this assumption accurate? Also, is the Winchester Model 70 trigger adjustable at all on a new factory rifle? If so how light can the trigger pull be set to?
Accuracy Winchester Model 70 vs Sako 85
- Thread starter vpsalin
- Start date
I have several Sako's only one being a Sako 85 in 260 remington. It is completely factory, untouched.
Here's my best group @ 100 yards.
I don't have any experience with the Winchesters, but I would assume they are capable of the same accuracy. Sometimes it may require a bedding job, or other modifications to get any given rifle to the next step in accuracy.
When I was growing up, I used my father's collection of Sako's. He used to say, you can go by ###XX brand rifle for less money, bed the action, float the barrel, have the trigger reworked, and you would have an accurate rifle, or you could just go buy a Sako and have all that out of the box.
I'll take his word for it, and I have a great start to a good collection of accurate Sako's. Happy with every one.
My two cents.
Here's my best group @ 100 yards.
I don't have any experience with the Winchesters, but I would assume they are capable of the same accuracy. Sometimes it may require a bedding job, or other modifications to get any given rifle to the next step in accuracy.
When I was growing up, I used my father's collection of Sako's. He used to say, you can go by ###XX brand rifle for less money, bed the action, float the barrel, have the trigger reworked, and you would have an accurate rifle, or you could just go buy a Sako and have all that out of the box.
I'll take his word for it, and I have a great start to a good collection of accurate Sako's. Happy with every one.
My two cents.
I have a sako 85 in 30-06 and 300WSM. the best I've been able to get them to group with hand loads for 5 shots is just over an inch with the .06 and 1.25 with the wsm at 100 yrds. I have a winchester 70 sporter in 338 and quite frankly, it shoots better than either of the sako guns. I also have a model 700 in .260 that also outshoots the sako. Anyway, here are three different groups shot on 3 different days smallest is .33 and the biggest .75.
sharp shooter
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Model 70 in .30-06
That's 5 under an inch with factory. Still haven't got around to handloading it yet. Hopefully this winter.....
I helped several people at our local gun range over the last fall to sight in their new rifles. A few had Sako Finnlight rifles and decent scopes, and those rifles shot into .5 to .75 inch 3 shot groups. Watched several guys with older Winchesters but no newer ones so cannot compare. My bias based on extensive exposure to Sako is that I prefer them, and most have shown superior accuracy. There are however a lot of rifles out there and I am sure no matter which brand you buy there is a chance you might get one that could disappoint. I have had my share of Remington and Winchester rifles over the years, and for years, only their custom grade rifles would best the Sako for out of the box accuracy. That being said, with some of the newer rifles the mass production of accurate ones may have improved, particularly with some models and Savage seems to be one example driving makers like Winchester to improve their lines.
Ironically, I returned both a Winchester Super-grade and a Sako 85 Grey wolf last year for accuracy problems. I couldn't get Winchester under 2 MOA with handloads, and the Sako put the cold shot out of the group a good 2" high every time. The next four would cluster under an inch.
You don't buy a Winchester expecting bughole groups, but you should expect it with a Sako. If nothing else, they have an accuracy guarante.
You don't buy a Winchester expecting bughole groups, but you should expect it with a Sako. If nothing else, they have an accuracy guarante.
I believe that accuracy is often more a matter of individual rifles rather than a specific make.
I have had "sour" Sakos as well as Tikkas.
I have rebarrelled Remingtons, Winchesters and Rugers to get rid of mediocre accuracy.
I have also had examples of all these, plus others, that were a delight in the accuracy they delivered.
One thing is certain....If it will not shoot moa or better with handloads, something is going to happen to it.
Most Lever actions exempted, of course.
Regards, Eagleye.
I have had "sour" Sakos as well as Tikkas.
I have rebarrelled Remingtons, Winchesters and Rugers to get rid of mediocre accuracy.
I have also had examples of all these, plus others, that were a delight in the accuracy they delivered.
One thing is certain....If it will not shoot moa or better with handloads, something is going to happen to it.
Most Lever actions exempted, of course.
Regards, Eagleye.
Seems like guns are a mixed bag at the best of times. I like Sako fit and finish but I like Model 70 design. The fit and finish on late model M70s is better than before while that of the Sako 85 seems cheap and cheesy compared to the old AV Finn Bears. Accuracy these days seems pretty good among all the makes and models. Perhaps a bit of a toss-up with Sako slightly better on average. Remington would probably give both a run for accuracy but suffers in fit and finish lately.
I like the Model 70.
I like the Model 70.
One thing is certain....If it will not shoot moa or better with handloads, something is going to happen to it.
Exactly! Unless it has other personal reasons for takig up vault space, such as an heirloom!
This isn't the first time I see a reference to FN and Winchester in the same sentence. Does this imply that Browning is the parent company of Winchester rifles? Or Fabrique Nationale bought Winchester rifle company which is still being produced in this USA?
From Wikipedia:
Labor costs continued to rise through the 1960s and '70s, and a prolonged and bitter strike in 1979–1980 ultimately convinced Olin that firearms could no longer be produced profitably in New Haven. In December 1980 the New Haven plant was sold to its employees, incorporated as the U.S. Repeating Arms Company, and granted a license to make Winchester arms. Olin retained the Winchester ammunition business. U.S. Repeating Arms itself went bankrupt in 1989. After bankruptcy it was acquired by a French holding company, then sold to Belgian armsmakers Herstal Group, which also owns gun makers Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (FN) and Browning Arms Company.
On January 16, 2006 U.S. Repeating Arms announced it was closing its New Haven plant where Winchester rifles and shotguns had been produced for 140 years.[4] Along with the closing of the plant, production of the Model 94 rifle (the descendant of the original Winchester rifle), Model 70 rifle and Model 1300 shotgun were discontinued.
[edit] Revival
On August 15, 2006, Olin Corporation, owner of the Winchester trademarks, announced that it had entered into a new license agreement with Browning[5] to make Winchester brand rifles and shotguns, though not at the closed Winchester plant in New Haven. The production of Model 1885 falling block action, Model 1892 and Model 1886 lever action rifles are produced under licensed agreement by Miroku Corp. of Japan and imported back to United States by Browning. [6]
In 2008 Fabrique Nationale announced that it would produce Model 70 rifles at its plant in Columbia, SC. In the summer of 2010 Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (FN) resumed production of the Winchester model 1894 and the evolution of the Winchester 1300, now called the Winchester SXP.
Also, if you go to the Winchester Int'l site you'll notice the buckmark logo in the title bar.
When Winchester started manufacturing the Classic action in LH form, I bought one. It never would shoot under 3 inches at 100 yds. It sat in my safe for years untouched. In the mean time I bought a model 700 in the same caliber (7MM RM) which shot under an inch reliably. I finally took the Winchester out of the safe and looked at it hard and found that the bedding material was something that acted like not so hard rubber, you could push on it with a tool and it would compress then spring back. I took that gunk out and replaced it with proper bedding material and almost like magic the rifle began producing groups under an inch. Must have been a cost cutting attempt by upper management. Too bad they didn't ask a gunsmith what would happen if they used rubber for bedding material.
Shooting from a bench only proves barrel accuracy. The shouldering, action and trigger all play a bigger role in actual shooting conditions. I have a model 70 and i have a Sako. If you pick up the model 70 it feels ok until you handle the Sako....then the model 70 feels like a 2x4 with a pipe sticking out of it. The Sako shoulders and feels amazing in your hands and the action is beautiful. I recently sold off an A-bolt, mini 14 and few other misc items out of the safe to fund a new Sako. Not saying the Winchester won't get the job done, but its a greater pleasure getting the job done with a Sako. I don't even think it is a fair comparison. Did i mention i like Sako's?
Curious to know what the hiccups were?
