So I just finished searching the forums and it seems like there has been lots of chatter about the Sako 85 extractor issues but that was a few years ago at least. My 22-250 Sako 85 never had an issue, so I picked up a 300 wsm the other day. Here we go. Does anyone know of a current fix today or is everyone pretty much out of the business? Excellent rifle otherwise so I would like to get it working properly. Thanks.
Sako 85 Extraction Issue, solved?
- Thread starter logan1080
- Start date
Not a big turret no, medium rings that I already had to fabricate a cheek piece to raise my eye up to the objective. I’m using a rail and yes it’s hitting, denting case necks occasionally and fails to eject maybe 25% of the time. Anyway, I have seen some old posts of guys changing springs or fabricating a different ejector and correcting the issue. Hoping that’s an option.
I have a Sako 85 300wsm that had ejection issues. Feeble ejection, case hitting the windage turret (VX-3) etc. Cured the problem by installing a new extractor kit (purchased from Stoeger) and using medium optilock rings. The fix is good, cases clear the action properly without any issues now. However, you do need to cycle the bolt firmly. The one thing I did notice when you feed and extract 1 cartridge at a time the problem is very noticeable. You need to have a cartridge in the magazine to support the case being ejected. If there’s no support for the case the case drops a wee bit and doesn’t engage the ejector properly.
Note Absolutely no help Stoeger and Sako As far as they were concerned it wasn’t the proper scope/scope ring height combination. Bunch of useless #####’s
Note Absolutely no help Stoeger and Sako As far as they were concerned it wasn’t the proper scope/scope ring height combination. Bunch of useless #####’s
- Location
- Saskatchewan
There is only two ways to fix this that I have found.
The easiest is to use a scope with a duplex reticle, and turn it 90 degrees counterclockwise so the windage turret is now elevation and elevation is now on the left side and adjusts windage. It doesn't look traditional but has the advantage of making the loading port more accessible for single loading etc. And you can mount the scope very low.
The second way is to have a skilled machinist make an extractor claw with tighter tolerances. The issue is the slop between the edge of the rim and the extractor claw. If the claw doesn't fit tightly, say 0.005" clearance or so, the case starts to move upwards as it is drawn backwards and hits the ejector blade. That upward momentum overcomes the sideways motion that is desired. The extractor claw must fit tightly with just enough clearance to always snap over the rim of the case when the rifle is loaded. I fitted two Sako 85's with new, tighter extractors and the problem was permanently and properly fixed. Both my M85 .375 H&H and the M85 7x64 eject perfectly sideways now. BUT nobody is doing this as a commercially available solution. You'll need to luck out with a machinist who will take on the project.
The easiest is to use a scope with a duplex reticle, and turn it 90 degrees counterclockwise so the windage turret is now elevation and elevation is now on the left side and adjusts windage. It doesn't look traditional but has the advantage of making the loading port more accessible for single loading etc. And you can mount the scope very low.
The second way is to have a skilled machinist make an extractor claw with tighter tolerances. The issue is the slop between the edge of the rim and the extractor claw. If the claw doesn't fit tightly, say 0.005" clearance or so, the case starts to move upwards as it is drawn backwards and hits the ejector blade. That upward momentum overcomes the sideways motion that is desired. The extractor claw must fit tightly with just enough clearance to always snap over the rim of the case when the rifle is loaded. I fitted two Sako 85's with new, tighter extractors and the problem was permanently and properly fixed. Both my M85 .375 H&H and the M85 7x64 eject perfectly sideways now. BUT nobody is doing this as a commercially available solution. You'll need to luck out with a machinist who will take on the project.
