Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
When word came out of the Sako Carbonlight, I knew one would end up in my cabinet. I am a sucker for ultralight gear, as a mountain guide weight has an importance attached to it few understand until they set afoot on the pitched rock. When we’re buying titanium sporks to save an ounce, pounds saved on a rifle are so important it’s dumbfounding to me the concept is so often lost. Pounds don’t matter on the mountain… ounces do! Enter the Sako Carbonlight, an engineer’s, and perhaps gentleman's take on ultralight.
The Carbonlight weighs in at 5.29lbs, half a pound heavier than my comparison rifle, my rather busy Kimber Adirondack. For that half a pound, you gain a lot of refinement, and some interesting features; namely an exposed carbon matrix stock in true aerospace and motor racing fashion, a technology that for the life of me I can’t understand why it has taken so long to hit the current of the mainstream in mountain rifles. My father was racing with proper carbon fiber components on sail boats twenty years ago, I’ve been surrounded by aircraft in the day job laden with the stuff since the beginning of my career, and just now it has arrived in a production rifle I can buy off the shelf.
The immediate impressions when you hoist the Carbonlight for the first time are those of refinement, and half measures. It’s a Sako, and extremely well made as they are. Some features are marvelous, I appreciate a detachable magazine though I can certainly do without one to save weight on a mountain rifle. Kimber I hear you snickering… hold that laughter I have words for you soon. On a pull out the stops mountain rifle, really only the stock differentiates it from the Finnlight, and while a work of utter industrial art they should have taken the vision further for a rifle that could have, should have, been under five pounds.
The barrel is decidedly broomy in contour compared to the Kimber, and while I like the Sako magazine too much to rally for its omission, it should have been considered. However more importantly, why isn’t the bolt fluted? Why isn’t the handle skeletonized or hollowed out? For a rifle retailing from three and a half to four thousand dollars in Canada, whose direct competitors the Adirondack and Mountain Ascent from Kimber feature far more aggressive and impressive weight reducing machine work, it’s a bit of an immediate let down to see a Finnlight in a gorgeous carbon fiber stock.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the rifle on first impression. I will however likely flute the bolt and hollow out the bolt knob, a couple ounces that do nothing for the rifle and ought to be shed. Bolt lift and ejection are also characteristically Sako, stiff as a retirement aged mountain hunter’s joints in the morning on initial bolt lift, as being a 60 degree rotation design, more work has to occur in a shorter travel to ####. Sako 85 ejection can be meager at the best of times though it hasn’t yet caused me an issue, and I see the Sako flop has started to reach the interenet forums as a concern at last. The safety is decidedly Remington-esque though it will be more reliable, and while the bolt unlock button is handy, the arrangement falls well behind a good three position wing safety’s intuitiveness. Sako really should stop trying to call this controlled round feed too, as yes, it will double feed and jam with a bolt stutter. This said, overall function is flawless, the safety works, so really these are the grumblings of a Model 70 lover.
Now, how does this beauty do well compared to its American competitor, the Kimber? It’s more finely machined, it’s far smoother on the bolt, triggers are equal, safety goes to Kimber, optics mounts would go to Sako for their ingenious Optilock tapered dovetails if only they provided ultralight aluminum rings not multiple piece and very heavy steel paperweights, overall execution is a tie for Sako’s far better stock and Kimber's better weight minimization and cunning machine work. The proof is in the price, the carrying, and the shooting with mountain rifles in the end, and how do the two competitors compare?
Price?
Kimber hands down. You have enough for a good scope in savings buying the Kimber over the Sako.
Weight?
Kimber. It’s half a pound, or 10% lighter than the Carbonlight, and you notice it.
Shooting and operation
Sako, except for the safety and bolt lift.
My choice?
Sako Carbonlight, and I’m surprised by my own decision. Usually I’d argue weight trumps everything, and even as a single shot the Kimber should win… I mention this as I had to change the spring and follower in my Adirondack, and will likely modify the feed ramp, to eliminate a phantom feeding issue that would pop up from time to time. No such issues or even thoughts of any with the Sako. The level of refinement on the Sako is twice as acute as the Kimber, and the bolt feel except for lifting the handle is far smoother. It shoots better than the Kimber as well, printing groups roughly 50% smaller in my so far informal shooting getting to know it and it should; it has a much beefier barrel. Both my Adrondack and Carbonlight are .308s it should be mentioned. I’ll do a proper bench rested head to head with a few different loads to average and report back, but it'll awhile.
In the end the Sako Carbonlight is great, but didn’t go all the way, especially for the price point, I’d really like to see a lighter barrel and bolt fluting work. Would I recommend it to a firend? Absolutely especially for mountain hunting clients.
The Carbonlight weighs in at 5.29lbs, half a pound heavier than my comparison rifle, my rather busy Kimber Adirondack. For that half a pound, you gain a lot of refinement, and some interesting features; namely an exposed carbon matrix stock in true aerospace and motor racing fashion, a technology that for the life of me I can’t understand why it has taken so long to hit the current of the mainstream in mountain rifles. My father was racing with proper carbon fiber components on sail boats twenty years ago, I’ve been surrounded by aircraft in the day job laden with the stuff since the beginning of my career, and just now it has arrived in a production rifle I can buy off the shelf.
The immediate impressions when you hoist the Carbonlight for the first time are those of refinement, and half measures. It’s a Sako, and extremely well made as they are. Some features are marvelous, I appreciate a detachable magazine though I can certainly do without one to save weight on a mountain rifle. Kimber I hear you snickering… hold that laughter I have words for you soon. On a pull out the stops mountain rifle, really only the stock differentiates it from the Finnlight, and while a work of utter industrial art they should have taken the vision further for a rifle that could have, should have, been under five pounds.
The barrel is decidedly broomy in contour compared to the Kimber, and while I like the Sako magazine too much to rally for its omission, it should have been considered. However more importantly, why isn’t the bolt fluted? Why isn’t the handle skeletonized or hollowed out? For a rifle retailing from three and a half to four thousand dollars in Canada, whose direct competitors the Adirondack and Mountain Ascent from Kimber feature far more aggressive and impressive weight reducing machine work, it’s a bit of an immediate let down to see a Finnlight in a gorgeous carbon fiber stock.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the rifle on first impression. I will however likely flute the bolt and hollow out the bolt knob, a couple ounces that do nothing for the rifle and ought to be shed. Bolt lift and ejection are also characteristically Sako, stiff as a retirement aged mountain hunter’s joints in the morning on initial bolt lift, as being a 60 degree rotation design, more work has to occur in a shorter travel to ####. Sako 85 ejection can be meager at the best of times though it hasn’t yet caused me an issue, and I see the Sako flop has started to reach the interenet forums as a concern at last. The safety is decidedly Remington-esque though it will be more reliable, and while the bolt unlock button is handy, the arrangement falls well behind a good three position wing safety’s intuitiveness. Sako really should stop trying to call this controlled round feed too, as yes, it will double feed and jam with a bolt stutter. This said, overall function is flawless, the safety works, so really these are the grumblings of a Model 70 lover.
Now, how does this beauty do well compared to its American competitor, the Kimber? It’s more finely machined, it’s far smoother on the bolt, triggers are equal, safety goes to Kimber, optics mounts would go to Sako for their ingenious Optilock tapered dovetails if only they provided ultralight aluminum rings not multiple piece and very heavy steel paperweights, overall execution is a tie for Sako’s far better stock and Kimber's better weight minimization and cunning machine work. The proof is in the price, the carrying, and the shooting with mountain rifles in the end, and how do the two competitors compare?
Price?
Kimber hands down. You have enough for a good scope in savings buying the Kimber over the Sako.
Weight?
Kimber. It’s half a pound, or 10% lighter than the Carbonlight, and you notice it.
Shooting and operation
Sako, except for the safety and bolt lift.
My choice?
Sako Carbonlight, and I’m surprised by my own decision. Usually I’d argue weight trumps everything, and even as a single shot the Kimber should win… I mention this as I had to change the spring and follower in my Adirondack, and will likely modify the feed ramp, to eliminate a phantom feeding issue that would pop up from time to time. No such issues or even thoughts of any with the Sako. The level of refinement on the Sako is twice as acute as the Kimber, and the bolt feel except for lifting the handle is far smoother. It shoots better than the Kimber as well, printing groups roughly 50% smaller in my so far informal shooting getting to know it and it should; it has a much beefier barrel. Both my Adrondack and Carbonlight are .308s it should be mentioned. I’ll do a proper bench rested head to head with a few different loads to average and report back, but it'll awhile.
In the end the Sako Carbonlight is great, but didn’t go all the way, especially for the price point, I’d really like to see a lighter barrel and bolt fluting work. Would I recommend it to a firend? Absolutely especially for mountain hunting clients.
