Sako Forester - what can you tell me about them?

Yeah I have one too. But have seen first hand a few that don’t. It’s a crap shoot, just mount the scope higher they say. Expensive guns shouldn’t be this big of a gamble. Add poor customer service. The tikka T3 and sako A7 are better guns imo.
 
The current flood of rifles from Scandinavia has depressed all Husqvarna prices. This is a bit rough for longtime HVA collectors, but great for everyone else. Although many of the guns coming in need a bit of work, it's generally very light gunsmithing. Get them while you can. They won't last forever.

I think guys in my generation will be reminiscing about tradex and intersurplus Swedish rifles and shotguns like the current old dudes do about milsurps
 
I've had 3 Sako 85s and never had any sort of ejection problem...I normally use 1 inch tube scopes and standard calibers like 30-06.

I sold them because I hated the stocks on the two Blackbears (and didn't like them enough to pay for restocking) and thought the full-stock Bavarian carbine was a log, way too heavy and awkward. They were good enough rifles, but not keepers.
 
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By the time me and slimmy are reminiscing we will have all you old fellas guns buried in our gardens!

:dancingbanana:
 
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Years ago, an acquaintance of mine had a very nice Sako Forester, chambered in 308 Winchester.
He complained to me that it was not a great shooter. He had tried a half dozen different factory
offerings, with the best groups at about 1¾ moa.

I took it on as a project, and addressed all the likely issues [bedding, crown, locking lug contact, etc]
After a very frustrating attempt to find a load that would shoot, I told him to rebarrel the pig.

That solved the accuracy problem, the new Shilen turned that Sako into a ½ moa rifle with several
different handloads. I would pass on a Forester, due to that personal experience. Dave.
 
A local gunsmith that I know mentioned that he has done many many action "blueprinting" jobs on Remington 700 rifles, Savages, Winchesters, etc. Said he has never had to do one on a Sako. In his experience they are all correctly machined from the factory and the lugs mate correctly with with the locking recesses and barrel shank/receiver threads are cut true and square. If they need a new barrel, he just screws one on and sets the headspace. No "blueprinting" required.
 
Years ago, an acquaintance of mine had a very nice Sako Forester, chambered in 308 Winchester.
He complained to me that it was not a great shooter. He had tried a half dozen different factory
offerings, with the best groups at about 1¾ moa.

I took it on as a project, and addressed all the likely issues [bedding, crown, locking lug contact, etc]
After a very frustrating attempt to find a load that would shoot, I told him to rebarrel the pig.

That solved the accuracy problem, the new Shilen turned that Sako into a ½ moa rifle with several
different handloads. I would pass on a Forester, due to that personal experience. Dave.

My first EE dealing was for one of these in 22-250. Nice little rifle cosmetically and fit and finish were beautiful but it would not group worth a crap so I sold it...
 
Inaccurate Sakos? They are not all that common.

My old fullstock Forester in .243 would shoot half inch groups with regular factory ammo. I think that is more typical.
 
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I had one in 243, prety good gun overall, but i didn't like how stiff the hinged floorplate was to release. Decided to stick to dbms and sold it off.
 
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