Sako's New S20 Rifle

Like so many things there is always someone to buy it.

When described as a Hybrid I was expecting to see a wind turbine, solar panel and a recharge port.
 
TT1900 said:
Guess I run against the grain on this one. It looks good on paper and I’m very curious to see it in person. I like thumbhole stocks (I’ll own an R8 someday soon) and the embedded chassis is a great way to tighten up tolerances and improve accuracy in a mass produced firearm. Will I buy one, probably not, but this may attract new people previously uninterested in the brand.

Sure, it’s not a Sako of old, but neither are the new TRG’s and nobody complains about those. As for “old” Sako vs “new” Sako, having owned a few older ones and a new to me 85 Grizzly, the 85 Grizzly is every bit the equal of it’s predecessors. If the S20 pays the bills and allows the company to keep building 85 Grizzlies its a win for everyone.
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One of the few who understands what keeps the lights on.... if the namesake and the true old world quality were sufficient, they would have still been standing alone, but most businesses cannot survive like that. I honestly think this will be a great rifle, maybe not the traditional SAKO style, but it will deliver for value I suspect and they will will carry on producing fine firearms.
 
I've put down payment on Hunter version in 300 WM.
I like the modern look of it and chassis concept, not sure about thumbhole stock but I am ready to try it.
Not selling my Finnlight 75 in the same caliber yet...
Somebody compared the action to Tikka, I can see why... Other mentioned 85 problems with ejection
I have one Sako 85 in 30-06 and no problem with this.
I like the magazine design that prevents the deformation of the plastic tip when firing by holding a round at the shoulder.
 
Reviving an older thread. Has anyone on here got their hands on either the Hunter or Precision model?
I see a few reviews on other online sources, but wondering if there are any here with firsthand feedback? How does it shoot?
Any concerns with the detachable butt stock? Is it solid?
Any pros or cons to report? Thx in advance.....Steve
 
steve-r said:
Reviving an older thread. Has anyone on here got their hands on either the Hunter or Precision model?
I see a few reviews on other online sources, but wondering if there are any here with firsthand feedback? How does it shoot?
Any concerns with the detachable butt stock? Is it solid?
Any pros or cons to report? Thx in advance.....Steve
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I purchased the last S20 Precision in 308 from Al Flaherdy's last week. This is my first Sako and was researching all the other models in 308 and this may not be my last Sako.

Sighted it in quickly with some 147 gr Campro handloads yesterday. No ejection issues that you may have read in the past about the Sako. The brass cases ejects horizontally out so no touching the windage turret and I have a PST Gen II 5-25x50 mounted on it.

I'll go straight to the CONs for me:

- Despite the Sako promotion video the plastic stock will not hold up to a competition PRS match. I knew this before buying but YES the plastic stock including the trigger guard is cheap (plastic toy material) and already from the factory the removable plastic thumb rest is cracked and a corner piece is broken, whoever assembled it over tightened the screw... Warranty.

- Cannot remove the bolt with the cheek riser in position 2, 3 or 4.

- Trigger adjustment limit is 2lb, wish it went down to 1lb.

Now for the PROs for me:

- Precision stock adjustability's is great.

- With Hornady 165gr BTSP the ogive OAL is 2.270" using the bullet and empty casing method.

- Trigger blade fore and aft adjustability is great, I have mine set all the way back.

- Trigger is 2 stage, crisp, no creep or over travel. I'll get use to the 2lb trigger pull.

- Like the Tikka's, no need to break in the barrel. Just give it a good cleaning to remove any factory grease and I was good to go. Using my Teslong borescope the factory bore is pretty good, still has some machining marks but no where near as bad as my Remington 700.

- Machined picatinny rail, one less item to buy.

- Aluminum skeleton chassis

- Stock will be more comfortable to the touch after sitting in a ground blind in minus temperatures during hunting season. Unlike my R700 in a MDT LSS Gen2 chassis.

- Very smooth bolt action but I have to say my Tikka T3x Battue's bolt action is slightly smoother.

- A true SA unlike the Tikkas.

- The magazine can handle long OAL handloads

No accuracy report yet as I will be experimenting with handloads in the near future. My current hunting rig is my Rem 700 in a MDT LSS Gen2 chassis.

My overall rating for my S20 Precision is a 8/10 because of the material used to make the plastic stock.

Do I regret my purchase, no. If in the future a replacement plastic shock housing with better material became available I would definitely go for the upgrade.
 
I have one coming in Hunter 308, from Precision optics, looking forward to receiving it, i like the thumbhole stock, and the 10 rounds mags are cheaper, compared to Tikka CTR mag's.
 
I personally prefer walnut and traditional design. But this rifle is well suited to the modern market. It will sell. I bet 80-90% of all actual use of most new rifles sold today is at a range. Most shooters crave precision and tiny groups and technology, not best form or function for the hunting fields. It will work OK for hunting. Accuracy from a bench or bipod or blind will certainly be adequate. But a rifle for sneaking through the aspens and placing a quick instinctively accurate shot at an alert animal that is about to flee? Nope. Bet the stock is extremely noisy in the brush too. Would probably be well suited for shooting critters way out there after they stop running.
 
Each to his own , i have always hunted with synthetics stocks, never had a problem , weather was placing a fast shot on a moving animal , your clothes actually make more of a difference making noise through the brush , I guess it depends how light you walk through the bush as well.
 
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