I am fortunate enough to have a lot of rifles (20+), mostly custom or "customized".
Of the ones (Rem, Winchester, Ruger & Sako) that started out off the shelf, my Sako is the only one that I deemed accurate enough for me; straight outta the box.
I have 2 Sako's. One is a mid-nineties LH AV 338WM, It was a sub-MOA rifle before I sent it down to Mark Bansner for a little tweaking (blue-print, trigger & stock), when I got it back, it didn't shoot any better groups than it did prior to sending it down......apparently it came good enough from the factory, that a well reputed 'smith couldn't make it better.
My other Sako is a LH 85 in 9.3x62. It shoots great (although I am having it pillar bedded as it is wood-stocked). Folks on this thread have compared old-new Sako's in regards to fit/finish, IMO my 85 is finished a lot cleaner than the AV, the stock trigger comparison favors the new 85, and the 85's action is a lot smoother and cleaner than the AV....YMMV
I find in the gun comparison world, that most folks favor exactly what it is they have. Whether their finances dictate they have a $700 gun or a $2000 gun, or maybe they've never experimented with others. I'm no different, I have my preferences like everyone else.
I have experimented 1st hand with most rifle makes that is mentioned in this thread, I speak from experience, and not based on something I read or heard 3rd hand.
Lets be real here, any rifle that comes off the shelf & shoots a 2" group at 100 yards is going to be sufficient for most peoples uses. But some (I am one), are not willing to settle for that. Therefore, I tweak them. I don't have to do anything to my 85, but I had to on every one of my Remington's, Winchester's & Ruger's.
So if you can justify the cost of a Sako, buy it...its a great rifle
If your satisfied with what's typically a little rougher finished, not so accurate factory rifle, then the Remchesters, will do fine.
If you need a rifle to be silky smooth and/or shoot better, your going to have to pay to get that done.....if you can afford it, you can just buy a Sako & be done with it (most times).
.02