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Old 03-16-2004, 12:29 PM
  #12  
Solitary Man
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
Default RE: Sako vs Tikka

First of all, I'm assuming the Sako is a 75, which has integral tapered dovetail scope mounts as part of the receiver. It will not accept a conventional mounting system that screws to the receiver because there are no screw holes. A Weaver type base will not work to my knowledge unless you have the receiver drilled and tapped. Personally, I would not want to do this.

The Optilocks are made by Sako specifically for the integral dovetails. They are rock solid. They have a polymer insert that wraps around the scope and fits inside the rings. I like this a lot because it doesn't leave rings marks on your scope and it eliminates any alignment problems that might exist between the front and rear mounts. But as I mentioned, they are higher than most other scope mounts. I prefer the scope to be mounted as low as possible. Oh, one more thing I don't like about the Optilocks: the ring screws are too soft in my opinion. After two or three scope changes the hex heads become buggered and are virtually impossible to get tight enough. At least that's been my experience. I've had to order new screws from Beretta/Sako and they want $4 apiece for them. If I could find a Torx head screw like Leupold uses I would use those, but I have not been able to find the correct size to fit the Optilocks. They require metric screws and the Leupolds don't come in metric sizes.

Conetrols are an excellent scope mount also. I may end up putting these on my other Sako as well. Conetrol makes bases that work with the Sako's dovetails, so no holes are required in the receiver. The Conetrol mounts are very handsome because the rings are projectionless. That is, they don't require any screws, except were they attach to the bases. This makes for a very sleek design. A scope can be mounted lower to the receiver with these mounts and I like that. The medium Conetrols, for instance, are lower than the low Optilocks. The only knock I have on these mounts is how difficult it can be to mount a scope in them. But once you get a scope mounted in these, it ain't going nowhere.

Talley also makes mounts for the Sako. I don't have any personal experience with these, but I understand they are excellent. Leupold and Millet make mounts for Sakos too, but these would be my last choices, especially the Millets.

I hope this helps you out. Here's a couple of links so you can see what I'm talking about:

www.conetrol.com
www.sako.fi/accessories_optilock.html
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