Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Took a look at a new Sako A7 and I have some thoughts about it. Let me get to the chase and say that the only thing I like about it is the price.

Heres what you get for the price.

[ul][*]a 75 action with a Tikka bolt shroud[*]Magazine has the 85 magazine lockout feature[*]Magazine is plastic except for metal feed lips[*]Comes in 2 action lengths[*]Don't have to use Sako Rings or bases or any dovetail Sako configuration[*]Comes with a really Eurotrash stock that looks like same material as a T3.[/ul]

Obviously Sako doesn't think much of the Tikka polymer magazine since they deemed metal feed lips to be installed and the same goes for the magazine retention system. Magazine BTWreally looks cheap. I don't know what is going on at Beretta but it sure seems to me that they are making more changes to Sako rifles in the last 7 years then in the previous 40 years.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Guess they are just trying to jump into a lower price point group. Seems a real shame. I love my 75 so I guess I'll not have to worry over it.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I haven’t seen it up close but from what you described sound like a lower grade that I won’t be buying anytime soon. I’ll stick to the 75’s , thank you...

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Other then the newer 75 synthetics they have kept their stocks looking conservative for the most part, Other then the metal feed lips on the A7 on the plastic magazine and the 2 action lengths you can buy 2 Tikkas for the price of one of these. Of course the Tikka has a one size fits all action but if one were to stick to just long cartidges who would know the difference except for the feed lips.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I had a look again at the Sako A7 on the web site www.sakoa7.net and was wondering, did you noticed if the trigger guard is metal or plastic like the Tikka? ...:eek:

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=96710744



It is plastic

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

NICE! Where can I get one??? ;)

Looks to me like Sako is trying to get into a whole different clientel with this gun.

Oldelk - I picked myself up my first WSM tonite. Got a Model 70 Coyote Lite in 270WSM.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

That is one of my favorites ..I just have to get an action have it rebarrelled to that and bed it in a nice stock and keep it. The only 270 WSM I had was in a VAnguard with a SS barrel and a Timney Trigger. It was a whitetail deer hammer . I try to live with that Weatherby stock design but I sure wish they would go to a classic stock.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Yeah I was wanting to make a light weight mountain gun outta this (it is used). But I don't think there is anyway it has shot over 2 boxes of bullets, still looks brand new, inside and out. I haven't decided if I like that stock that they come with. More than likely I will be going with a sporter stock on it from HS Precision.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

It's a CRPF with a ventilated B&C stock right?

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Yep that would be the one. That one any good to build from?

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I would leave as is, maybe not the best treestand rifle for deer but for plains shooting it would be a perfect fit..

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I just got the new A7 and I love it.

This is what I got:
[ul][*]Out of the box rifle that cost less than $1000.00 andwill shoot 5 shot 1 inch groups at 100yrds with out of the box ammo.
Out of the box rifle that cost less than $1000.00 andwill shoot 5 shot 1 inch groups at 100yrds with out of the box ammo.
Out of the box rifle that cost less than $1000.00 andwill shoot 5 shot 1 inch groups at 100yrds with out of the box ammo.
Out of the box rifle that cost less than $1000.00 andwill shoot 5 shot 1 inch groups at 100yrds with out of the box ammo.
Oh and I almost forgot,
Out of the box rifle that cost less than $1000.00 andwill shoot 5 shot 1 inch groups at 100yrds with out of the box ammo.
Not only does it actually do that, but the best part is that it is guaranteed to do that.[/ul]

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I guess I really don't care that a rifle can shoot 5 shots into a 1" group because I couldn't do it myself. I'd rather have a gun that can shoot 5 shots into a 1.5" group that looks nice and I can take pride in. There's no room in this world for ugly rifles made of cheap materials.

Tom

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

That is all good and fine but you still have a plastic floorplate trigger guard and a plastic bolt shroud. 100 dollars more and you could have picked up a real Sako 75 and not a glorified Tikka.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Bojack, good luck with the A7. Alot of jealous people on this boardlike the previous two posts that love to just bash others and their choice in rifles

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Jealous your kidding right ?I own Sakos and have bought them my whole life that is a glorified Tikka. It is what it is

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

What you say may be true but let the guy enjoy what he decided to purchase. For the money, a Tikka happens to be the most accurate out of box rifle I have seen today, never heard any complaints from people who own them. I purchased one myself in 25-06 and I also just ordered a Sako85 hunter/ssin 300WSM. From what I hear and witnessed at the range, I wouldn't be surprised if my new Tikka out shoots the 85, we'll see.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I don't like Sako 85's as much as I like 75's and I couldn't ever bring myself to buy a Tikka fwiw. I am glad to see that you think the Tikka is the most accurate gun out of the box . Are you quoting Beretta sales literature or is it a result of seeing owning and shooting lots of them?

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

No, I'm not quoting Beretta sales but I did see three Tikka'a in action at the range, 270WSM with laminated stock, 25-06 and 7mm-08 both with plastic. I didn't shoot any of them but the owners all shot incredible groups at 100yrds. I still believe, that for the price ~$550, they can't be beat.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Just a few months ago everyone on here was loving Sako's, ie the sako 75, which my understanding has been replaced by the sako 85? is there something wrong with the sako 85? I never heard anything bad about sako's til recently, my point, if you want a sako, get an 85, less there is something wrong now with the 85's that wasn't previously wrong on the 75's.

I do understand rifle company's wanting a piece of the cheaper market, but my rifle preference is spend the money and get something nice, going from $700 to $1200 to me is a worthwhile jump, and if the rifle is much finer its hardly a decision. Also I think when buying from a particular brand, you should buy the rifle that made the company......ie if you get a weatherby, get a Mk V, if you get a sako, get a 75 or 85 now?

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

As far as i know people still do love their "sakos" Only reason the 85 came out was to give Beretta a reason to jackup prices 300 dollars and shakeup the market. One of beretta's biggest dealers who has known me for a long time confided the same. Given that it is still a fine rifle. The A7 on the other hand is a &$%@ of a rifle. Oh dang I forgot it has metal feed lips on its plastic magazine and has the 75 action and bolt(plastic shroud)so it must be worth 300 dollars more then a Tikka. Marketing people are a riot.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Come on now, tell us how you really feel..... :D

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I know at times that I am too subtle

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I like the design of the stock of my Sako 75’s much better then the 85’s and for this reason will not buy a Sako model 85...

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Now this is 100% from the way I think, it may be wrong or right, probably somewhere in the middle. I think a rifle NEEDS a recoil lug, the 85's don't have one and that bothers me, so when I got ready to get another sako (got a 7mm08 in a McMillian stock, great gun) I looked around and picked up a grey wolf 75 in 308. I've had a time getting this thing to shoot, so I dropped it in a richards stock (stainless on rosewood laminate, good looking match up) and bedded it and I've got a gun that will do 1" or less @100 which suites me just fine. I didn't bed the laminate that came with the gun because I didn't want to change it, in case I decide to sell the stock or gun. Oh I've got a tikka 338 fed that will be in a richards stock in a month or so, currently it's sub moa. A tikka 6.5 x 55 that dearly loves 125 bullets. Oh did I mention the Sako 85's don't have a recoil lug and it just don't sound right.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Last Sako I purchased was a 300 wsm greywolf model 75. I too am bothered by the recoil lug arrangement on the 85 and I like the feel of the 75 stock better. Nevertheless both are great guns. One is just not my cup of tea. The greywolf shot under an inch with anything I fed it but the gun was too heavy. I purchased a finnlight stock and put it on there and probably chopped one lb off the weight. Last time I took it to the range it shot 3 rounds touching in 2 consecutive groups.I found a Mcmillan Sako 75 in stock at Mcmillan and purchased it. NOw this is the stock all Sako synthetic rifles need to come from the factory yet. I will skim bed it and check barrel clearance and see why this will not be as accurate as the previous 2 stocks.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I have to clear up a misconception here...the 85 does have a recoil lug, just not in the traditional sense. It'sgot two parts...a machined protrusion that seats into a steel bedding plate in the stock, and amachined groove in the receiver into which a protrusion from the stock sits(similar to a Weaver-style scope base and ring). Think of it as a two-part lug, rather than a single beefy plate as in thetraditional sense.

I'm not sure that this isn't every bitas strong if not stronger than the traditional design. It's got to be lighter, and I have no doubt that the engineers at Sako calculated the forcesacting on this design and determined it to be sufficient. I'm happy to post pics if anyone would like to see the design.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

Thanks Dominick! I am new to this forum, but I am certainly not new to firearms or hunting. I do not buy guns to sit in a glass case to be admired and looked at. My guns to me are tools that I use to accomplish things. In the case of my new SakoA7 SS.270win it is a tool I use for one purpose, to kill whitetail deer as accurate as possible. The tool I have been using for 15 plus years has been a Remington 700 .270win black synthetic stock and it has done apretty good job. I always liked the smoothness of Sako's actions and I always heard they were very accurate, the one thing I did not like was the grooved receivers for scope mounting. So when I saw the Sako A7 in the 2008 Beretta catalogue with a 5shot MOA guarantee for less that $1000.00 I ordered one. I don't care that the magazine is made of plastic as long as it feeds the cartridges when I cycle the action and it does. What I got is a very light weight, very accurate rifle (Tool) that gets the job done for me.

RE: Sako A7 What is going on ?
 

I wouldn't mind seeing some illustrations.

Thanks

Tom