Found a Special Sako, What To Do?

[Murray Brook]

I have one of these also, B prefix single shot 6 PPC USA. Very accurate rifle. With the 14 twist I can shoot up 70-72 gr flat base bullets. Mine has a long throat but lucky for me it likes a jump. Two of the most accurate bullets I have tried is the 64 gr Stinger and the 58 gr Barnes V-Tor. Both N-133 and H-322 work great in my rifle. I use Norma 6 PPC USA brass. Groups in the mid to low 2's are very doable in my rifle with the factory stock bedding.

 

[nakneker]

I sure hope you get them with the Sako.

Me too

 

[C.E.Smith043]

A friend of mine had that rifle once. He never could get the groups out of it he was hopingfor.

Nothing horrible, just not any better than his basic Sako A1 in 223

 

[Bill K]

Don't let those that just have to pop up and slam Savage's worry you. They more than likely never shoot and see what is around the matches' and taking home the awards.

If it will it will be the only rifle I'm aware of at the matches I attend. It is seldom I see anything take 1st place over one variant or the other of the Savage LRPV. It dominates factory class around here.

 

[wildcatter]

Don't let those that just have to pop up and slam Savage's worry you. They more than likely never shoot and see what is around the matches' and taking home the awards.

My good friend I have shot with for decades, as well as my gunsmith is "Mr. SAVAGE" also known as Fred Moreo!

I shoot Bats, Pandas, Halls and Remingtons as well. But factory class is owned by Savage, and Customs my Savages will outshoot most custom remingtons. Easy to tell the ones that haven't owned one!

 

[Murray Brook]

@wildcatter Please take the time to let me (us) know how you make out with your Sako. What works for you powder and bullet wise etc. TKS

 

[JSH]

I don’t own a Sako. I have owned a few NIB unfired rigs, no more. I will let someone else store them, a picture is a lot cheaper.
If it doesn’t shoot, fix it, move it or move on.
If I want to invest I should have bought gold years ago.

 

[wildcatter]

I don’t own a Sako. I have owned a few NIB unfired rigs, no more. I will let someone else store them, a picture is a lot cheaper.
If it doesn’t shoot, fix it, move it or move on.
If I want to invest I should have bought gold years ago.

I don't own safe queens! This will be shot! I don't own a factory rifle. The point in this is you can't shoot a customized rifle in factory class, unless you cheat!

The whole reason for this buy is to have what I hope, has the best chance to win, and keep it straight from the factory, and anything from the custom shops are not legally factory rifles.

The Rifles rolled down the assembly line some 25 or so years ago. I thought it would be foolish to buy a 25 year old Varmit rifle used, and for nearly the same money, hope it has not been shot much???

For about 500 dollars more, it made sense to me, to buy someone's safe queens, from a dealer, who has bore scoped it, and confirmed it has never been fired after leaving the factory.

I mean I spend a lot more than this to compete in other classes, and those barrels get replaced about every 2 or three years. This won't be shot at as many matches, and being new, I don't think I have to worry about shooting it out? But a used one,,, well if it wasn't already, it will be sooner. Then as I say, it isn't a simple matter of rebarreling it, then it is no longer factory!

Hopefully this will be one of the many that shoot close to what some customs do! We are certainly going to find out. But the last thing I need is another custom varmint rifle in the works right now!

 

[Murray Brook]

@wildcatter By no means any kind of an expert on this but I have owned 4-5 factory varmint rifles ( still do ) and they are accurate, but not in the same class as this Sako I now own.

 

[dgeesaman]

If it’s unfired, I would not fire it. There are probably only a handful still unfired, and as you sense already, many have nostalgia for them.

These are indeed fantastic rifles but there remain plenty of shooter grade examples that you can lean into and enjoy without eliminating a collectible copy. Buy another one for shooting. I know I shot my first one enough that it’s been rebarrelled.

 

[wildcatter]

If it’s unfired, I would not fire it. There are probably only a handful still unfired, and as you sense already, many have nostalgia for them.

These are indeed fantastic rifles but there remain plenty of shooter grade examples that you can lean into and enjoy without eliminating a collectible copy. Buy another one for shooting. I know I shot my first one enough that it’s been rebarrelled.

And that is exactly why I'm not buying one, rebarreled it is worthless! At 70, I'll be gone before this one needs a barrel!

Money has nothing to do with competeing, it cost me money even when I win! I could care less what it cost, to me competing is what it is all about. I am the guy that thinks the person not allowing anyone to enjoy these are the ones that need to let them go.

I don't buy anything just to say llook what I got that you don't. I don't buy anything I can't use. If I was going to buy something just to look at, I'd buy a playboy, never had much use for them either! If I buy it, I'm using it.

 

[JSH]

I have played similar games. To be factory/production, there had to be XXX amount made. Any and all changes done had to be done at the factory. I recall one fellow sent his rig back a number of times.
I know several had barrels replaced over time.
I sit and wonder how many companies would oblige a shooter to do such work today. Seems it is usually a replacement of the whole rig.

 

[dgeesaman]

And that is exactly why I'm not buying one, rebarreled it is worthless! At 70, I'll be gone before this one needs a barrel!

Money has nothing to do with competeing, it cost me money even when I win! I could care less what it cost, to me competing is what it is all about. I am the guy that thinks the person not allowing anyone to enjoy these are the ones that need to let them go.

I don't buy anything just to say llook what I got that you don't. I don't buy anything I can't use. If I was going to buy something just to look at, I'd buy a playboy, never had much use for them either! If I buy it, I'm using it.

Not sure what you mean about keeping a collectible gun to mean 'look what I got that you don't'. For me that's not the point of collectibles at all. Owning a special gun and using it up until it's not that special is just a different kind of 'look what I got that you don't'.

As for a rebarrelled Sako vs. a factory barrel Sako, the rebarrel is superior. It can be quite accurate but you won't be able to run benchrest bullets anywhere near the lands. Your seating depth options are jump and more jump. If you want to run PPC with benchrest bullets touching the lands, it needs a fresh barrel and chamber. It still won't solve the issue that this action is light and unable to handle serious chamber pressure where PPC excels. In the Sako line you'd need an S491 to have any real meat behind the chamber.

As fro competing with factory rifles now, they definitely do. And they are superior. My local clubs that have factory groundhog classes have excluded PPC and BR chamberings because they work so well.

As for the money spent, money spent on one thing is money not spent on another. If you're going to compete with it, 1000-1500 round barrel life is common and whether it's a rebarrel or not its going to need a new barrel soon enough. By buying a shooter grade you can buy more/better barrels, better brass, better bullets, etc.

David

 

[coldboreshot]

Well I been looking for a factory rifle for group, score, and live varmint score competitions. I was looking at the Savage LRPV, but didn't want to go with a rifle that mimics my 600 yard gun in size, or weigh more than my light varmint BR gun.

I also didn't want a rifle utilizing a barrel made to shoot heavy for caliber bullets designed for over 400 yard competition. I mean close range inside 300, usually 200 yards seeking extreme accuracy is best suited to higher velocity, low recoil, well mannered medium wieght for caliber bullets, for best short range bench options.

So finally I stumbled across a real jewel from decades past. A Sako Vixen, 6ppc single shot, heavy barrel, in a varmint style stock, L461 B prefix, three serial numbered action, with their very well respected externally adjustable target trigger. ------UNFIRED, IN THE ORIGINAL BOX---‐--

So I ask, from all here familiar with this 1988 produced factory offering, I would like to know any experience others have had with this model Sako in the 6ppc chamber.

Did I make the right decision, and will it compete with the newer Savage Rifles and Tikka today?
View attachment 1473006
View attachment 1473004

I have seen Manny prefer 322 in these Rifles over 133 powder. I've also been told they have longer throats, so BT are not favorable.

How well were these bedded from the factory? Are the barrels free floated from the factory?

Is this trigger better than the target triggers that come on the Savage Rifles?

Fire away and get me ready for when I pick it up Friday. Thanks for any heads up and help.

I had a friend in Europe who had a Vixen and dropped it into a match prone stock and competed in 300m, scoped rifle class. He dominated with it. Consider yourself fortunate on this find. If I am not mistaken, that is a hammer-forged barrel as well. I've had several TRG's over the years and I still prefer them over my custom builds.

 

[wildcatter]

Not sure what you mean about keeping a collectible gun to mean 'look what I got that you don't'. For me that's not the point of collectibles at all. Owning a special gun and using it up until it's not that special is just a different kind of 'look what I got that you don't'.

As for a rebarrelled Sako vs. a factory barrel Sako, the rebarrel is superior. It can be quite accurate but you won't be able to run benchrest bullets anywhere near the lands. Your seating depth options are jump and more jump. If you want to run PPC with benchrest bullets touching the lands, it needs a fresh barrel and chamber. It still won't solve the issue that this action is light and unable to handle serious chamber pressure where PPC excels. In the Sako line you'd need an S491 to have any real meat behind the chamber.

As fro competing with factory rifles now, they definitely do. And they are superior. My local clubs that have factory groundhog classes have excluded PPC and BR chamberings because they work so well.

As for the money spent, money spent on one thing is money not spent on another. If you're going to compete with it, 1000-1500 round barrel life is common and whether it's a rebarrel or not its going to need a new barrel soon enough. By buying a shooter grade you can buy more/better barrels, better brass, better bullets, etc.

David

You keep confirming every reason to compete with this rifle, it would be hard pressed to find better factory rifle for 100 and 200 yards competition. Especially here where matches are run by those that understand factory means anything not built in a custom shop or custom order.

Like you said, I could sell it and buy better barrels, etc, but you don't mention, I no longer have a factory rifle to compete with.

Then we're in the same boat I was in before I found this, setteling for a less competetive rifle????

As for better bullets there are no better bullets than I shoot now, Bibs, Hotenstiens, Denoffs, and another not allowed to advertise. As for brass, primers, etc I already have the best available, kegs of powder, bricks of primers,,, hell the only thing I didn't have was a factory rifle capable of dominating.

But if it is something you would be interested in, or would like to save its fate of being used for what it was built for, I would sell it, Fer $4500.00 anyone could rescue it from being shot,,,, but they better let me know quickly, because mid week it will be sending rounds downrange!

 

[Spike A]

Not trying to go jack this post at all just curious, happen to see a Sako Vixen L461 Single Shot 6 PPC with a leupold on itcoming up on a local auction, saw this post so thought I’d ask if it’s anything worth pursuing? And if so any rough price estimate ?

 

[barefooter56]

Had one years ago in a single shot version. Traded it off because it was so boringly accurate. Every bullet/powder combo I tried wanted to shoot one hole, no challenge for a newbie reloader. LOL, wish I had it back.

"BORINGLY ACCURATE" I never thought I would see that phrase on this site.... ever. LOL !!

 

[COLT45SA]

Well I been looking for a factory rifle for group, score, and live varmint score competitions. I was looking at the Savage LRPV, but didn't want to go with a rifle that mimics my 600 yard gun in size, or weigh more than my light varmint BR gun.

I also didn't want a rifle utilizing a barrel made to shoot heavy for caliber bullets designed for over 400 yard competition. I mean close range inside 300, usually 200 yards seeking extreme accuracy is best suited to higher velocity, low recoil, well mannered medium wieght for caliber bullets, for best short range bench options.

So finally I stumbled across a real jewel from decades past. A Sako Vixen, 6ppc single shot, heavy barrel, in a varmint style stock, L461 B prefix, three serial numbered action, with their very well respected externally adjustable target trigger. ------UNFIRED, IN THE ORIGINAL BOX---‐--

So I ask, from all here familiar with this 1988 produced factory offering, I would like to know any experience others have had with this model Sako in the 6ppc chamber.

Did I make the right decision, and will it compete with the newer Savage Rifles and Tikka today?
View attachment 1473006
View attachment 1473004

I have seen Manny prefer 322 in these Rifles over 133 powder. I've also been told they have longer throats, so BT are not favorable.

How well were these bedded from the factory? Are the barrels free floated from the factory?

Is this trigger better than the target triggers that come on the Savage Rifles?

Fire away and get me ready for when I pick it up Friday. Thanks for any heads up and help.

I very stupidly sold my SAKO 6mm PPC Vixen Hunter which I loved to buy another SAKO 6mm PPC advertised as a single shot target/varmint rifle. I hated it from day I got it because was stupidly heavy. You certainly would not want to carry it around all day. It shot ok, but I think that my Vixen was at least as accurate, at least in my hands. I'm a recreational paper shooter and limit myself to 200 yards and under.

 

[COLT45SA]

Not trying to go jack this post at all just curious, happen to see a Sako Vixen L461 Single Shot 6 PPC with a leupold on itcoming up on a local auction, saw this post so thought I’d ask if it’s anything worth pursuing? And if so any rough price estimate ?

The Vixen L461 is a gorgeous and very accurate rifle. I see them occasionally for around $2000+.
Would you mind telling me what auction site you found it on~?

 

[Long_Shot]

Are you planning to shoot that Sako at Black Swamp? I shot one there many years ago. Fred Moreo may remember it. It was an awesome shooter. I got it used, and put over 4000 rounds down the tube. It won a lot of matches over the years, mostly at Shelby Co. Deer Hunters.
Best of luck with yours!