Left Hand CRF Sakos?

[Nevada Mike]

Did Sako ever make a LEFT HAND centerfire rifle with a CRF action? If so, what model?

Thanx,

Mike

 

[mark-hunter]

sako 85

 

[Nevada Mike]

Is this a CONTROLED ROUND FEED action? I do not find that in their catalogue.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Is this a CONTROLED ROUND FEED action? I do not find that in their catalogue.

They are CRF. Just don’t have a Mauser type claw extractor. See One Days…’s post #66 in this thread https://www.africahunting.com/threa...ag-vs-cz550-458-lott.51054/page-4#post-555947

 

[gbflyer]

Accurate, work well and since it’s a lefty the ejected case doesn’t hit the windage cap and fall back into the action

 

[Nevada Mike]

Thanks all. I am not familiar with Sako firearms... just never been around them much. read the catalog description of the M85. Mostly blah, blah, and short on the type of data I wanted.

Thanks again.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

Is this a CONTROLED ROUND FEED action? I do not find that in their catalogue.

Not a CRF. I have 2 left hand 85s and 1 left hand 75. They milled away the underside of the bolt face on the 85 so they could claim CRF. But in reality it is not, as you can still double feed and jam the action.

However, they are great rifles. I have a 22-250 and a 9.3x62. I can’t get mine to have an ejection problem even if I try. I also can’t find a load neither will not shoot well.

 

[Longwalker]

In my opinion a person is more likely to have feeding problems with a Mauser 98 action than a Sako 85. The Sako is so smooth by comparison, cartridges just slide in. In a M98, many rifles require very vigorous manipulation of the bolt to make sure nothing hangs up. Just for the record, I have several of each. And use them all. A Sako 85 does grab the rim and control the cartridge once it's more than halfway into the chamber. You'd really have to work at jamming one. I've tried on purpose, and never experienced a jam. I have experienced many times the bolt binding momentarily on a M98. A Sako 85 is smooth enough that it can easily be reloaded from the shooting position. Many Mauser 98 actions are so rough that they should be dismounted and reloaded from a lowered position.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Nevada Mike
In above posts, there two oppposite answers if 85 is CRF.
So, I will jump in.

The basic question is:

Is mauser 98 the only CRF action that we recognize and accept?

Here are the only two possible answers.

1. Yes. Mauser long claw is the only CRF action.
In that case sako 85 is not CRF. Forget it.

2. No. There are other CRF actions besides mauser 98. Long claw is not mandatory for CRF

In that case Sako 85 is CRF action.
In operation, it mimics the operation of Mauser 98.
When bolt is extracted from action, the bolt and extractor can grab and hold a casing in horizontal position. fact.
In operation, in order to extract, you can open the bolt, push fwd and chamber the round, pull back without prior closing and locking the bolt by rotation, and it will extract the cartridge out. Typical for CRF.
So, operation and function does mimic mauser 98.

Now you have to answer yourself - the basic question, Is mauser 98 with long claw, the only CRF action that you will accept or not. It is individual question from the beggining of my post..

Other consideration is long action, or magnum action?
Regarding mauser type long claw CRF rifles:
The new ones are ruger, zastava m70, winchester m70, and voere (still advertises).
Or high end rifles from original mauser (10k Eur), and small elite british workshops (much more expensive).

CZ 550 and ZKK 600,1,2 are phased out.

Mass production factories today make long(medium) action rifles, but they dont make magnum action rifles.

So, new mauser rifle is getting harder to find, and magnum action is matter of luxury today. (and magnum will cost)

Having said that, Sako does make magnum action, on factory rifle, which puts him in intersting position for a buyer looking for new CRF rifle, in dangerous game caliber.

No other mass production factory makes that.

Not having magnum action in production, makes some compromises - generally reduced number of calibers available (usually only 458 wm, and 375 hh for DG), and reduced magazine capacity.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

@Nevada Mike
In above posts, there two oppposite answers if 85 is CRF.
So, I will jump in.

The basic question is:

Is mauser 98 the only CRF action that we recognize and accept?

Here are the only two possible answers.

1. Yes. Mauser long claw is the only CRF action.
In that case sako 85 is not CRF. Forget it.

2. No. There are other CRF actions besides mauser 98. Long claw is not mandatory for CRF

In that case Sako 85 is CRF action.
In operation, it mimics the operation of Mauser 98.
When bolt is extracted from action, the bolt and extractor can grab and hold a casing in horizontal position. fact.
In operation, in order to extract, you can open the bolt, push fwd and chamber the round, pull back without prior closing and locking the bolt by rotation, and it will extract the cartridge out. Typical for CRF.
So, operation and function does mimic mauser 98.

Now you have to answer yourself - the basic question, Is mauser 98 with long claw, the only CRF action that you will accept or not. It is individual question from the beggining of my post..

Other consideration is long action, or magnum action?
Regarding mauser type long claw CRF rifles:
The new ones are ruger, zastava m70, winchester m70, and voere (still advertises).
Or high end rifles from original mauser (10k Eur), and small elite british workshops (much more expensive).

CZ 550 and ZKK 600,1,2 are phased out.

Mass production factories today make long(medium) action rifles, but they dont make magnum action rifles.

So, new mauser rifle is getting harder to find, and magnum action is matter of luxury today. (and magnum will cost)

Having said that, Sako does make magnum action, on factory rifle, which puts him in intersting position for a buyer looking for new CRF rifle, in dangerous game caliber.

No other mass production factory makes that.

Not having magnum action in production, makes some compromises - generally reduced number of calibers available (usually only 458 wm, and 375 hh for DG), and reduced magazine capacity.

Mauser long claw is not the only true CRF. The mannlicher Schoenauer accomplishes crf without a long extractor. I think the Ed Brown does too, but I’ve never seen one in person.

Sako and some other models do the semi crf action. There are some good YouTube videos that show why it doesn’t accomplish what Paul Mauser designed his rifles to do.

I like my sako’s and I will use the 9.3 to hunt buffalo one day with no concern. As a fellow lefty I think sako is about the best out of the box rifle available.

But I wanted a true CRF big bore. So I’m having a custom 404J built on a Zastava.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Bert Reynolds
I am in agreement with you more then you know.

Wanting CRF, with removable magazine of 5 rounds capacity, I took sako 85 in 30-06, as my all round rifle. (btw sako 85 magazine is metal, which is rare in modern world of plastic)
But of all of my rifles in the safe and various actions, I unfortunately did not get my hands on M98 action.

Finally, and motivated by African safari to justify investment, I went for search that took me two years, and I managed to purchase ZKK 602, vintage 1985, in 375 H&H. So finally completed my inventory with 98 type rifle.
I should be taking it to my next safari.

Speaking of Sako 85, I am not in favour of their optilock mount system and specific conical dove tail (but even with my dislike, the mount system holds well, and keep zero after detaching and fixing back the sight on QD optilock mounts).
But all in all, great rifles, smooth operation, accurate, with great details, and fantastic set trigger.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

@Bert Reynolds
I am in agreement with you more then you know.

Wanting CRF, with removable magazine of 5 rounds capacity, I took sako 85 in 30-06, as my all round rifle. (btw sako 85 magazine is metal, which is rare in modern world of plastic)
But of all of my rifles in the safe and various actions, I unfortunately did not get my hands on M98 action.

Finally, and motivated by African safari to justify investment, I went for search that took me two years, and I managed to purchase ZKK 602, vintage 1985, in 375 H&H. So finally completed my inventory with 98 type rifle.
I should be taking it to my next safari.

Speaking of Sako 85, I am not in favour of their optilock mount system and specific conical dove tail (but even with my dislike, the mount system holds well, and keep zero after detaching and fixing back the sight on QD optilock mounts).
But all in all, great rifles, smooth operation, accurate, with great details, and fantastic set trigger.

Great rifle in the 602. As a lefty I want to add a Winchester classic in 375 H&H and a CZ 550 in 450 rigby to my collection one day.

Although I prefer the look of a floor-plate I think the sako 85 is the best magazine for practicality as its the best of both worlds. You can top load it and remove the magazine. In New Zealand I lost my sako 75 magazine temporarily when it snagged on some bushes and fell out down a ledge. This obviously happened to enough people for them to change it on the 85.

Check out Fierce rifles. They are sako 85 clones but without the tapered dove tail.

 

[mark-hunter]

Never heard before of Fierce rifles, will check. Thanks!

Btw, the magazine system of sako 85 was deciding factor for me, when deciding between sako 85 and cz 550. (cz 550 removable mag was holding 4 rounds, only).

But then, desire for 98 system still remained in my restless soul, and I was secretly hoping for one, a desire later satisfied with zkk 602, and my mind is finally at peace!

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Mauser long claw is not the only true CRF. The mannlicher Schoenauer accomplishes crf without a long extractor.

Der Mannlicher Schoenauer:

Model MC

Pre WW2 M1903 (6.5X54)

 

[mark-hunter]

Theoretical and historical approach is ok, but:

The main question in the era of the rise of push feed rifles, for any CRF rifle is availabity.
And second question is the cost.
(5 digit number, doesnt count for me)

 

[Bert Reynolds]

Theoretical and historical approach is ok, but:

The main question in the era of the rise of push feed rifles, for any CRF rifle is availabity.
And second question is the cost.
(5 digit number, doesnt count for me)

Zastava is probably the only real choice

 

[mark-hunter]

And winchester m70.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

And winchester m70.

No lefties in current production regrettably

 

[Nevada Mike]

Bert Reynolds said "Great rifle in the 602. As a lefty I want to add a Winchester classic in 375 H&H and a CZ 550 in 450 rigby to my collection one day."

I have a small assortment of LEFT HAND CRF type rifles... It has taken years to track down and buy them. But I feel that I can get by with what I have... maybe add a Sako .338.

Model 70s in 7 X 57 and .375 H&H
Ruger 77 Mrk. II in .30-'06
Dakota 76 in .257 Roberts
GM Mauser 98 (long G33/40) in .404 Jeffery
Mathieu (really a semi-CRF) in 7mm Rem Mag

 

[Bert Reynolds]

Bert Reynolds said "Great rifle in the 602. As a lefty I want to add a Winchester classic in 375 H&H and a CZ 550 in 450 rigby to my collection one day."

I have a small assortment of LEFT HAND CRF type rifles... It has taken years to track down and buy them. But I feel that I can get by with what I have... maybe add a Sako .338.

Model 70s in 7 X 57 and .375 H&H
Ruger 77 Mrk. II in .30-'06
Dakota 76 in .257 Roberts
GM Mauser 98 (long G33/40) in .404 Jeffery
Mathieu (really a semi-CRF) in 7mm Rem Mag

Nice collection. I have 1 left hand CRF that is finished and a few getting built.

CZ527 in 20 vartarg. It’s my kangaroo gun.

I have 2 short action Montana 1999 actions. One is being built into a 257 Roberts in the style of a prewar Mauser. The others is 6.5x284, it is stainless with a McMillan edge stock.

I have 3 Zastavas m70s. 2 are bare actions. And one is someone’s unfinished project in 500 Jeffery. I got the action, barrel and very rough blank. It still needs a lot of work to be a functional rifle.

One is being built into a 404 Jeffery. I have a walther barrel in Mauser heavy profile, Prechtl magazine with drop floor plate, Recknagel trigger, 3 pos safety and sights

The third action I want a plains game magnum. Either 8x68 or 333 Jeffery.