Rifle Opinions

[Dr Ray]

Hi all,

Just a quick one to throw this out there and see who feels what about the following rifles.
I haven't had a chance to handle them yet, i have to travel to Lusaka, probably at the end of this month, to see them and try them out, but in the mean time thought i would get opinions from owners and users...

Looking at a 243 Win and the options are

Tikka T3 hunter
Sauer 101 select
Sako A7
Sako bavarian
Mauser m12

Price wise, the tikka is about $1000 less than the other 4 all being about the same price.
I really prefer a rifle with open sights, but its not a deal breaker on this caliber.
Tikka, Sako Bavarian and Sauer are wood stocked, Mauser and Sako A7 are tupperware based.

Have a go at the poll considering prices and personal experience.

I have had each of my Sako trigger pull lighten. But a major reason for liking sako rifles is their quality and the fact you can top up the magazine without taking the magazine out.
Overall the quality, furniture, accuracy, and the smoothness of the bolt operation along with the magazine features, are just great.
You simply cannot go wrong with the Bavarian.

 

[PeteG]

I have had each of my Sako trigger pull lighten. But a major reason for liking sako rifles is their quality and the fact you can top up the magazine without taking the magazine out.
Overall the quality, furniture, accuracy, and the smoothness of the bolt operation along with the magazine features, are just great.
You simply cannot go wrong with the Bavarian.

You're doing a pretty good job of convincing me... ha ha ha

 

[spike.t]

That's funny. I also decided to look for a 243 and just last week texted faizal asking him to look out for one. He said "how much do you want to spend" clearly knowing he has some nice ones in stock, my response was "not much" clearly knowing that I shouldn't be spending anything on guns right now. I've asked him to keep an eye out for a second hand one.

Worth noting that Kanele arms also have Voere rifles in stock (by kafue round about). But I'd be hard pressed to buy from anyone other than Faizal, he's one of the good guys.

Of the choices you mentioned if I could I go with the Mauser.

@spike.t since you have pictures of them all why not put them up on this post for us all to drool over?

only the sako and the mauser, as the sauer stock was on the short side for me so wouldnt be good for pete, and i didnt like it either...... i have the mauser in synthetic 30-06 and its very nice. and the sako in the black bear in 9.3x62, but to me the m12 just feels a tiny bit better in the hand, and slightly better balanced than the sako. both nice rifles though. and as i knew would happen pete preferred the m12 but his father the sako.....

"But a major reason for liking sako rifles is their quality and the fact you can top up the magazine without taking the magazine out."
and @Dr Ray the same is true with the mauser m12

 

[wesheltonj]

The wood, the Optilock scope mounting system -- The SAKO.

 

[BenH2016]

Thanks @spike.t for sticking the pics up.

I'm confused though. You've pictured the sako and the mauser right? But Pete said the mauser was synthetic stock?

Of the two pictured I prefer the look of the sako Bavarian.

When I bought my .416 I wasn't decided on calibre or maker, I just wanted something I could shoot buffalo with. I handled the sako 85 Bavarian and hunter both in 375, and the sako brown bear and the CZ 550 both in 416 Rigby. I decided on the CZ purely on what felt best in my hands. I'm tall and liked the size of the CZ. It was a bonus that all my other rifles were also CZ and that the 416 hits harder than 375.

 

[PeteG]

Thanks @spike.t for sticking the pics up.

I'm confused though. You've pictured the sako and the mauser right? But Pete said the mauser was synthetic stock?

Of the two pictured I prefer the look of the sako Bavarian.

When I bought my .416 I wasn't decided on calibre or maker, I just wanted something I could shoot buffalo with. I handled the sako 85 Bavarian and hunter both in 375, and the sako brown bear and the CZ 550 both in 416 Rigby. I decided on the CZ purely on what felt best in my hands. I'm tall and liked the size of the CZ. It was a bonus that all my other rifles were also CZ and that the 416 hits harder than 375.

Faizel has the synthetic as well from what i could gather, but the wood stock had iron sights as well, the synthetic didnt... as far as i can remember...
So mike took the photo of the two with iron sights for me.

 

[BenH2016]

Got it. I also prefer iron sites, and I doubt I would ever buy a rifle with a plastic stock!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

i did shoot a jackal with a 243 last weekend with the 87gr peregrine and funnily enough the bullet didnt bounce off it.
i've actually shot quite a lot of small game with the 243 and been quite happy with the caliber, its fun to shoot, no recoil, just looking for a new rifle.
the musgrave that i have, the action jams up often when trying to cycle quickly, the scope isnt great, wood leaves a lot to be desired so though it best to start over from scratch... and a good excuse to try out a new make/model of rifle...

How do you like those Peregrines? Been working some loads up in them in my .300WM and .300H&H.

 

[Nyati]

My .243 is a Remington 700 Mountain, but I have a soft spot for Sako, have had four of them.

As for your choice, I think all are good guns, so go for the one which fits you best.

 

[PeteG]

Thanks for all the opinions chaps, its been decided that the Sako will be it.

 

[spike.t]

Thanks for all the opinions chaps, its been decided that the Sako will be it.

sensible to keep your dad happy........

 

[IdaRam]

The only one of the bunch I have any first hand experience with is the Tikka T3. I have yet to see or hear of one that was not exceptionally accurate. They all just seem to shoot well under MOA and come out of the box with a good trigger.
On the other hand I'm not a fan of the safety on the T3. Not a deal breaker but I much prefer a safety that can be engaged prior to closing the bolt.

 

[PeteG]

sensible to keep your dad happy........

Yep, i tried hard to convince him that my next rifle, ahem... i mean his next rifle, should be a 6.5x55!

 

[Adrian]

I don't know if you have the chance to look at Steyr Mannlicher rifles but they are a little cheaper than Sako and are a lovely gun.
My .243 is a Steyr and I prefer it to the Sako.

 

[mark-hunter]

Hi all,

Looking at a 243 Win and the options are

Tikka T3 hunter
Sauer 101 select
Sako A7
Sako bavarian
Mauser m12

Hi Pete,
I am not sure if the budget is limited, or not. I voted for sako 85 bavarian.
Here is my personal comparison:

Tikka T3 hunter:
Sako barrel, good precision. (+)
many plastic parts (bolt shroud, magazine, aluminium recoil lug) (-)
removable single stack plastic magazine - capacity 3 (flush with stock), or 5, non flush (-)
Push feed, two locking lugs, 70 degrees bolt rotation (-)
Entry level rifle of Sako / Tikka factory (-)
Possibly cheapest option (+)

Sauer 101.
Barrel fitted with special makers proprietary system (hard to replace) (-)
Does not have image of being accurate as tikka/sako (-), however 1 - 1.5 moa should be acievable
removable Double stack magazine, flush fitting, capacity 5 (+)
Shape of stock is excellent to tackle recoil, althoug not critical for 243. (+)
Push feed, 60 degrees rotation, 3 locking lugs (+)
Entry level rifle, of sauer, in slightly higher price range then Tikka (+/-)

Sako A7
Sako barrel, good precision. (+)
Push feed, 3 locking lugs, 60 degrees rotation (+)
Intergarted piccatiny rail. (easy installation of scope) (+)
removabel, Single stack 3 round capacity magazine. (-)
medium level rifle in Sako prodution line (+/-)

mauser m12
Lower end rifle, compared to modular m03 (-)
No experience with this one, thus no other comments.

Sako 85 bavarian
Sako barrel, good precision. (+)
Control feed, 3 locking lugs, 60 degrees rotation (+ +)
Flush mag, steel, 5 round cap. (+)
High end rifle. (+)
Dove tail, possibility to mount scope on their propitiatory opti lock system. (-) not perfect.

this is not economic option, but money being no object, i vote for this rifle, thus: Price (-), but overall quality (+)
The only production high end rifle in the line of above makers. (+)
No short cuts. no plastic. (+)
The only one on the list with control feed system. (+)

 

[MarkCZ]

I don't know if you have the chance to look at Steyr Mannlicher rifles but they are a little cheaper than Sako and are a lovely gun.
My .243 is a Steyr and I prefer it to the Sako.
View attachment 188134

Nice rifle mate.
markcz

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Thanks for all the opinions chaps, its been decided that the Sako will be it.

Thankfully you weren't talked into buying one of those junk Rigby's @spike.t would have you get.....

 

[enysse]

All of the choices you had were nice rifles! Spike posted some lovely pictures!

 

[Rem1903a3]

Hi all,

Just a quick one to throw this out there and see who feels what about the following rifles.
I haven't had a chance to handle them yet, i have to travel to Lusaka, probably at the end of this month, to see them and try them out, but in the mean time thought i would get opinions from owners and users...

Looking at a 243 Win and the options are

Tikka T3 hunter
Sauer 101 select
Sako A7
Sako bavarian
Mauser m12

Price wise, the tikka is about $1000 less than the other 4 all being about the same price.
I really prefer a rifle with open sights, but its not a deal breaker on this caliber.
Tikka, Sako Bavarian and Sauer are wood stocked, Mauser and Sako A7 are tupperware based.

Have a go at the poll considering prices and personal experience.

My vote , for the Sako Barvarian is on looks alone ,I have not shot any of these .my experience is with Winchester,ruger,manlicher ,and savage .I am admirer of the sako exspecialy the Barvarians .

 

[Rem1903a3]

I know it wasn't on the list, but I'll tell you what I did for my kids:

Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in .243

Whether featherweight or standard, they are around $800-$1300 depending on condition. They all shoot MOA or better and you'll not find a better made American rifle for the money that one of those.

Good point and true .