Help me decide Sako vs Mauser

[Kingfish01]

Hello folks, long time lurker first time poster. I currently on a 30.06 which I'm very happy with. However i've decided to get a new rifle in 6.5 swedish ( I have a couple C&R rifles which I enjoy shooting, I'm a big fan of that caliber so I am pretty steadfast on purchasing that particular caliber ). Through my research I have come to the conclusion that I like the Sako 85 finnlight and I also like the Mauser M 12 extreme. Both have synthetic stocks but the Sako is all stainless and the Mauser is not. I'd like to get something that holds up well to extreme weather I'm a big fan of Mauser as I currently have a Mauser model 3000 which I like very much. I also have several WWII k98ks. I understand though that The current Mauser is really nothing at all like the old one. The Mauser has a bolt which locks directly into the barrel, I like that. I am somewhat new to Sako. I'm wondering since their prices are approximately the same, which would be a more reliable and more accurate rifle. Also, I have never hunted with a stainless rifle if I choose to purchase the Sako. Are there disadvantages went hunting with stainless steel rifles? Such as visibility to the deer? Some of my hunting would actually be in the woods with shots approximately 50 yards and others might be out in the field up to 400 yards. I would be hunting deer. Thanks a lot for any help

 

[scottishkat]

King Fish the Sako 85 action is one of the nicest actions I have used. They're smooth as silk and the 3 lug design is better than the old style mauser action. The new 6 lug I am not familiar with.

I don't particularly care for the stock on the finn light. I have the stainless synthetic 85 which is the same stock as the finn light and replaced it.

The finn light has a 22.4"bbl with an 8 twist which I consider a little short for longer shots as velocity and bbl length are connected the model 12 is 22" cant find the twist but its probably an 8. The safety on the 85 is 3 position as is the model 12.
The finn light has a stainless bbl which I don't see on the extreme m12.

The recoil lug assembly is different on the 85 and some don't like them because of it. Does not seem to affect accuracy in either of my 85's.

Sako has been refining rifles for as long as they have been around. In short they're pretty hard to beat.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[WildRose]

They are both very well made products but for me it's a "no brainer". I will take stainless over anything else whenever it's available.

I've never seen anything from SAKO that wasn't top quality either.

 

[K98K]

Mauser 12 is a better choice personally. I am not 100 percent sure but I dont know if sako is a controlled Feed but mauser is for sure. Mauser actions are also time tested and proven sience 1895 when Paul mauser was granted the patent for it. So id stick with the original action that has been upgraded through the years. And mauser has more caliber options anyways

 

[K98K]

And if you already have a mauser it wolnt be much different to clean

 

[longrangehunterII]

Maybe this might change your mind, one way or the other:

 

[Canhunter35]

Sakos are very nice. There is a new finnlight rifle I believe

 

[Viking264]

I will add my opinion here. I owned a Sako 85 Synthetic Black in 6.5x55mm (by far, my favorite cartridge of all time); purchased it for my wife, for use on our farm for predators, up to and including black bear (we have some massive ones in the 700-lb.+ range here). Very light rifle. The issue for me was that the rifle would not reliably eject spent brass. This was with a forward-mounted red dot, by the way, not with an optic blocking the action which could, if mounted too low, cause an obstruction to ejection. So no blockage to ejection, and the brass would not reliably eject, even with altering the speed of bolt cycling. You can imagine, I am not placing a rifle like that into the hands of my wife and feeling confident that she will be able to run it without a hitch if the SHTF with a predator stalking our livestock. I contacted Sako, sent the rifle back to them with a lengthy letter of explanation. There was no resolution. They said that everything fell within spec, shipped it back, and suggested that I return it to the retailer if I was unhappy with it. No dice there; the retailer does not take returns. So, I sold it, luckily for the same price that I paid for it. This did very little to encourage my brand loyalty to Sako and their parent company.

The two actions are quite different. The Sako uses a blade ejector; the M12 uses double-plunger ejectors. It's the position of the blade ejector on the 85 that is the cause of ejection failures, from my own inspection of the design.

I am admittedly a fan of the Mauser 98 design, and the idea of a Sako with similar characteristics was initially very appealing. Too bad it didn't do what I needed it to do, because it was very light and handy. I have not used the M12, so will not comment on how well it performs.

One option that you might consider, if you're still interested in the Sako 75/85 design, is the American Rifle Company "Nucleus". Do a search online. You would need to assemble the rifle (action, trigger, barrel, stock), however this action has what I believe to be superior design characteristics to the Sako and most other bolt actions. It's got a Rem 700 foot print and is threaded to accept the same barrels as the Savage 10/110. Customization is going to be pretty simple.

In any event, you ought to handle both of the actions (the Sako and the M12) before you put a payment down; if you're accustomed to cycling an action based on a two-lug bolt head, as your 3000 and Mauser 98-pattern actions are, then you will notice that the force required to open the bolt on an action with three lugs on the head will be noticeably greater. The bolt knob/handle on the 85 is somewhat petit, making the force that much more noticeable. These are just my pragmatic observations. Hope it helps.

 

[Mike 338]

Pretty interesting thread. We don't see Mausers much around here other than vintage models. That video of the redesigned Mauser is rather weak on details. Heck, you didn't even see the hits on target nor did they mention what the changes were to the rifle. I checked out Mauser website and it was equally absent of details about the gun. Maybe wanting to know what's under the hood is an American thing.

 

[jjmp]

Funny in the video it shows a ss/barreled action in a synethic stock is that model made and offered for sale ? I'm happy Mauser stepped up to the plate it shows real back bone ,that they can build a worthy product. As much as I like Sakos, I wouldn't buy an 85 md Peroid , my youngest model is a 75 and I don't think it should be in the same sentence as the 85 , however there are other model year Sakos out there to be bought and enjoyed, just rebarrel them or not . When Sako first started building rifles they used some Mauser type actions ,usually FN . It's really a shame that beretta can't fix a design flaw, and won't Listen to their Best Customers the Buying Public !!! Talk about putting the cart in Front of the horse . Sako also builds their md A7 Rifle ,all I hear is Glowing reports so Go figure ! They also build Tikka in the same plant so theirs many choices , but Buy Smart ,& enjoy of Our Shooting Heritage !!! More md 12 owners need to voice their opinions here also , not enough feedback from you guys throw us a bone ok ! Thks jjmp

 

[aring]

I have tried both, and can highly recommend both rifles, but the M12 is the best rifle if I were to choose. No ejection problems, superb accuracy, smooth feeding, short boltlift and the M12 is also ceracoated so no need for stainless option.

The Sako 85 on the other hand, have a mediocre recoil lug system, suffers from some ejection problems to the point that I would much prefer the tikka t3 over it. Actually I would prefer the sako 75s and AV actions over the 85 design.

I've kept my M12 in 7x64 brenneke and my Sako AV, and got rid of my 85.

 

[aring]

By the way , the M12 is a push feed action, the Sako 85 a kind of semi controlled feed

 

[Viking264]

The Sako 85 on the other hand, have a mediocre recoil lug system, suffers from some ejection problems to the point that I would much prefer the tikka t3 over it. Actually I would prefer the sako 75s and AV actions over the 85 design.

Agreed, though the recoil lug design on the T3 and T3x both leave a lot to be desired, as well. I've owned several Tikka T3s and would choose that platform over the Sako 85 medium.

 

[jjmp]

welcome to the forum aring !!! thks for your imput.