Sako bolt-action rifles are famously slick. The new Model 85 Hunter
is no exception. Precisely built and finished, it handles and functions
as good as it looks—and it looks great in classic-American style.
Not bad from an 88-year-old Finnish firearm maker whose name few
Americans can even pronounce. (It’s pronounced sock-o, not say-co.
But if you pronounce it incorrectly, it’ll still perform.)
The M85’s trigger is user-adjustable from 2-4 pounds. Its two-position safety is simple and smooth.
Although its action is advertised as a controlled-round-feed,
the M85 I tested functioned more like the classic push-feed M75
from which it evolved. The M75 three-lug bolt head appears to have
been modified with the bottom half of its shroud cut away, permitting
the cartridge case head to slide under the extractor after springing
free of the magazine. Unfortunately, the spring-loaded extractor
isn’t wide enough to always capture the case rim. With the
rifle held level or muzzle down, the bolt would push a round nearly
all the way into the chamber before the spring-loaded extractor
could latch onto the rim. With the rifle held muzzle up, each round
would immediately slip under the extractor and be held against
the bolt face for true controlled feeding. Sometimes, if I cycled
the bolt rapidly enough, a cartridge would spring upward with enough
force to slide under the extractor. As I see it, the extractor
isn’t
wide enough to engage case rims without gravity assist and, unlike
the big Mauser 98 and Winchester M70 claw extractors, doesn’t
grasp the cartridge rim securely enough for true controlled-round
feeding.
That noted, the M85 still cycled flawlessly each
and every time, fast or slow, cleanly stripping five rounds from
the magazine and ejecting empties with authority, thanks to a solid
ejector blade hinged on the action floor behind the magazine well.
This blade rides up through a cut in the bolt head between the two
lower locking lugs. By operating the bolt with varying degrees of
energy, I could leave empties in the action, on the table or 10 feet
away.
A significant advantage of this M16-style extractor is that
it rides over case rims. Drop a cartridge into the chamber or atop the magazine
and the bolt will reliably lock it into battery ahead of three lugs
that are beveled along their sides to engage lips machined into the
action walls. These “bolt guides” contribute to that famous, smooth
action. Its bolt handle lift is just 70 degrees; combined with the
short stroke of the .308-length action, this makes for wonderfully
fast follow-up shots.
The
M85 evolved from Sako’s venerable M75, a rifle renowned for its
out-of-the box accuracy. The M85 Hunter, above, is one of several
models available. It’s chambered for many popular calibers. A staggered magazine raises five rounds smartly
into position and loads easily through the port or while detached.
To prevent loss, the magazine box must be pushed upward while a
release lever is depressed. One hand does the job in a second.
The bolt body is narrower and lighter than most bolts designed
in the middle 20th century. The receiver is grooved to accept 4-ounce
claw-mount rings. The forward dovetail is not only tapered (to prevent forward
slip under recoil) but also angled so that windage can be adjusted
by sliding the ring slightly forward or back.
The two-position safety is mounted on the right rear of the
action tang. In front of it is another button that serves to release
the bolt while the safety remains on so rounds can be cycled and ejected.
With a detachable magazine, this seems superfluous.
The trigger is adjustable from 2-4 pounds. It breaks cleanly
with no creep. The barrel is free floating.
I liked the between-hands balance, crisp checkering, narrow fore-end
grip, open radius pistol grip and traditional stock lines, including
the shadowline cheekpiece on the Hunter model I tested. My only complaint
is the width and squared edges of the stock belly around the magazine;
it seems the rifle would have been sleeker had the edges been rounded
off.
In the field, shooting prone off sandbags and bench tripod
rests, the Sako delivered groups between 1.37 and 3 inches (see
accuracy table) with three varieties of Federal factory ammunition. This is
not on par with Sako’s MOA guarantee. (I expect better from a rifle of this
quality; past experiences with Sako rifles make me think this particular
rifle was an anomaly.) The upshot is, if I cannot find a load/bullet
combo of adequate accuracy, Sako promises to remedy the problem
at no additional cost. 
Bolt-action rifles have been around for over a century, but,
like most products, they can be improved as long as designers are
willing to try something new. The M85 represents a solid stride forward in
Sako’s impressive evolution toward a more perfect hunting rifle.
NRA members,
if you already receive American Rifleman or America's
1st Freedom you can add American Hunter
to your reading list for just $9.95,
by calling 877-672-2000.
Sako Model 85 Hunter
800-237-3882
berettausa.com
Type: bolt-action, centerfire rifle
Caliber: .338 Federal (tested); see website for complete chamberings
Barrel: 22.5", cold hammer-forged, free-floating; twist—1:10"
Trigger: single-stage, user-adjustable from 2-4 lbs.
Magazine: detachable, staggered, 5-round capacity
Sights: integral dovetails for scope rings
Safety: two-position
Stock: oil-finished walnut; synthetic; laminated wood
Overall length: 42"
Weight: 7 lbs., 2 ozs.
Metal Finish: stainless; matte; blued
MSRP: $1,626
