Sako S20 Hunter

[precision_shooter]

Seriously considering getting a Sako S20 Hunter in .308 as my next rifle purchase. Will be used for hunting in the lower 48 up to and including Elk.

I don't recall reading a bad review on these for the gun rags, but wondering if anyone here has any first-hand experience with one and what your impressions are/were.

I like the fact the bases are milled into the receiver, eliminating any possibility of base movement. I like detachable mags on hunting rifles as well. The 20" barrel is ideal to me in a .308 hunting rifle.

I reload and can tailor custom loads to the rifle, so not worried about finding what factory ammo it likes the best.

My optics choice is going to be a Burris Veracity 3-15x50. In my experience, its tough to beat Burris glass for the same money and still have that lifetime warranty. No, I don't want a Vortex. Been there, sold them all except their prism (non-magnified) scopes.

TIA

 

[BornFighting88]

Can't say I have seen much of anything bad about Sako's lineup. Their extractors are reliable, the actions are smooth as glass.

I know there are two sides of the story with the removeable magazine thing. I am a fence-sitter with that one. I like the ability to remove the mag. Especially if it sits flush. But if it protrudes, it can catch on stuff. My personal hunting rifle is blind magazine, but can dump them with the swinging floor plate. I say go with it.

Best of luck. I love days when I know I am buying a gun. It is a special thing for me. Grab the cash, go to LGS and go through all the pomp and circumstance.

 

[kilotanker22]

I have been eyeing the S20 for a while now. I say go for it. 308 Win is plenty for anything up to and including elk. Might not be my first choice, but I wouldn't feel under gunned with one. That Sako S20 is a real nice gun for sure.

 

[stagpanther]

I've taken a close look at an older sako--I thought it was an exceptionally well-made rifle (including the bore finishing) with the one and only exception being their odd-ball proprietary reversed-taper custom scope ring mounting system which hopefully they have retired.

 

[precision_shooter]

I've taken a close look at an older sako--I thought it was an exceptionally well-made rifle (including the bore finishing) with the one and only exception being their odd-ball proprietary reversed-taper custom scope ring mounting system which hopefully they have retired.

The S20 has the weaver bases milled into the top of the receiver so no separate bases needed.

 

[stagpanther]

The S20 has the weaver bases milled into the top of the receiver so no separate bases needed.

So do the older rifles. So, what I'm referring to is if you were to look down on the machined-in base, the width of the base get a bit narrower towards the rear of the receiver, at least on the model I looked at which while no longer in production isn't that old. On the 7mm RUM sako I shot the scope rings tended to come loose under recoil, and you really couldn't get good lock on the base if the ring wasn't positioned near the farthest front position on the base.

I have to be careful what I say about friend's guns that are worked on by local LGS's. I told the guy IMO the shop that set the gun up for him compensated for the ring problem by moving the scope, a nice Steiner, as far back as they could which resulted in it going just a bit past the front bell datum where it meets the tube. I told my friend that could easily ruin the internals of the Steiner by hammering a torque on the scope tube with each shot.

Last I asked about it the scope is in Germany getting repaired.

 

[kilotanker22]

So do the older rifles. So, what I'm referring to is if you were to look down on the machined-in base, the width of the base get a bit narrower towards the rear of the receiver, at least on the model I looked at which while no longer in production isn't that old. On the 7mm RUM sako I shot the scope rings tended to come loose under recoil, and you really couldn't get good lock on the base if the ring wasn't positioned near the farthest front position on the base.

I have to be careful what I say about friend's guns that are worked on by local LGS's. I told the guy IMO the shop that set the gun up for him compensated for the ring problem by moving the scope, a nice Steiner, as far back as they could which resulted in it going just a bit past the front bell datum where it meets the tube. I told my friend that could easily ruin the internals of the Steiner by hammering a torque on the scope tube with each shot.

Last I asked about it the scope is in Germany getting repaired.

If you mean where the objective bell meets the tube of the scope, I don't think there is anything in that region to be damaged. I am not sure if there is even anything in that location aside from the tube itself. Although, I have personally experienced the scope positioning that I believe you are speaking of. I was unable to sight the scope in. I had topped out my adjustment and I was still shooting way low. I ended up getting the whole thing figured out and I think I bought bases that would allow me to move the rings.

Edit: I see now that I misunderstood what you were trying to say when you said ruining the internals. The change in the recoil impulse due to a bent tube or funky angle on the scope I could see causing some problems. I would like to think that expensive German optics would hold up to that abuse though.