How do you like Sako's cheapie model?
Have had it maybe a week so I am not able to say much until it goes hunting.
Its a wash. I like the action, and removable bases, trigger, and recessed crown. I like that the bolt handle isn't silver soldered to the body and is replaceable. I don't have to rely on brazing skills of a smith or modify the bolt body if I decide to change handles. Scope mount holes are aligned correctly, Stock is ok for a factory stock. It flexes about the same as any other B&C I've had. No extractor issues yet brass doesn't hit the scope and bounce back in. Most of the bolt parts are interchangeable with the 75 which is nice. The action feels better than the Tikka. The gun is well made, fit and finish are excellent. The 5 shot guarantee is a nice touch.
The floorplate and magazine on the other hand are terrible. The safety is good, though I do worry about dirt causing problems (most likely it won't).
Gun is pretty accurate, not going to judge it until I start reloading and buying quality ammo for it.
The floorplate can be replaced easily with a metal one from atlasworx, but the magazine can't. I don't think a proper DBM would really be possible due to the way the mag feeds into the gun, lugs are part of the receiver (they may be removable). I question the longevity of the floor plate from magazines being inserted and removed overtime. Since it is plastic it will probably be damaged overtime.The lugs are metal. I am going to upgrade it ASAP.
I think a modified AI single stack could work if a lug was added to the front of the mag and the rear lugs removed. The gun would have been much better served if it was sold with a hinged floorplate instead of the magazine. The magazine works and has metal feedlips, but I worry about finding replacements in the future (10 years or more).
Its getting harder to find Sako's (at least for me) in the US, and it was onsale, regularly 1299 but I got it for 799 plus tax. It felt good and was replacing a Remington 700 SPS. I wanted something with some "class". My choices were between the Tikka varmint, Kimber 8400 police , and the Sako. I probably should have shopped around some more. I liked the feel of the sako and thought I could get a DBM for it, I didn't realize that CDI precision's owner had passed. Had I known that I may have went with something else.
The gun is still eligible for some decent stock upgrades, McMillan has a few options that I like. B&C, and Boyds and some others make some inexpensive stocks that will work as well. Haven't seen a chassis for it yet.
I like it better than the cheaper R700's, Savages, and Tikka's, and ect, but that magazine design just kills it. Yes it feeds well, and isn't a problem but I do question how long the magazines will last and if Beretta will keep importing them to the US. I am tempted to mill out some aluminum blocks and make a metal bodies and followers for the mag but that's a future endeavor.
Sorry for the book and hopefully my opinions aren't too over the top.
