Match grade barrels, Sako Versus Kimber

[Mustangs Rule]

I spent this summer load developing for my Kimber Hunter in 280AI and reloading for Sako Finnlight in 308. For the 280AI, I was working up loads with 140 and 150 gr. Barnes TTSX bullets. With the 308 I was loading 150 gr. TTSX and 165 gr. TSX. I managed to get ideal powders for both chamberings and my velocities equaled near the top of my Barnes manual. All the more credit to the Sako as it only had a 20” barrel and the load data was done with a 24” barrel. The Kimber has a 24” very thin barrel

Both rifles shot ¾ ” at 100 yards but the Sako could keep shooting that tight after many shots, while the Kimber heated up quickly and the group opened way up after 3 shots. It really needed some time to cool down too.

When cleaning them, the Sako smooth barrel had hardly copper fouled at all. The Kimber needed five patches with copper solvent before they came out clean. Its barrel must be much rougher.

For hunting both are perfectly fine. It was however very clear that the fluted Sako barrel was far superior.

Years ago I also compared my Sako carbine with a friends Tikka 308 with a 22” barrel. With the identical load the Sako shot over 100’ /per second faster with a much shorter barrel.

You always get what you pay for.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Normally i only need the first two shots at most
And then it comes down to whether you prefer Sako or Kimber. I like my Kimber 223 with it's short Mauser action.

 

[jt13]

You always get what you pay for.

Bold statement...

 

[old roper 42]

You always get what you pay for. Was barrel concern when you purchased Kimber rifle?

 

[Mustangs Rule]

What the Kimber Hunter offered was simply irresistible to me.

At 5 ¾ pounds, it is the only rifle I forget I am carrying even on a long hunt. The 280AI chambering is the dream do-all super-efficient caliber I have been wanting my whole life. I highly value its model 70 style action and three position safety. The Kimber stock design is reminiscent of my favorite classic bolt rifle, the model 54 Winchester. At $770 two and a half years ago, brand new I could not buy it fast enough.

The molded plastic integral trigger guard is a bit “Ray Gun-ish to me, and I miss the bottom metal.

Regardless, even though it is only super accurate for three shots, I could simply not ask more from a hunting rifle.

I paid $1099 for the Sako Finnlight used 11 years ago. It weighs 6 ¼ pounds. It has full alloy trigger guard and bottom metal, a place in the mag well to use an Allen wrench to adjust the trigger pull and it is just totally unfussy about what bullets I use. It shoots all bullets with incredible accuracy and I can just keep shooting it and shooting it with hardly any loss of accuracy. The barrel is so smooth it hardly ever fouls. The match grade barrel on my Safari Grade Browning does not foul either, but does string when it gets hot.

I have a field marksmanship course on national forest land in which I fire 12 shots in under a half an hour. Doing that with my Kimber would not be as much fun as accuracy would wane quickly.

With the Kimber I cannot top load a round in the detachable mag

They are both fine rifles. Either, I could hunt with the rest of my life. I was merely taking note of the higher level of overall quality in the Sako.

Taking comparisons even further, I have a Model 70 Winchester stainless featherweight in 6.55 x 55 Swede. It weighs 6 ¾ ponds. Brand new 14 years ago it was $700. Only the action and barrel are all stainless, not all the little parts as in the Sako. Also, it copper fouls much quicker and after that loses some accuracy.

Again, I am just noting, that we always get what we pay for.

 

[nhenry]

I spoke to a Beretta rep a month or so ago and he said that Sako and Tikka barrels are made at exactly the same time and they just get stamped differently...

You don't get added velocity without added pressure. It's just how that works. Not saying your rifle is unsafe, but it's definitely causing more pressure than a normal barrel would.

 

[stk]

I spoke to a Beretta rep a month or so ago and he said that Sako and Tikka barrels are made at exactly the same time and they just get stamped differently...

You don't get added velocity without added pressure. It's just how that works. Not saying your rifle is unsafe, but it's definitely causing more pressure than a normal barrel would.

View attachment 239609

Genuinely curious--would a tighter chamber lead to an increase in velocity with identical barrels?

 

[nhenry]

Genuinely curious--would a tighter chamber lead to an increase in velocity with identical barrels?

There's a lot of things, like how the chamber's throated, how tight the rifling is, etc.

 

[noharleyyet]

I'm a diehard Remington 700 tinkerer, but still avow that Sako is the best production rifle I've owned. My precision tinkered Rems won't shoot any better than a 75 or 85 right out of the box.

 

[Don Fischer]

Ya know, the bottom line is you get what you seem to be wanting the companys to give you. These days it seem's like all anyone really wants is a light rifle. You wan a 6 pound minus rifle you generally get a coresponding loss of accuracy. I had two L61R Sakos and an L461 SAKO. wquldn't say any were all that light but all shoot extremely well! Talking 3/4 and better inch groups as the rule. In order to get the weight down, it has to be removed! Easiest place to remove weight is from steel portions and easiest there is the barrel! If you want a 6# gun, get a 6# gun and if it doesn't shoot worth a diddly, don't cry on my shoulder!

 

[TheJason]

If you want a 6# gun, get a 6# gun and if it doesn't shoot worth a diddly, don't cry on my shoulder!

Heartless bastage.

 

[Don Fischer]

Heartless bastage.

Yes!

 

[Doublegunner]

I've never owned a sako but I'd like to. I've got 2 kimbers and agree that groups can open up when they heat up. Not a big deal in a hunting rifle. Both mine shoot great. My montana in 06 is probably my favorite. It just does everything well.

 

[mtmuley]

What is a match grade barrel? mtmuley

 

[WapitiBob]

Best day of my life was selling my $1,100 garbage kimber Montana.

 

[nhenry]

What is a match grade barrel? mtmuley

Fancy advertising to sell more products

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I spoke to a Beretta rep a month or so ago and he said that Sako and Tikka barrels are made at exactly the same time and they just get stamped differently...

You don't get added velocity without added pressure. It's just how that works. Not saying your rifle is unsafe, but it's definitely causing more pressure than a normal barrel would.

View attachment 239609

The information I am about to offer is six tears old.

John Barnsness, gun and shooting writer with a solid reputation, wrote an article comparing a Sako Finnlight with a Tikka. At that time he stated that " the premium match grade barrel on the Finnlight was worth the entire Tikka".
About that same time when I was hunting and realoading .with a fellow who had the Tikka in 308 that I mentioned above we used a micrometer to measure and compare our two rifles.

My barrel was fluted, his was not and mine had greater diameter.

Not saying that production might not have changed since then, but that was the info available back then.

 

[std7mag]

I'm not sure what matches Mustang is shooting, but the people i shoot with consider rebarreling if the groups are larger than 0.2" at 100 yards.

Decent hunting barrels, sure.
Match grade, no.

 

[nhenry]

The information I am about to offer is six tears old.

John Barnsness, gun and shooting writer with a solid reputation, wrote an article comparing a Sako Finnlight with a Tikka. At that time he stated that " the premium match grade barrel on the Finnlight was worth the entire Tikka".
About that same time when I was hunting and realoading .with a fellow who had the Tikka in 308 that I mentioned above we used a micrometer to measure and compare our two rifles.

My barrel was fluted, his was not and mine had greater diameter.

Not saying that production might not have changed since then, but that was the info available back then.

Gun writers are paid to say good stuff to sell products, but that info's probably outdated regardless. I've owned a recent 85 and a recent Tikka and their barrels were indistinguishable from each other in terms of performance.

In no way am I saying your rifle is bad, unsafe, or not as valuable as the cost would suggest.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I'm not sure what matches Mustang is shooting, but the people i shoot with consider rebarreling if the groups are larger than 0.2" at 100 yards.

Decent hunting barrels, sure.
Match grade, no.

I nver shot a match in my life. probably never will. But I do prefer a light hunting rifle with a match grade barrel.