Old 7mm mag Sako 85 model

[skull]

Okay so far we can agree on fixing the trigger, and muzzle brake

 

[noharleyyet]

Enjoy the process skull, coz it's addictive.

 

[OntarioHunter]

A word about recoil: Unless the gun is .458 Lott or larger, recoil is mostly, if not entirely, a mental issue. At the range I may notice the recoil of my 30-06 Springfield with thin rubber butt pad. It's been known to bruise my shoulder on hot days when wearing light clothing. Yes, I notice it ... I just don't let myself pay attention to it. "Okay, I'm going to get thumped. I know that. Deal with it and ignore it. Like getting a root canal." My attention has to be focused downrange. In the field I never notice recoil, even when shooting bruiser guns (e.g. borrowed .375 H&H for Cape buffalo or heavy 3" magnum loads for geese). My focus is TOTALLY on what I'm shooting at. I usually don't notice trigger weight in the field unless the pull is really bad and the shot is long. For birds or stalking big game, the shots are usually close and quick. Then a poor trigger is not as noticable because the sudden development of shooting opportunity simply doesn't allow time to notice.

 

[skull]

Enjoy the process skull, coz it's addictive.

Looks like that way
i’m glad I bow hunt
this kind look like is going to cost some money

 

[OntarioHunter]

Don't put a brake on that very fine rifle. Change the trigger and work on changing the ammo first.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Looks like that way
i’m glad I bow hunt
this kind look like is going to cost some money

Trigger is cheap fix. I installed mine. But again, make sure this one isn't factory adjustable. Many guys who hunt don't like anything but a heavy trigger, especially if they have to hunt with gloves on. Someone may have purposely cranked up the pull weight on the factory trigger.

You already have a top shelf rifle. Don't fiddle with it just for the sake of fiddling. If this was a Remington 700 or Winchester Model 70 I'd say have at it. But you have a gun that already has good resale value.

 

[Addicting]

That would be like replacing Sophia Vergara with Taylor Swift.

If I was single, I would take that swap. I would let her be my sugar momma in a heartbeat. Taylor has enough funds to keep me hunting for the rest of my life.

 

[rjthehunter]

Here's what I'd do.

1. Disassemble the rifle, quick visual inspection
2. Adjust trigger once it's taken apart, I like a light trigger personally (2lbs or so).
3. Address the accuracy issue. Assuming you're not flinching due to the noted high recoil, I'd start with bedding the action & recoil lug. I would also free float the barrel. Make sure the barrel isn't touching the stock at any point. (vibrations can cause the barrel to flex away from the stock when fired)
4. Add a limbsaver recoil pad.
5. Try shooting, if recoil is still unbearable, then consider putting a brake on it.

I'm assuming bedding the action and free floating the barrel will fix the accuracy issue if that's what it is. If it's flinching due to the recoil, the gun might actually be shooting really well, but if you're not accustomed to a higher recoiling rifle, then you might be the accuracy issue! (I mean that in the nicest way possible) A lighter trigger and better recoil pad can help with that.

 

[Don Fischer]

I never even seen a mod 85 but owned two L61's. The L61's had adjustable trigger's that worked very well, have a gunsmith adjust it if it can be adjusted. I also has trigger shoe's on mine. Actions I bedded and floated the barrels from front of the action out. Recoil was a bear in both of them But I shot them enough I got to where I could handle them. Someone mentioned using the 130gr mono bullet, that should really help recoil. I shot a lot of 115gr cup and core in my 7mm mag and recoil was no problem. For hunting I shot 160gr Speer Hot Cores in the 7mm mag. Those were extreme good shooting rifles! I'd have another today if I could afford one.Tell ya how old my 7mm mag was. Got it brand new in the rod and gun club where I was stationed in Germany about 1967, $95 brand new!

Are you handloading for it? The action on that L61 was long and I took a 160gr bullet and seated it out to the base of the neck and had the throat reamed out, Boy did that make it a shooter and uped my max load 2 grs! Tell you what velocity I got had no chronograph in those days. These days I load everything I can out to the base of the neck if the magazine's will let me.

One more thing about the trigger, most of mine are set to 3# and I've had people shoot them tell me they never pulled the trigger, take's a bit of getting used to. But I have a mod 70 that I adjusted the trigger to 5# and I like it better, can definately feel the trigger before release but still light enough to shoot well. Before this mod 70 it was a lot of years every gun I had had a 3# trigger! Going below 3# in my mod 700's was a no no, that's where trigger trouble started.

 

[skull]

Here's what I'd do.

1. Disassemble the rifle, quick visual inspection
2. Adjust trigger once it's taken apart, I like a light trigger personally (2lbs or so).
3. Address the accuracy issue. Assuming you're not flinching due to the noted high recoil, I'd start with bedding the action & recoil lug. I would also free float the barrel. Make sure the barrel isn't touching the stock at any point. (vibrations can cause the barrel to flex away from the stock when fired)
4. Add a limbsaver recoil pad.
5. Try shooting, if recoil is still unbearable, then consider putting a brake on it.

I'm assuming bedding the action and free floating the barrel will fix the accuracy issue if that's what it is. If it's flinching due to the recoil, the gun might actually be shooting really well, but if you're not accustomed to a higher recoiling rifle, then you might be the accuracy issue! (I mean that in the nicest way possible) A lighter trigger and better recoil pad can help with that.

I like you thinking
like I said I don’t gun hunt at all(that’s my personal choice) and I have no clue on what to look for
it could be me the problem for accuracy absolutely yes
I’m bringing it to a gunsmith next weekend which is about 5 hours
away
“”””””Ontariohunter“””””wold you know this people they are in south Ontario Creekside Gunshop
I really appreciate all you guys help

 

[4ohSick]

I recommend the Cadwell Tack Driver for shooting at the range. My father in law gave me the older Rem 700 in 7 mag that I'm hunting with now, and it has a thin, hard recoil pad. I replaced the scope and and was having a hard time zero-ing as I started to develop a flinch with the stout recoil. The Tack Driver really soaks up a lot of the punch and helps focus on good shooting at the range. Like Ontario, I've never noticed the recoil in the field shooting prone on a pack or off shooting sticks, but shooting a box at the range to verify scope dialing will still start to get to me if I'm not using a shooting bag.

 

[skull]

Don't put a brake on that very fine rifle. Change the trigger and work on changing the ammo first.

Why not a muzzle brake

 

[nhenry]

Looks more like a Sako AV me.

I'll just go ahead and say that if it kicks like a mule, get it shortened up and put a red 1" decelerator pad on it (since those rifles come standard with a 14.25" LOP and a stiff pad).
A trigger job never hurt anyone either.

 

[skull]

Looks more like a Sako AV me.

I'll just go ahead and say that if it kicks like a mule, get it shortened up and put a red 1" decelerator pad on it (since those rifles come standard with a 14.25" LOP and a stiff pad).
A trigger job never hurt anyone either.

How can I tell what it is
and whats the difference
sorry about my ignorance on the subject

 

[nhenry]

It'll say on the side of the receiver opposite the opening, for one.

Also, the 85 is a controlled round feed design, where the AV (and the AIII) were push feeds. The bolts are dead giveaways. There's a rotating bar on the AVs and the 85 has a completely solid bolt.

85:


AV:

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I'll give you 300 bucks for it....

J/K

You should be able to adjust the trigger. You can install a brake but they are honestly obnoxious. And they aren't a great idea with kids in my opinion because kids can't hear you in the field once they put hearing protection in. ...

I wouldn't have your boy target shooting much with that one until he's comfy. I set my boys up with smaller cals for that so they could focus in the finer details of shooting.

Come hunting season though, give him the 85. He won't care about recoil while firing at game. In fact, once he knocks a few critters over he'll come to enjoy it.

All my boys shoot mags. It doesn't bother them shooting at game. Now they stack critters up like cord wood and I get to watch. ...

 

[skull]

It'll say on the side of the receiver opposite the opening, for one.

Also, the 85 is a controlled round feed design, where the AV (and the AIII) were push feeds. The bolts are dead giveaways. There's a rotating bar on the AVs and the 85 has a completely solid bolt.

85:
View attachment 263819

AV:
View attachment 263820

Dang I like it when people know what they’re talking about
I guess is AV
is that means is a nicer gun

 

[220yotekiller]

A word about recoil: Unless the gun is .458 Lott or larger, recoil is mostly, if not entirely, a mental issue. At the range I may notice the recoil of my 30-06 Springfield with thin rubber butt pad. It's been known to bruise my shoulder on hot days when wearing light clothing. Yes, I notice it ... I just don't let myself pay attention to it. "Okay, I'm going to get thumped. I know that. Deal with it and ignore it. Like getting a root canal." My attention has to be focused downrange. In the field I never notice recoil, even when shooting bruiser guns (e.g. borrowed .375 H&H for Cape buffalo or heavy 3" magnum loads for geese). My focus is TOTALLY on what I'm shooting at. I usually don't notice trigger weight in the field unless the pull is really bad and the shot is long. For birds or stalking big game, the shots are usually close and quick. Then a poor trigger is not as noticable because the sudden development of shooting opportunity simply doesn't allow time to notice.

l find myself flinching more at muzzle blast than actual recoil. sometimes having a muzzle break can be a hinderance rather than a help.

 

[elkduds]

Great suggestions, here's another. Have someone familiar with big game rifle recoil and accuracy shoot it before disassembling. It may already be more accurate than you think. Most guns are more accurate than most shooters. Congratulations and good luck with it.

 

[nhenry]

Dang I like it when people know what they’re talking about
I guess is AV
is that means is a nicer gun

The AV was produced in 1980 til the 75 took its place in 1997, and the 85 took that spot in 2006. Nicer is speculative. Both models are fine sporting rifles.