Sako issues

[Earle]

Hello. New member here, so hope i'm posting in the right spot. Recently bought (used) a Sako M995 chambered in 416 Remington. Overall i'm pretty pleased with it, except for a couple things.
It may be the stock, which is synthetic, but recoil is sharp. I can live with that easy enough. What I can't live with is that the rifle has a habit of dropping the magazine, which is detachable, after a few shots. Sometimes after each one. Doesn't seem to matter whether feeding from the magazine , or single feeding. I've checked several times and the mag is inserted properly and secure before firing.
Any one have any wisdom to offer, or is it a matter of sending off to a gunsmith and letting them figure it out?
Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[shootist~]

Have you contacted Beretta or maybe Brownells to see if a replacement magazine is available?

 

[Earle]

Contacted Beretta, inquiring about the problem and asking for info on any authourized smiths in my region, but never received a return reply. Hoping to be able to determine if it is indeed a faulty magazine or something else before I order a new one.

 

[Dr Ray]

I suggest the stick is flexing just enough to open the catch on the magazine well.
Had that on a weatherby mark 6 in 460.

 

[Dr Ray]

I meant stock. It doesn’t need much of a flex to open the magazine as I’ve discovered.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Can you post a picture of the Magazine ? And a picture of the grooves inside the rifle chamber which hold the Magazine in place ? I suspect something's worn out. Getting a new Magazine won't help if something inside the rifle is worn out.

 

[Earle]

Just tried some pics, and no joy. Problem at my end. My computer program is refusing to resize the pics for some reason. Never had that problems before. Anyway.........
The mag itself looks pristine and the rifle itself looks good. Everything is solid and not worn. One thing I notice, when the mag is in place and tight, it takes only minimum pressure to push the rear of the mag down, Easily a quarter inch. I,m thinking the recoil is enough to push it down further, then the retaining lip at the front of the mag can slip over the catch.
Going to try and get a pic of a new mag and compare with mine. If it looks the same, I guess a trip to the smith will be in order.

 

[bruce moulds]

sako is overpriced based on a market perception that they are above average quality.
they are actually built around the biggest cost cutting measures they can employ.
added to which, a detatchable magazine is just another thing to lose.
sell the sako and buy a win m70.
bruce.

 

[Earle]

Well, the thing is, I plan on selling the Sako. Just don't want to pass the problem on to someone else. I spent a long while looking for a 416. They're like hen's teeth in my neck of the woods. Finally after over a year I can across the Sako and jumped on it. Four day's later Mr. Murphy raised his head and I stumbled on a CZ550 in 416 Rigby, So now I own a Remington and a Rigby, but plan on getting rid of the Remington (Sako). But first I gotta make it right.

 

[Graham Hunter]

1. Check where the magazine latch catches the magazine. Is that point on the magazine wore.
2. Check the magazine latch. Is it wore.
3. Is the magazine latch spring to weak.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Sako advertises a 2 year warranty, if you acquired the warranty card with sales receipt when you purchased your rifle. I see the Sako USA web site doesn't provide a phone number for the Beretta importer / distributor which I think is annoying.

https://www.sako.fi/en-us/support/sako-limited-warranty

 

[wesheltonj]

It’s a TRG action, and the gun was made late 90 to early 00’s. USA model? Recall on European model. Not sure why you are dropping your magazine. Might ask around on the SAKO Collectors board.

 

[sambarhunter]

I have one in a lowly .300 Win Mag but it has never ever had a problem.
I have to say that I am not a big fan of drop mags either.

 

[Earle]

Put a call into Stoeger Canada, hoping to find a dealer not to far away that has a new mag in stock. I can have a look at it and see how it compares to mine. If no difference at all, then I guess it has to go to a pro to figure out.

 

[Shootist43]

Earl, you are doing the right thing here by not passing the problem off to a new owner. Since this is the first I've read about this issue, I'm betting it is unique and very fixable.

 

[Earle]

Well, the way i'm thinking is that for the matter of a few bucks, why cause someone else aggravation. I'm not looking to buy a ski lodge in Aspen with what I get from the Sako when I sell it. I paid considerably less for it than the CZ. (now I know why, ha-ha) If I can get it operating properly, send it to a good home, and get at least most of my $ back, i'll be a happy camper
Thanks for all the suggestion so far.

 

[ve7poi]

Stoeger should be able to help you out some times it takes a little time for them to answer.

 

[cmk]

sako is overpriced based on a market perception that they are above average quality.
they are actually built around the biggest cost cutting measures they can employ.
added to which, a detatchable magazine is just another thing to lose.
sell the sako and buy a win m70.
bruce.

You are partly right. Sure, it is a commonly held opinion that Sako lost a lot of soul and quality when the company was sold to Beretta. But the cost-cutting started a bit earlier. (I can't really speak about the TRG rifles, since they are more competition/marksman rifles than pure hunting weapons).

The AV model (long action) and AII (medium) which I believe were built up to the late eighties/very early nineties, are equivalents to pre-64 win70. After that there were some cheapifications made, lika having a loose recoil lug instead of making it an integral part of the action. So far you are correct.

But instead of buying an m70, you should buy an AV . Largest factory chambered calibre is/was 375 H&H, though.

 

[Earle]

Funny thing is, the more I handle the Sako, the more I like it. Since buying the CZ, I need the Sako like I need a second mortgage, but if I can resolve the magazine issue I may just hold on to it. They make rifles every day, but finding one "that feels right" isn't always easy.

PS: after two e-mails to Stoeger I still haven't heard back other than to thank me for my enquiry.

 

[bruce moulds]

earle,
I bought 2 sakos at once, based on how they felt in the shop compared to m70 win.
one of the sakos a 30/06, would not shoot until it had a new barrel, and the other, a 375, was just the same rifle as the 30/06 but with a bigger hole in the barrel. - wrong design!
the agents told me not to expect a 30/06 to be accurate, but it shot really well with a good barrel.
the trigger fell out of one of them during use in the field.
I now have m70s, mausers, and a Dakota, for hunting.
the feel thing turned out to be a wrong feeling.
bruce.