No Recoil Lug - What say ye?

[MontanaRifleman]

I just pulled appart my Sako 85 Finnlight 300 WSM after getting it back from the factrory for the second time. It has been giving me fits for poor accuracy. I was planning on pillar bedding it and possibly bedding the action as well. When I pulled the barreled action out of the stock,to my surprise and amazement there was no recoil lug. The only place I can see where recoil is being transferred to the stock is in the tang area of the receiver which is somewhat thickened - about 3/16" and recessed into the plastic stock. That's it.

Wha'd'ya think? This doesn't look like very good engineering - am I missing something?

Is this a problem, and if it is, what can be done about it?

Thanks for your thoughts,

Mark

[phorwath]

Sounds like a cluster to me Mark. I'm not familiar with that rifle, but I wouldn't want the recoil lug postioned at the back of the action from an engineering perspective. That would place the entire action under the stress of the rifle's recoil. I can't see that being beneficial for accuracy. Will be interesting to follow this thread and see what the gunsmiths have to say.

[MachV]

Sako puts the lug in the stock dont they?

[MontanaRifleman]

Funny you shoud ask that... The bottom of the receiver is basically flat and there is a channel that runs accross it just in front (on the muzzle side) of the front action screw that is about 3/16 deep and wide that looks like it has some sort of purpose. However there is nothing in the plastic stock that corresponds. i was thinking that a piece of stainless could be machined to fit this channel then drilled for a couple of screws then the reciecer drilled and tapped and set this piece in as a lug. Then mill out the the stock and bed it for the fit of the lug.

I wonder if the wood stocked 85"s have the lug in the stock?

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by MontanaRifleman

I just pulled appart my Sako 85 Finnlight 300 WSM after getting it back from the factrory for the second time. It has been giving me fits for poor accuracy. I was planning on pillar bedding it and possibly bedding the action as well. When I pulled the barreled action out of the stock,to my surprise and amazement there was no recoil lug. The only place I can see where recoil is being transferred to the stock is in the tang area of the receiver which is somewhat thickened - about 3/16" and recessed into the plastic stock. That's it.

Wha'd'ya think? This doesn't look like very good engineering - am I missing something?

Is this a problem, and if it is, what can be done about it?

Thanks for your thoughts,

Mark

Some of the Sako's have a angle shaped piece that is trapped around the front action screw
boss and it fits in a slot in the stock.(Not a very good system).

What it sounds like is that they left it out and without it it probably won't shoot very good.

The fix is to have someone machine a front pillar that fits over the screw boss very tight
and uses the boss as a recoil lug in conjunction with the front pillar. The pillar needs to be large
with a lot of contact with the stock (5/8'' to 3/4'') and bedded into the stock. Make the
hole in the pillar larger than the screw so it does not become part of the recoil system.

Some of the older Sako,s used a cross bolt through the stock that engaged the action and
acted as a recoil lug.

PS; You are right about the rear tang being a bad place for recoil control.

This fix will normally help the Sako's along with a good full bed and float.

I hope this will help you.

J E CUSTOM

[MontanaRifleman]

Thanks JE, I appreciate the advice. Should the pillar be rectangular? I'm thinking a new after market stock that isn't inletted and having this professionaly done is probably the best option.

Mark

[phorwath]

Mark,

It sounds like your Sako rifle uses the same recoil lug system that the Tikka T3s come with. I own two T3s and they both shoot pretty darn good as is, however I have investigated options for improving the stability of my T3s with an improved bedding system. I haven't done anything yet - they're both still bedded as received from the factory.

Here's a link to a LRH Forum thread exploring some options for bedding a Tikka T3, which also has the recoil lug in the stock rather than being fastened to the barrelled action:
Can't bed a Tikka T3 ????????????

There used to be a nice photo of a glass bedded T3 in a laminated stock in that thread but it looks like that photo has since been removed.

I know a laminated stock or some other non-tupperware stock material would be easier to work with than my factory T3 plastic stocks. But the laminates add weight, and I use my T3s for sheep & goat hunting where I don't want a heavy rifle.