So i was at cabelas today and was looking at the sako a7 long range which has a B&C stock and a 26" heavy fluted barrel. I am almost positive this is a cabelas exclusive rifle because sako doesnt list the rifle on there website. They had them in a 7mag and 300 win mag and i believe they where around $1100. Does anybody have any experience with this rifle?
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Sako A7 long range?
- Thread starter motown
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Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
No but it sounds awesome
lewwetzel
Well-Known Member
motown: at what Cabela's did you see that .243? Please tell me it's the one between Detroit and Toledo; that's within driving distance from me. Been looking for that very rifle, but the counter guy at my local store didn't even want to try checking their other stores. He did have one of the varmint style in .25-06, but I want one in .243. What color was the stock, btw? Any info appreciated.
These A7 Cabela's Specials seem to be blued versions of the Tecomate (which only comes in .300 and .270 WSM.)
They are Cabeals exclusives , I bought the long range hunter in .25-06 and put a Zeiss 3-12x56 on it and shot it today. At first I am not super impressed. Granted it is a new gun and I need to work up a load for it, but I put two boxes of HSM 115 grain VLDS and at best I could get a 1.5-2 inch group. They say it will be 1 in out of the box but so far that's not true. This is the first non 700 rifle I have bought but I won't give up on it. Also Sako states that it has a 3 lb trigger out of the box, but mine was at 5. I will fill yall in as I shoot it some more.
Sorry lew it was the cabelas in pennsylvania. I am almost certain the 243 had a tanish color stock. I am not 100% on the color though cause i was busy drooling over the long range model.
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
Tikka and sako have slow twist rates typically. Your 25-06 is probably too slow to stabilize the 115
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
My sako a7 shoots 100ttsx great. I think 105 and under you would be fine. Might be able to push 110's mine won't shoot 110 accubonds. But the 100 ttsx is a .25moa gun easy
lewwetzel
Well-Known Member
Sorry lew it was the cabelas in pennsylvania. I am almost certain the 243 had a tanish color stock. I am not 100% on the color though cause i was busy drooling over the long range model.
Great, that tan stock was the one shown in their flyer a couple months back; the fine print said "black", however. (The .25-.06 that I saw had the green B&C.) I'll be passing by that PA store on my way to NJ shortly, so maybe there's a chance that .243 will still be there. Gotta try to get out of my "comfort zone" of Coopers and Rem. 700s...
I bought that exact model A7 in 7mm mag and fitted it with a Leupold 6.5-20x50 Mark 4 over the past weekend and sighted in at 300 yards using some Winchester 150gr ballistic silvertips and was extremely pleased with it.
Easily delivered sub MOA at 100 yards off of a harris bipod and was consistantly putting in tight groups at 300 yards.
Taking out the shooting bench next weekend to get the range card filled out to 600 yards.
Only concern I've seen with them so far is the newer plastic mag with the metal tabs in it but only time will tell. I didn't experience any issues on the first outing.
Easily delivered sub MOA at 100 yards off of a harris bipod and was consistantly putting in tight groups at 300 yards.
Taking out the shooting bench next weekend to get the range card filled out to 600 yards.
Only concern I've seen with them so far is the newer plastic mag with the metal tabs in it but only time will tell. I didn't experience any issues on the first outing.
I just left Cabelas. I've been interested in info on the Sako Long range rifle, green webbed stock and black fluted barrel, for some time. They also have the A7 Big Game black webbed stock with stainless fluted barrel, both come in 300 wml. I also am looking for any information on both models, counter guy wasn't any help.
That similar model in 300 win mag is in a green w/black webbing, B&C M-40 stock and has two sling studs up front and a good recoil pad in back. It is well balanced and very comfortable. It comes with Sako mounts which are just fine. The magazine holds 3 and requires the user to press the front of the mag as the release lever is depressed, to remove. It seems a little cumbersome at first but you won't loose the mag in the field and will get used to it soon enough. Due to the short magazine length, COAL is limited to about 3.325" which is a little shorter the the book max length of 3.340". You can't reach the rifling with your handloads and still load in the magazine. This rifle will not accommodate long bullets but 185 gr. Berger's fit fine. The 26" barrel is fluted and in a varmint type contour. Twist is 11:1 which is in keeping with the short mag length and is designed for bullets in the 180 grain range. Barrel/Receiver are blue and appear to have some kind of black coating which is applied perfectly. The adjustable trigger is very good and feels like it breaks clean at about 3.5 lbs. I'll adjust it down a little soon. Action is butter smooth. I've noted that the occasional bullet will hang up a little when feeding. This may be due to the shape of the bullet nose or possibly I may need to work it a little faster or slower. Extracted cases are thrown a little high and tend to hit the long windage turret of the scope which impedes extraction a little. Initially, the occasional case would fall back into the loading port. Working the bolt slower seems to have resolved that problem.
I had a few old 300 WM cases laying around so I loaded them up. Pockets were a little to loose so I got about 5 shots off and went home. The barrel cleaned up fast with very little copper fouling. I got some new Norma brass, a very old can of H-1000, some Berger 185 Classic Hunter and GM 215 primers and worked a few loads up in .5 gr. increments starting at 76.5 and ending at 78.0 gr. At 100 yards, everything was about 1 inch and at 78.0 gr., it shrank down to about .7" cluster for 5 shots (most shots touching). I'm sure a little more load development will bring the groups right down and since I'm a pretty average shooter, I'm sure there's plenty more accuracy to be had from this rifle. Chrono broke so no speeds. New one on order. 18 shots and virtually no copper fouling. Recoil wasn't bad at all and at distance you should be able to spot your shot if the load isn't to hot. I think these stocks come with a Decelerator Pad and it does it's job very well. I don't know the weight but all up, it feels like about 9 lbs. I'd hunt with it.
This rifle has seen limited use but it's clear to me that it's going to live up to Sako's reputation of fine workmanship, reliability and accuracy.
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Mike 338 thanks for the info, very helpful. I do see Cabelas does now have some info up on both of these Sako rifles. Not much for customer reviews yet though.
Thanks again and anyone else with any experience with either would be welcomed.
Thanks again and anyone else with any experience with either would be welcomed.
