Mountain Rifle Caliber? Ya- I know...

[TradeGun.62]

First one will be 6.5 CM with more chamberings to follow.

Good choice. Will there be pictures like the model 70 build?

 

[Potsie]

 

[p_ham]

Good choice. Will there be pictures like the model 70 build?

Less involved work but yes.

 

[Don Fischer]

I suppose which one to choose would depend a great deal on what your hunting!

 

[Irrelevant]

Was there ever pics of the final product?

 

[OleRedbeard]

with that weight goal... the 7-08. I have a love hate relationship with ultralight rifles. But at the end of the day. You carry a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. Unfortunately for me I have had more quirkiness out of all but one ultralight rifle I own with them being finicky on what they shoot and how they like to be shot. They do seem to make offhand shooting a little more unforgiving than a heavier rifle does.

 

[Steve O]

I’d make a good old .270 BUT…I would set it up with a fast twist barrel to shoot a heavy Berger or LRAB and that would also be good for monos. Market it as such and show what THE old dog ca do with the new tricks as it turns 100 years old.

 

[Steve O]

I’d make a good old .270 BUT…I would set it up with a fast twist barrel to shoot a heavy Berger or LRAB and that would also be good for monos. Market it as such and show what THE old dog ca do with the new tricks as it turns 100 years old.

Heck. I need to start looking at the dates on these

 

[Mustangs Rule]

with that weight goal... the 7-08. I have a love hate relationship with ultralight rifles. But at the end of the day. You carry a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. Unfortunately for me I have had more quirkiness out of all but one ultralight rifle I own with them being finicky on what they shoot and how they like to be shot. They do seem to make offhand shooting a little more unforgiving than a heavier rifle does.

Some years ago, I bought what I thought would become my perfect mountain rifle. It was a Kimber Hunter in 280AI that weighed 5 3/8 pounds. Kimbers’ had a bad accuracy rep for what was called Kimber Roulette. Some shot great, some not. This rifle was a dream, a tack driver and add to that the velocity that I got out of it’s match grade 24 inch barrel was so close to a 7mm Mag, within 40’/sec.



The 280AI is that efficient.



With scope, rings, loaded, and with a Whelen sling, its weight was a dead match for my 308 Sako model 75 Finnlight Carbine, 20 ¼ barrel, 5 ¼ pounds, with a 2.5 to 8 Leopold scope, those substantial old Sako Optiloc rings, loaded and with Whelen sling,



Both came out at 6 lbs. 8 ounces, the weight of a model 94 Winchester carbine.



I never could shoot the Kimber off hand as well as my Sako, not even close. Also, when in a pinch, pressed for a second, the Kimber never did near as well as my Sako.



The Kimbers’ stock was hard synthetic, with pressed checkering that was worth two, maybe three dead flies. The stock was skinny, it did not fill my hands, did not plant fully into my shoulder.



The Sako Synthetic stock was full, lots of butt, really full pistol grip and forend. Really filled my hands and had lots of surface into my shoulder.



Plus, the Sako synthetic stock has this high-quality soft rubber like “last forever” inserts at the pistol grip and forend. My hands and fingers went there and stayed put.



Another feature that only Sako has, is a tad lower bolt lift, which, if you do not have bazooka sized scopes, will allow their ultra-low Sako rings to be used.



This is as close to shooting with iron sights as any scope will allow. Ideal for fast shooting, and dangerous game shooting.



All this put together gives me a rifle I can shoot like bird flies. For me, it is not the weight but the fit in all its small but important nuances. I sold the Kimber 280AI.



The final bonus for this fine Sako Carbine came when, due to the powder crunch, and not being able to get my normal powder, I tried Accurate Arms AA2522.



It is the Camp Perry powder designed for the 308.



Going right to by the book max, with no sign of excess pressure, I was getting 3,000’/sec with the Barnes 150 grain TSXBT and 2,900’/sec with the Barnes TTSXBT 165 grain bullet with a .442 BC. Both loads are tack drivers!



And OHH, A Tikka is not a Sako. You always get what you pay for. My friend has a Tikka .308 with a ,22-inch barrel. It will cloverleaf, as my Sako does but my rifles gets 125’/sec more in the Finnlights super tight match grade 20 inch barrel.



Last thing worth mentioning about a Mountain Rifle. It’s rough duty in them thar high rocky places. Never a better place to take fall and have a rifle scope take a hard landing. In my pack, I have either the Sako Aperture peep sight, or a super light 2.5 fixed Japanese Weaver scope on a set of ultralow Sako Opti lock rings, already sighted in. I can swap out either in two minutes, all set into the integral tapered mounting groves forged right into the receiver, maybe at most a 1/2 inch change in point if impact. No big deal at all.



I am in my deer hunting season right now. At 77 years old, maybe my last mountain hunting deer season. All the warranties on my body parts have long expired, with all repairs done as well as possible.



To get some peace and privacy from other hunters, I ford a serious fast flowing river, yes, it is fall and the river it as its lowest, but still.



Then I climb a short rise of rocky ledges. Not dangerous if I keep my presence and look out for rattlers.

After that there is a tight rocky canyon to climb/walk up.



I like those old-fashioned Italian hiking shoes with a sharp hard Norwegian welt sole. They can really “bite” into packed dirt, or frozen snow crust.



I like getting high, real high, looking out over some fine country, and I love my little 308 Sako Mountain Carbine. Bought it 21 years ago used. Best money I ever spent on a rifle.



MR

 

[Deez Nutz]

Some years ago, I bought what I thought would become my perfect mountain rifle. It was a Kimber Hunter in 280AI that weighed 5 3/8 pounds. Kimbers’ had a bad accuracy rep for what was called Kimber Roulette. Some shot great, some not. This rifle was a dream, a tack driver and add to that the velocity that I got out of it’s match grade 24 inch barrel was so close to a 7mm Mag, within 40’/sec.



The 280AI is that efficient.



With scope, rings, loaded, and with a Whelen sling, its weight was a dead match for my 308 Sako model 75 Finnlight Carbine, 20 ¼ barrel, 5 ¼ pounds, with a 2.5 to 8 Leopold scope, those substantial old Sako Optiloc rings, loaded and with Whelen sling,



Both came out at 6 lbs. 8 ounces, the weight of a model 94 Winchester carbine.



I never could shoot the Kimber off hand as well as my Sako, not even close. Also, when in a pinch, pressed for a second, the Kimber never did near as well as my Sako.



The Kimbers’ stock was hard synthetic, with pressed checkering that was worth two, maybe three dead flies. The stock was skinny, it did not fill my hands, did not plant fully into my shoulder.



The Sako Synthetic stock was full, lots of butt, really full pistol grip and forend. Really filled my hands and had lots of surface into my shoulder.



Plus, the Sako synthetic stock has this high-quality soft rubber like “last forever” inserts at the pistol grip and forend. My hands and fingers went there and stayed put.



Another feature that only Sako has, is a tad lower bolt lift, which, if you do not have bazooka sized scopes, will allow their ultra-low Sako rings to be used.



This is as close to shooting with iron sights as any scope will allow. Ideal for fast shooting, and dangerous game shooting.



All this put together gives me a rifle I can shoot like bird flies. For me, it is not the weight but the fit in all its small but important nuances. I sold the Kimber 280AI.



The final bonus for this fine Sako Carbine came when, due to the powder crunch, and not being able to get my normal powder, I tried Accurate Arms AA2522.



It is the Camp Perry powder designed for the 308.



Going right to by the book max, with no sign of excess pressure, I was getting 3,000’/sec with the Barnes 150 grain TSXBT and 2,900’/sec with the Barnes TTSXBT 165 grain bullet with a .442 BC. Both loads are tack drivers!



And OHH, A Tikka is not a Sako. You always get what you pay for. My friend has a Tikka .308 with a ,22-inch barrel. It will cloverleaf, as my Sako does but my rifles gets 125’/sec more in the Finnlights super tight match grade 20 inch barrel.



Last thing worth mentioning about a Mountain Rifle. It’s rough duty in them thar high rocky places. Never a better place to take fall and have a rifle scope take a hard landing. In my pack, I have either the Sako Aperture peep sight, or a super light 2.5 fixed Japanese Weaver scope on a set of ultralow Sako Opti lock rings, already sighted in. I can swap out either in two minutes, all set into the integral tapered mounting groves forged right into the receiver, maybe at most a 1/2 inch change in point if impact. No big deal at all.



I am in my deer hunting season right now. At 77 years old, maybe my last mountain hunting deer season. All the warranties on my body parts have long expired, with all repairs done as well as possible.



To get some peace and privacy from other hunters, I ford a serious fast flowing river, yes, it is fall and the river it as its lowest, but still.



Then I climb a short rise of rocky ledges. Not dangerous if I keep my presence and look out for rattlers.

After that there is a tight rocky canyon to climb/walk up.



I like those old-fashioned Italian hiking shoes with a sharp hard Norwegian welt sole. They can really “bite” into packed dirt, or frozen snow crust.



I like getting high, real high, looking out over some fine country, and I love my little 308 Sako Mountain Carbine. Bought it 21 years ago used. Best money I ever spent on a rifle.



MR

Are you saying you plan to (if needed) swap scopes on your rifle and continue hunting without the need to re-sight in or even confirm zero?

 

[Bonasababy]

Not sure if there were predecessors but believe I have one of the first Mtn rifles. Rem. 700 Mtn Rifle...in 30-06. Taken dozens of deer and a bear and also used by one of my kids to take deer.

I like the style...have a model 7 synthetic in 7mm-08 and most recently, a Ruger ultra light in 257 Bob.

As someone else noted, all my light rifles can be picky on what it shoots best though. Still working that out for the Bob.

The model 7 is the most accurate but it's also the lightest...compact scope and lightweight rings...not easy to shoot well offhand but as handy and quick as a model 94 for still hunting in cover.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Are you saying you plan to (if needed) swap scopes on your rifle and continue hunting without the need to re-sight in or even confirm zero?

What I have done off season, for 30 years now, over and over with multiple Sako rifles, is switch scopes around, and also go from scopes to the rare, Sako Aperture (peep) sight and back.
I have done this for several reasons.

Typically, all winter I have created my own snowshoe biathlon course, and i use less expensive lead core bullets. For big game hunting i use both Lapua Naturalis and Barnes Bullets and I prefer to just take the scope off sighted in for those copper bullets and put it in the gun safe.

Also, sometimes I run my snowshoe course with peeps sights. Add in I hunt small game with super downloaded lead bullets.

So, I have switched scopes and iron sights back and forth too and know what to expect, which is, no difference for big game hunting purposes, typically a 1/2" maybe 5/8" at 100 yards.

This is true only with Sako Optilock rings and the Sako peeps sights. Both have an exact "stop" block that fits into a stop notch in the receiver and recall there are no mounts for Sako rifles. The rings fit directly into precision tapered grooves, forged then finish fitted into the receiver.

I do have one scope on Leupold rings, and that needs to be checked when taken on and off as it could shift almost two inches.

These Leupold rings were maybe $40 new while the vintage used Sako Optiloc rings go for up to $150/set.
They are a machining marvel and worth every penny. I have had four Sako Rifles, down to two now, a 308 and 223, And for Reference, A Tikka is a fine rifle, but a Sako is a superb rifle.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Not sure if there were predecessors but believe I have one of the first Mtn rifles. Rem. 700 Mtn Rifle...in 30-06. Taken dozens of deer and a bear and also used by one of my kids to take deer.

I like the style...have a model 7 synthetic in 7mm-08 and most recently, a Ruger ultra light in 257 Bob.

As someone else noted, all my light rifles can be picky on what it shoots best though. Still working that out for the Bob.

The model 7 is the most accurate but it's also the lightest...compact scope and lightweight rings...not easy to shoot well offhand but as handy and quick as a model 94 for still hunting in cover.

This 1920 Savage bolt action came in both 300 and 250 Savage was the first American Mountain rifle and was available with peep sights. Mountain Rifles had been made by 3 European gun companies since the very late 1890's

savage model 1920 rifle for sale - Search Videos

Watch videos instantly on Bing—enjoy direct playback, discover related clips, and dive into trending content all in one place.

www.bing.com

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Not sure if there were predecessors but believe I have one of the first Mtn rifles. Rem. 700 Mtn Rifle...in 30-06. Taken dozens of deer and a bear and also used by one of my kids to take deer.

I like the style...have a model 7 synthetic in 7mm-08 and most recently, a Ruger ultra light in 257 Bob.

As someone else noted, all my light rifles can be picky on what it shoots best though. Still working that out for the Bob.

The model 7 is the most accurate but it's also the lightest...compact scope and lightweight rings...not easy to shoot well offhand but as handy and quick as a model 94 for still hunting in cover.

Ohh and watch out for the Model 7 Remington. I had one in .260. The trigger and trigger assembly on mine was not steel, but cheap cast metal that was hard plated at contact points. I shot it a lot and the plating wore out suddenly and the trigger pull suddenly tripled. Had to replace it then sold it.

 

[Bonasababy]

This 1920 Savage bolt action came in both 300 and 250 Savage was the first American Mountain rifle and was available with peep sights. Mountain Rifles had been made by 3 European gun companies since the very late 1890's

savage model 1920 rifle for sale - Search Videos

Watch videos instantly on Bing—enjoy direct playback, discover related clips, and dive into trending content all in one place.

www.bing.com

Forgot about those... Never seen a savage 20 that wasn't beat up...neat gun though in 250-3000 especially!

 

[OleRedbeard]

Some years ago, I bought what I thought would become my perfect mountain rifle. It was a Kimber Hunter in 280AI that weighed 5 3/8 pounds. Kimbers’ had a bad accuracy rep for what was called Kimber Roulette. Some shot great, some not. This rifle was a dream, a tack driver and add to that the velocity that I got out of it’s match grade 24 inch barrel was so close to a 7mm Mag, within 40’/sec.



The 280AI is that efficient.



With scope, rings, loaded, and with a Whelen sling, its weight was a dead match for my 308 Sako model 75 Finnlight Carbine, 20 ¼ barrel, 5 ¼ pounds, with a 2.5 to 8 Leopold scope, those substantial old Sako Optiloc rings, loaded and with Whelen sling,



Both came out at 6 lbs. 8 ounces, the weight of a model 94 Winchester carbine.



I never could shoot the Kimber off hand as well as my Sako, not even close. Also, when in a pinch, pressed for a second, the Kimber never did near as well as my Sako.



The Kimbers’ stock was hard synthetic, with pressed checkering that was worth two, maybe three dead flies. The stock was skinny, it did not fill my hands, did not plant fully into my shoulder.



The Sako Synthetic stock was full, lots of butt, really full pistol grip and forend. Really filled my hands and had lots of surface into my shoulder.



Plus, the Sako synthetic stock has this high-quality soft rubber like “last forever” inserts at the pistol grip and forend. My hands and fingers went there and stayed put.



Another feature that only Sako has, is a tad lower bolt lift, which, if you do not have bazooka sized scopes, will allow their ultra-low Sako rings to be used.



This is as close to shooting with iron sights as any scope will allow. Ideal for fast shooting, and dangerous game shooting.



All this put together gives me a rifle I can shoot like bird flies. For me, it is not the weight but the fit in all its small but important nuances. I sold the Kimber 280AI.



The final bonus for this fine Sako Carbine came when, due to the powder crunch, and not being able to get my normal powder, I tried Accurate Arms AA2522.



It is the Camp Perry powder designed for the 308.



Going right to by the book max, with no sign of excess pressure, I was getting 3,000’/sec with the Barnes 150 grain TSXBT and 2,900’/sec with the Barnes TTSXBT 165 grain bullet with a .442 BC. Both loads are tack drivers!



And OHH, A Tikka is not a Sako. You always get what you pay for. My friend has a Tikka .308 with a ,22-inch barrel. It will cloverleaf, as my Sako does but my rifles gets 125’/sec more in the Finnlights super tight match grade 20 inch barrel.



Last thing worth mentioning about a Mountain Rifle. It’s rough duty in them thar high rocky places. Never a better place to take fall and have a rifle scope take a hard landing. In my pack, I have either the Sako Aperture peep sight, or a super light 2.5 fixed Japanese Weaver scope on a set of ultralow Sako Opti lock rings, already sighted in. I can swap out either in two minutes, all set into the integral tapered mounting groves forged right into the receiver, maybe at most a 1/2 inch change in point if impact. No big deal at all.



I am in my deer hunting season right now. At 77 years old, maybe my last mountain hunting deer season. All the warranties on my body parts have long expired, with all repairs done as well as possible.



To get some peace and privacy from other hunters, I ford a serious fast flowing river, yes, it is fall and the river it as its lowest, but still.



Then I climb a short rise of rocky ledges. Not dangerous if I keep my presence and look out for rattlers.

After that there is a tight rocky canyon to climb/walk up.



I like those old-fashioned Italian hiking shoes with a sharp hard Norwegian welt sole. They can really “bite” into packed dirt, or frozen snow crust.



I like getting high, real high, looking out over some fine country, and I love my little 308 Sako Mountain Carbine. Bought it 21 years ago used. Best money I ever spent on a rifle.



MR

Sounds like a dream of a rifle. Ive always had a soft spot for Sako rifles. I have one I have similar feelings about. Its a Ruger RSI Mannlicher in 308. She is a dream to carry and comes to the shoulder like a well fitted shotgun. Weights around 6.5lbs with a fixed 6 Leupold. Its one rifle I could never depart from. Over the years I would hate to know how many mountain miles I have carried her on my shoulder or tucked under my arm.

 

[Potsie]

Sounds like a dream of a rifle. Ive always had a soft spot for Sako rifles. I have one I have similar feelings about. Its a Ruger RSI Mannlicher in 308. She is a dream to carry and comes to the shoulder like a well fitted shotgun. Weights around 6.5lbs with a fixed 6 Leupold. Its one rifle I could never depart from. Over the years I would hate to know how many mountain miles I have carried her on my shoulder or tucked under my arm.

I have a twin in 6.5x55, same 6x, and it just points like a laser.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

The weight target seems to push selection to SA cartridge. However, 25-06 fast twist barrel is the way to go. 270 for old school classic O’Connor style if I had two votes

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Sounds like a dream of a rifle. Ive always had a soft spot for Sako rifles. I have one I have similar feelings about. Its a Ruger RSI Mannlicher in 308. She is a dream to carry and comes to the shoulder like a well fitted shotgun. Weights around 6.5lbs with a fixed 6 Leupold. Its one rifle I could never depart from. Over the years I would hate to know how many mountain miles I have carried her on my shoulder or tucked under my arm.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Connecticut, not far north of New Haven of Winchester fame. When I was 16 and got my driver's license and a rusted out 56 four door Chevy, with that hot new 265 V-8 (soon to be the famous 327) my first trip away from home was to the Winchester Gun Museum. I have three Winchesters, a pre 64 model 70 in 270, a 1925 Model 54 in 30-Gov't-06, And a model 94 30-30 which is s semi functional decoration I take with me in a saddle scabbard when I ride my old quarter horse mare in the backcountry.

I grew up in "Gun-Land", Winchester, Colt, Marlin, Charter-Arms and Ruger. Not far away in Masa

The weight target seems to push selection to SA cartridge. However, 25-06 fast twist barrel is the way to go. 270 for old school classic O’Connor style if I had two votes

What is a SA cartridge?

 

[Cornbread]

The 6.5s are the hot sellers right now and factory ammo for both is top notch but the 6.5 prc is going to be a bit snorty at 5.5lbs for most so I went 6.5 creedmoor

Not with a supressor!!