Apollo wrote:If it's a "Magazine Thing" then get a Sako 85. Flush 5 Shot S/Steel Magazine, safety lock so can't drop the magazine by mistake, can be Top Fed so pretty much the same as an internal mag as you call it. (Cartridge Box Brno called them). More accurate than a Tikka T3 even using the exact same barrel, how do I know....My Sako 85 .243W uses my old Tikka T3 Blued and a Stainless Varmint Barrel as well as it's own Sako Stainless Fluted Varmint Barrel. BTW...they all Headspace exactly the same and that's Tikka / Sako quality control.
To explain the barrels. The Tikka T3 Blued Varmint Barrel is used for general varminting / hunting, the Stainless Tikka / Sako is used for Benchrest Competition at 300m so reserved for that until they get a lot more rounds down the tube.
I somehow missed this post of yours last night Apollo...
The "magazine thing" i talk of is for compatability with the lucky 13, 10 shot mag i have--it will be obviously interchangable with my tikka 7-08--handy for occasions on a decent mob of goats... (aside from that the rifle is a pain to carry with the 10 shot--especially if you have to sling the rifle over for both hands free when meandering steep terrain...!!!)
The CZ/brno i talk of is for a hornet--different rifle altogether.
I did use a guys older Sako in 243 (cant remember the model) for a day & bowled over a few goats with it--i fell in love immediately...!--really nice rifle, a little heavier than the Tikka & not as well balanced, but the action & trigger well made up for it...!!
The other reason as i stated earlier, was to have both walk-about hunting rifles identical in feel & balance--so the only difference would be recoil...same scope & eye relief, trigger weight, stock/lop etc...
You mention same headspace between barrels--i was amazed that i can use a case fired out of another guys Sako 85 22-250 to set seating depth in my new mod 85 22-250varmint...
I iniatally measured the cases fired from different rifles as an experiment, couldnt believe they were the same...!!!
If money & opportunity presents itself before i buy, i will go a Sako...if not ill start with the Tikka for now.
Dont want to hijack the thread, but any advice on the cheaper Sako A7's...?
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...