Someone say my name(s)...
G'day BRich
Mate i would say get one...!!
I have 2 & am glad i got them.
Yes my 22-250 throws the cases out too vertical & they hit the windage turret of the scope, but i understand thats not overly common (just my luck), but it is fixable anyway...its still off the road until i have time to undertake my first attempt at neck turning as the cases for it have donuts...
So that one is a blued walnut--looks the part with a nice striped wavy grain in a good piece of timber, but i dont like the blued barrel on it as it fowls with carbon pretty bad & takes a bit to clean--the stainless barrels are certainly easier to clean-well every one i have is easy to clean, but they are all Sako barrels (Sako/Tikka)
The other one i have is even smaller in a VLS in 204.
Yes i like my little bullets...
Just starting to get used to this one--its been going off the boil here n there--last i sighted in at the range it put 2 shots in the same hole--beautiful..!!--then the next was at 300yds & it/I gut shot a bunny...i was gobsmacked--no wind & over the bonnet with a heavy bag & rear bag going for a head shot i shouldnt have missed like that...!!
But ive just discovered on the weekend its the action screw tension...
So it appears the screws loosen, but im not doing them up too tight--ill have to find the right tension that they stay tight without over-doing them.
So that rifle is great--shoots 39SBK's well enough for head shots at 300, & puts 32 BT's often in the same hole.
This one (204) has the set trigger--its magic i tell ya...got it at bargain price before price rise couple years ago...!!...i regret not getting the set trigger on the 22-250 after using i, but the normal trigger is still great...!!.
I never used to like the look of stainless barrels, but they grow on you & i like them now... so If i could afford another one, id get a Stainless Walnut--one with a nice piece of timber & easy cleaning.
The action/bolt workings isnt as smooth as the Tikka, but they are still nice.
Some nice features on them & they look pretty too...!! Also the top feed 5 shot mag--i love it just for over the bonnet sniping so it would be great for hunting... !!
Id say get one, i doubt you'll be disappointed, & i can see more price rises coming once this new world of masks we live in settles down
...but you & your long action tendencies always do the opposite of what i say, so looks like ill be seeing a post on how your L61 shoots...
But ill say this--some throat erosion to me would be a concern unless you can personally vouch for the previous owner--if its been shot with decent strings of rounds might be one thing, but if its been meticulously looked after & suffering good erosion only after being mostly single fired & allowed to cool, you may not have much life left--the owner may have seen the increase in group size & moved it on for that reason to get considerably more coin for its action value.
Always a punt even on a new one i guess, but at least with a new Sako you'll be looked after as in my experience they do take pride in the customers experience & the product quality.