Sako 85 vs. Weatherby Mark V

Keep in mind that any answer you're likely to receive here will naturally be very subjective, as we all have our individual preferences which are usually neither right nor wrong.

I personally am not a big fan of the Mark V and Weatherby's in general, mainly because I don't like the Weatherby stock style at all -- it has a very 1970's "dated" look to me, and is unnecessarily chunky, with squared-off lines and flat surfaces that don't feel "right" in my hands.  The Mark V carries more weight than it really needs to for standard calibers, though that isn't necessarily a bad thing for the harder kicking chamberings.  I do like aspects of the Mark V action, namely the overall quality and smoothness of bolt operation.  Like you, I don't like the trigger (mainly because there aren't very many aftermarket triggers available for it), and I absolutely detest the safety.

I am a big fan of Sako actions, both old and new.  Like the MK V, the 75 and new 85 are also a very smooth operating, well made actions.  The Sako has the same short bolt throw as the MK V, and 3 lugs are just as strong as 6 or 9, yet are more likely to all evenly bear the loads from firing.  I like the changes Sako made to the 85, namely CRF and the new classic style stock shape with shadowline cheekpiece.  From what I've seen, it appears to me that Sako wood quality has declined over the years for whatever reason, so I wouldn't buy one sight unseen, as I've seen many Sakos with extremely plain wood and yet some with really nice wood.  I got lucky with my 75 in that it does have quite pretty wood figure in the butt portion of the stock.  I'm definitely fond of Sako triggers, which are always very crisp and can be adjusted to a reasonably light pull weight.  While I think the 75/85 safety is an improvement over the previous Sako safeties, I still wouldn't consider it my favorite design.  I like the Winchester 70 style 3-position safety the best.  I don't like the Sako tapered dovetail grooves because it limits your choices in scope mounts as well as mount positioning on the rifle, though Talley mounts for Sako have worked well for me.

Basically most actions have at least 1 design feature that I like, and it would be difficult to incorporate all the "best" features into one action because some features cannot coexist together on the same rifle.

Thanks guys.  I'm going to try to put together a list of both rifles' features so we can objectively compare the two.  They really seem to be quite different in many respects.  To me Weatherby Magnums seem to favor ultra long shots and the newer Sako 85 feels more like a medium range rifle. For now I'd like to add a few thoughts to what has already been said. 

I'm paraphrasing but it's been said 'as long as you're comparing quality pieces the fit to the shooter may be the most important of all in choosing a rifle (shotgun, etc)'.  No doubt both Weatherby and Sako are very high 'quality'.  So in my opinion they are comparable and I like them both.  I don't mean to denigrate the Weatherby because I like a few things better about the Sako.

RifleDude said: The Mark V carries more weight than it really needs to for standard calibers, though that isn't necessarily a bad thing for the harder kicking chamberings.  I do like aspects of the Mark V action, namely the overall quality and smoothness of bolt operation. 

I like the added weight of the Weatherby magnums and think the lighter Sako 85 is not as suited for magnum calibers.  In fact my biggest criticisim of the new Sako is the trimmed down straight stock, especially the buttstock/recoil pad.  I like the look but you really feel the recoil.  I think others here have agreed with this sentiment.  If you're thinking about one handle it first - I didn't and although I would have probably bought it anyway it sure would have given me pause.  I think Weatherby's monte carlo stock is known for handling heavy recoil well.

RifleDude said:  From what I've seen, it appears to me that Sako wood quality has declined over the years for whatever reason, so I wouldn't buy one sight unseen, as I've seen many Sakos with extremely plain wood and yet some with really nice wood.

This may be true but I couldn't afford a Sako for a long time and didn't really follow them.  Mine is pretty nice for a production rifle but I really like the oil finish and I don't mean polyurethane.  Sako recommends 100% tung oil occasionally to 'refresh' the finish.  This is 'old school' and I love it.  In the hands it feels like real wood and should take on a patina with age.

RifleDude said:  I don't like the Sako tapered dovetail grooves because it limits your choices in scope mounts as well as mount positioning on the rifle.

Right on.  To me the worst aspect of the rifle by far.  I know all the arguments about how scope bases can't be shot loose because recoil actually 'tightens' the bases.  Still, they are a pain and really limit the choice of scope mounts.  If you're listening Sako, when you come out with the 95 someday, consider something like the Icon's integrated Weaver base.

Dolphin said:  I have no problems with the safety on the Wby.  All I want in a safety personally, is it to be on or off and I do not mind if the bolt is locked in place.  In fact, in some cases that maybe a positive, if you are in the woods and do not want the bolt accidently bumped open.

I said elsewhere this is my least favorite thing about the Weatherby and hope the scaled up magnum (9-lug) version is better than my standard (6-lug) action Weatherby safeties.  (I've never owned a magnum Weatherby).  I also screwed up by trying to lower the trigger pull weight of my standard actions too much.  This made the trigger trip (dry fire) when taking the safety off.  This only happened on one of my three Weatherbys and may have been an anomaly.  I shouldn't have made a blanket statement about these safeties/triggers.  I did call Weatherby and was told the mininum weight is about 3#'s.  This is really low enough for most people, especially considering Weatherby's are for the most part dedicated hunting pieces.  My preference for 2.5#'s is really splitting hairs here.

As to the locking bolt feature this is found on both Weatherby's and Sako's.  With Weatherby Mark V's, like the Browning A-Bolt, Tikka, and others, the safety must be off to load or unload the rifle.  Sako, the new Icon, Model 70's (and perhaps others) have the capability to load and unload with the safety on.  I really like this feature.

Edit: Forgot about the Model 70's wing safety so I added it.  Also, made a mistake about saying you can load a Sako and others with the safety on and bolt locked.  What was I thinking?

Dolphin said:  I like the Wby. look, Rifledude does not, do you?  I wrote Ed Weatherby and e-mail about bringing out more different wood styles, such as matte, as they used to, as well as some benchrest actions.  My reply, was that was a possibility for the former, but they really wanted to remain a producer of hunting rifles. 

You've done a lot of other shooters/hunters a favor by doing this and I totally agree.  A lot of folks hate the shiny look.  I do have to admit that it looks sexy on a wood Mark V.  Have you guys seen the picture on Weatherby's website of the Ultramark?  Wow!  But lets hope one day they'll do a Mark V in a straight stock and/or a matte finish, especially true oil.

pyro6999 said:   if i wasnt going to buy a  magnum caliber i would buy a sako 85 right now, but if i wanted a magnum i think i would buy a weatherby, my saying is this if you buy a weatherby dont waste you money by buying a non weatherby caliber.

Agreed as I said above.  Just my opinion but the new Sako 85 stock is too trim for a magnum caliber.  Others may disagree.  I am moderately sensitive to recoil.

Let me relate a short story about Weatherby that will really date me.  I've lived in the southern US most of my life.  When I was in high school a couple of my hunting buddies and I went out shooting one day.  A girlfriend of ours came along - what a cool chick - her father did the whole Africa bit.  We drove out in one of the guys VW vans.  After shooting a few rifles she pulls one of her father's rifles out of a leather case, a beautiful wood Weatherby Mark V 300.  It was as if she had pulled out the sword of Damocles, so scary, dangerous, deadly, and mesmerizing it was, gleaming in the sun.  In my circle of friends it was the ultimate hunting rifle.  It was my first time seeing a Weatherby let alone handling one, truly breathtaking to a small town boy like me.  I was transfixed and smitten.

One by one we preceded to fire the piece.  We had opened up the huge 'moon roof' and stood up inside the van so that we were about shoulder level with the opening.  One of the guys was shooting 3-400 yards across a huge flat open swamp at some large white birds that seemed oblivious to what he was doing.  I know I know, irresponsible.  Anyway, finally, after one of the guys had hit and partially damaged the base of a pine tree limb perhaps a couple of hundred yards away, he handed me the rifle.  So I laid it over the roof, took aim at the same tree limb, and placed my finger on the trigger.  I was surprised when it went off and was thrilled when the limb fell.  Okay, it wasn't a great shot, but the sheer energy of the bullet at the base of the tree limb did the job.  Everyone was congratulating me on a fantastic shot and I felt like a hero.  I had a stupid grin on my face for the rest of the day.

That memory is seared in my brain to this day.  Maybe, notwithstanding my misgivings, I should just get a Mark V and complete the circle.  Maybe I ought to spring for that Ultramark, only pass on the 300 and go for the 257.  Yeah, in my dreams!  Ha ha.  But the wood Deluxe and Sporter Mark V's look pretty sweet and would get the job done.

timber