Sako A-7
 

Does anyone own the Sako A-7 model? I was just reading about it and it seems to be a great rifle - just like any other Sako, for an excellent price.
Any significant difference between the A-7 and the model 85?
I wonder if anyone on AO has one and would share his/her experience?
Thanks,

Hunter

Friend of mine has one, and I have had some trigger time behind it:

Cheap plastic stock (like the Tikka t3), light but not bad, I would keep it.

Cheap plastic inline mag (like the T3) but with metal lips (nice touch), more than durable enough.

Same mag release as Sako

Three locking lugs (like a Sako 85), true 60 degree bolt lift (Tikka's are about 70)

Open reciever (like the 85)

Controlled round feeding

Intergrated scope bases into the reciever (OptiLock)

Accurate as all hell.


This is not a gun you would regret buying.

The A-7 has a plastic bolt shroud like the T-3, A single row synthetic magazine like the T-3, and it uses weaver bases, unlike the 85 and T-3 ,which have integral dovetails. The opti loc mounting system is not compatible with the A-7. Like the 85, feeding is listed as being controlled round, but it isn't as secure as the mauser system of controlled round feeding.

I've owned a couple and both were super accurate and I really liked them. There were a few issues with the stocks on the original A7 but they have been rectified in later models. For the price they are a good solid lightweight rifle.

I had one and liked it the A7 is a slight better than the T3 but it is marginal the difference between the A7 and a 75 or 85 is huge much better quality and stock.

With a good stock the A7 is a shooter.

I appreciate your responses!

The US MSRP for the A7 is just $935 and a Tecomate Stainless is $1410.
It seems to be a low price for Sako accuracy.
Would you rather pay the extra $300 for the 85 Grey Wolf with laminate/stainless?
Do you know the CA prices? I did a search but couldn't come up with anything.
Thanks again!

Hunter

The Tecomate Stainless is a nice gun with a good stock but at that price and with duty I would way rather invest in the real deal, or a laminate stainless tikka T3 at a fraction.

The Sako 85 Grey Wolf can be purchased here in Alberta for around $1600 from Prophet River.

I have one in a 270WSM and another one in 243W, both shoot 1/2" groups with carefull hand loads. I am currently building a 270 Weatherby and once that is done, will have my 270WSM up for sale.

Strongly recommend it.

Good luck,

CH

Elkhunter, That's a good price. Do you know if that's the stainless/laminate version?
I'm looking for a new rifle in 270wsm or 300wsm. I was thinking about a Browning A or X bolt, but I kind of started to like the Sako.

Thanks again for all of your responses.

Hunter

The Grey Wolf is stainless /laminate. One of my hunting partners bought one in 270WSM from Prophet River last winter.

I have an A-7 in 30-06 and drives tacks with 180gr Barnes TSX-T handloads. The recoil is alittle sharp but the rifle is light. (easy to pack around the bush all day)
I would like a different stock but Im having issues finding an aftermarket stock. I will not be selling this rifle any time soon.

James

I have an A7 in .270 Win. Yes the stock is ugly, but I convinced myself that it really just is a piece of plastic holding the business part of the rifle. For the money it's a great rifle, lightweight with great accuracy potential. Just what I wanted, a lightweight, affordable, utility gun for in the mountains... and it shot 3/4" (5 shots) with cheap federal ammo the first time out.

i have one in .270wsm and its very easily sub-moa 5 shot groups with more ammos than not when i tested about half dozen i think 4 out of the 6 were sub-moa 5 shot groups, i settled on the 140 federal accubond at .7" ctc, i love mine and it will never be sold

I have the A7 in 30-06 and my son has one in 300 win mag

I wrapped that camo cloth tape on the cheek and foregrip area and it works great

We both shoot 180g nosler partitions and i use 57g of RL22 with magnum winchester primers and found it works. I can cloverleaf 3 shots at 100 yds. Never had an issue with either rifle

I like a very light rifle so it was my choice. My son uses a slip on Limbsaver over top the existing recoil pad and he shoots similar groups. I cant recall how many grains of powder he uses tho. But it is RL22 for sure

My A7 in a 300WSM shoots very well using 168gr TTSX and reloader 17. I have gotten better groups from it than any other rifle I have shot.

This year the A7 is coming out with a (ST) soft touch stock similar to that on the X Bolt.
I saw one in Montana recently, I think it looks and feels better than the previous model.

Do you know what the weight on it was?

Holding the the original model next to the new one, the stocks looked the same just that the new one had that ST coating on it.
So to answer your question, No I don't know what the weight was but I would say it's very close to the original model.

The A-7 is going discontiued they are just putting that soft touch stock to get rid of the remaining ones. They should have done the soft touch stock in the first place because the first models looked too much like a Tikka to be worth the extra $200

This article compares the A7 to the tikka and the 85.

http://www.biggamehunt.net/reviews/sako-a7-review