Discussion Forums

Nathan Foster

From email querry wanting tips for the sako 75.

Hi ...., if bedding into a plastic stock, the forestock has to be stabilized with our stock stabilizer first. There is no way around this.

As I have written in the instructions, with both stabilizing and bedding, it is important to use a hot knife or hot wire to prep the stock after you have removed stock material. I have put up a new bedding video- tips and tricks. Please watch it very closely, especially how I apply the release agent and then use graphite. Yours is a finicky action design so you need to be careful- slow and steady.

You will also need to make sure that the front grub screw which locks the recoil lug in place is flush with the action. If the grub screw is sticking out at all, it will cause problems. So if you need to, shorten it up (at the chamfer). Note grub screw sticking out in the below photo.

When you mask the sides of the recoil lug- also mask the sides of the boss which the recoil lug (and grub screw) is attached to. You will remove the magazine release so no worries there.

About 1 to two mintesbefore you drop the action into the mortice, you will have to carefully paint compound between your headless srew and the recoil lug- otherwise air will become trapped. This occurs because Sako unfortunately mounted the front action screw too close to the recoil lug with this rifle design (but it is still a nice rifle). Use a cotton bud, cut off the head of the bud and gently work the compound into this area so that no air can be trapped between your headless screw and the recoil lug. It will try to slump but don't panic, just reshape as necessary, then put the action into the mortice when you are good and ready.

Use lots of release agent on the vertical sides of the action, two heavy coats, then graphite.

Slow and steady. Read and watch everything I do, several times over.

If you stuff it up, do it again. If you stuff it up a second time, do it again. Take a long view. Hare and the tortoise.