Remington VSSF II or Sako 75 Laminated Varmint Stainless??

[hunt127588]

I'm looking at either a Remington VSSF II or a Sako 75 Varmint Laminated Stainless in .223. I realize that theb Sako will be > $400 more. However, can you guys offer some pros and cons against each? This gun will be used for target shooting and some occassional coyote/varmint hunting. Some of the questions I have are:

1) Which is more accurate? What kind of groupings can I expect from each?
2) Remington VSSF II has a 1-12 twist while Sako is a 1-8 twist. Should there be concern with this? I will be mostly shooting 55gr. bullets.
3) Is Sako still having the exploding stainless issues?
4) Is a 26" barrel really needed for a .223 (VSSF II)?
5) How is the fit and overall quality of each? Anyone seen a new VSSF II? How does it compare over the original VSSF?
6) Any suggestions on scope recommendations?

Any other information appreciated.

[Bilrus61]

Mine has the 1-12 twist however so I can't address that issue. Mine shoots bullets in the 60 gr range very well however. Accuracy is outstanding in mine with 52 gr match bullets. I've shot .25 three shot groups at 100 and just about any handload will shoot .75 or less for 5 shots at 100. Its lighter than most varmint rifles, they list mine at 8 5/8ths pound and I think mine is more like 8 1/2 pound. Trigger is NOT adjustable for creep or overtravel but on the new ones there a "set" feature. I've never like the euro set triggers as I feel they slow down the lock time with the cukoo clock works that their set triggers are made from. My trigger after a smoothing operation is nice, about 3 pounds and crisp with quite a bit of overtravel. Worse thing about my rifle is the feeding from the clip. I just think of it as a single shot with a cartridge storage box located under the receiver! I even coughed up $100 bucks for a extra clip and it feeds worse than the first one. With its best clip it will feed fine if you don't put more than 2 rounds in the clip. Thats how I load it. With the "extra" clip it won't feed rounds from the right side of the clip at all. So its a two round rifle with its best clip. The rifle is very attractive. A real beauty. I like the safty on its blocking the fireing pin. Its a keeper if you can tolerate a poor feeding rifle. There isn't any exploding SS issue anymore that I know of. That was Berreta trying to cut costs with a different steel supplier from Russia if what I've read is correct. Sako seems to be in a state of fluster now and I would go with the Reminton if I was you. Good luck! Bilrus61

[thequickad]

had both (actuall VSSF, not VSSF II), the SAKO 75 stainless varmint is what I kept, sold the VSSF.  Sako has the single set trigger and the 1 in 8 twist rate which did very well with heavier bullets.  VSSF had problems with heavier loads.  I have not tried reloads, only Federal Gold Match 69 grains (GM223M). 

[Old English]

I would get a Tikka if I was you. Same 1:8 twist as Sako, silky smooth action and trigger. All that for $500! Nothing lacking in the accuracy dept. either.