The beauty of hunting rifles is that they come in all kinds of "flavors", each suited to please a type of hunter and his or her tastes. We have all experienced the pleasure of debating our hunting-rifle preferences - around the campfire during deer season, around the shooting bench at the range or around the gun-shop counter on a rainy off-season Saturday. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects of hunting and riflery, and, as many of us know, it can prompt some rather animated discussions! There are, however, some desirable features over which all rifle-hunters agree without hesitation. A rifle has to be accurate, easy to operate, well balanced and safe.

Accuracy is perhaps the most relevant characteristic of a hunting rifle - and also the most impalpable, since it depends on several different factors and it cannot be generally assessed without shooting the rifle under controlled conditions.

The primary factor affecting a rifle's accuracy is the quality of the barrel, in both the dimensional and the metallurgical sense. The gunsmiths and engineers at Sako have earned a world-wide reputation for the quality of the barrels found on Sako and Tikka rifles. All barrels are truly match-grade, cold-hammer-forged out of the best-quality steel available on the market. To ensure that the quality of the barrel is kept intact once the rifle is assembled, all Sako and Tikka barrels are totally free-floating and have a recessed crown.

Another factor affecting accuracy is the trigger-pull. A heavy or "gritty" trigger will cause the shooter's muscles to tense while squeezing off the shot, thus spoiling accuracy irregardless of the quality of the barrel. Hunters agree that a good trigger is a trigger that is light, crisp, free of creep and over-travel. All Sako and Tikka rifles have such trigger. Our triggers come from the factory set at 3lbs, while users can adjust them to suit their preference from 2 to 4lbs of weight of pull. Fortunately, trigger-pull is one of those aspects that can be judged at the store, before purchasing the rifle. When buying a new rifle, you should always try the trigger and see if it fulfills the characteristics you require.

Every single Sako and Tikka rifle leaving the Riihimaki, Finland factory is range-tested to shoot 1" groups or less at 100 yards. This is the kind of quality control that has earned our rifles the worldwide reputation for accuracy they undoubtedly deserve.

One of the other important attributes of a hunting rifle is its smoothness and ease of operation. Bolt-travel should be easy, even, uninterrupted and should not require "force". However, the bolt should still fit the action tightly, without much lateral play, and it should lock the action positively. This is another aspect on which Sako engineers place great importance. Sako actions have been some of the most coveted by custom-rifle makers, and for a reason: all Sako and Tikka actions are some of the smoothest you will ever operate. As with the trigger, you should always test the functioning of the bolt of a new rifle before you buy it.

Weight and balance are important factors for most rifle shooters. While individual tastes may vary (some prefer heavier rifles, some lighter ones), we all want our rifle to balance "ideally" for its weight. Rifles should come up easily, should balance between the shooter's hands and should not feel muzzle-heavy. Because of the robust construction of Sako and Tikka actions, our rifles are superbly balanced. We also offer several weight options to suit the tastes of different shooters - ranging from the fast-handling Tikka Lite Series (6 lbs, 3oz) to the solid Sako 75 Hunter, Stainless Synthetic and Deluxe in magnum calibers (8 13/16lbs).

Lastly, but most importantly, a hunting rifle should be safe. All our safeties block the bolt as well as the trigger, giving the user an extra margin of security. The Sako 75 series also offers an innovative internal locking device (the Key Concept™) that makes the rifles completely inoperable when you so desire. At Sako and Beretta, we are constantly seeking innovative ways to maintain our reputation as the cutting-edge of firearm safety.