Sako Canted Rails Near Mfg

After running out of elevation on my scopes mounted in Optilocks on my hunting rifles I started Googling for canted rails to fit Sako 75/85 models.
I came across Near Mfg from Canada. Owner Richard Near makes canted and flat bases and one piece mounts for 75/85 Sakos, TRG'sand Weatherby's, amongst others.
His 20 MOA rails slide onto the Sako tapered dovetails but need the receiver drilled and tapped. The 10 MOA rails slide onto the dovetails as well, and have an integral recoil lug, but are a friction fit. By trial fitting and filing / lapping, you get down to a 1.5mm overhang at the back. Then a good whack with a soft faced hammer seats the rail up to the recoil lug.....no epoxy, screws, etc. reqd.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3871.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3874.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...c/IMG_3875.jpg

Prior to ordering, I contacted Near Mfg. You have to specify which Sako action you want the rail for, ie 75 II, III. IV or V, or 85 S, MS, M, or L.
All my emails were answered promptly, same day given the time difference, and when I rang to confirm the order, I got to speak to a real person, who knows his product, and is happy to recommend a rail, with whatever cant, depending on your purpose.

B

Looks like a nice piece of machining. Awesome service by the sounds of things as well. I assume they make them with a blued finish as well?
Do they make one with a cut out over the action so you can still easily load the magazine through the action?

I use optilocks on my longer range rifle. In order to cant the scope a bit to get me more use of the elevation in the scope the gunsmith inserted a small shim in the back scope mount to lift it slightly higher. You probably wouldn't notice it without looking really closely. With the optilock plastic ring inserts i didn't even have to lap the rings.

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Originally Posted by Gillie

Looks like a nice piece of machining. Awesome service by the sounds of things as well. I assume they make them with a blued finish as well?
Do they make one with a cut out over the action so you can still easily load the magazine through the action?

I use optilocks on my longer range rifle. In order to cant the scope a bit to get me more use of the elevation in the scope the gunsmith inserted a small shim in the back scope mount to lift it slightly higher. You probably wouldn't notice it without looking really closely. With the optilock plastic ring inserts i didn't even have to lap the rings.

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Finish....SS only
Cut out......not advertised as such, he might do it, or get it done here, but might limit scope mounting fore/aft options?.
Shims.....same problem on my Sako 85 6.5 x 55, prolly going to machine 0.75 mm off front base to lower Optilock front ring.

B

Thanks for showing us these, shift, vrry nice and well finished the near gear.

A Rail would give better fore aft flexibility in mounting and allow a one piece ringmount but is higher and will need stock mods. If all you need is 10 moa slope then 0.5mm @ 100mm is about 18moa so milling the right part of the optilok base might be more elegant.

The 5 shot detachable mag and top loading through the action are two great features of the sako. Watch out because gillie tried to talk me into a devious alternative ...

idea on a price !!?

Mark at Waitaki Engineering makes rails for Sakos here in Oamaru
I have one on my Finn Light.

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Originally Posted by scoped

idea on a price !!?

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$CDN175.00 for a rail

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Originally Posted by jakewire

Mark at Waitaki Engineering makes rails for Sakos here in Oamaru
I have one on my Finn Light.

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Yes I think I've seen a picture of your rifle. I have one of their rails, it seems to be action specific, and needs the action to be drilled and tapped. The pitch of the pre-drilled holes doesn't suit any of my actions.

B

175 shipped to nz?

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Originally Posted by shift14

Yes I think I've seen a picture of your rifle. I have one of their rails, it seems to be action specific, and needs the action to be drilled and tapped. The pitch of the pre-drilled holes doesn't suit any of my actions.

B

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Fair enough
I had one of the roedale ones at first but sold it infavour of the one I have now.
The Canadian one seems well made going by the photo.

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Originally Posted by Bagheera

Thanks for showing us these, shift, vrry nice and well finished the near gear.

A Rail would give better fore aft flexibility in mounting and allow a one piece ringmount but is higher and will need stock mods. If all you need is 10 moa slope then 0.5mm @ 100mm is about 18moa so milling the right part of the optilok base might be more elegant.
...

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Yeah....I bought trouble trying to do this on Sako's with European scopes with shortish 30mm tubes. I ran out of internal elevation adjustment on my Diavari's. I just want to be able to get the full 6.5 mil-rad elevation travel available. I toyed with milling the front base, but went in this direction. Still may go back to Optilock rings and bases, but that combo is heavier than the Nightforce Ultralight rings I have coming......they're 1" height, I might be able to get away with xtra-lo which are .885", depending on scope clearance.

Have a look at my rifles on the gun porn thread, you'll see the rails and scopes installed.

B

Very nice. I think I need one for my TRG-S

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Originally Posted by scoped

175 shipped to nz?

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Plus post

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Originally Posted by kokako

Very nice. I think I need one for my TRG-S

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PM sent

I have one of his Alphamounts (one piece ring/base setup that clamps to a picatinny rail). Very well made and surprisingly light for the size of it (bout 180g incl all hardware and its a 3 ring setup). I can second shift14's observations about Richards service too, very quick reply to email and cheap shipping relative to getting things from the USA ($12 from memory)