Curious about Sako safari offerings

I'm not looking to buy one, but i'm curious about the Sako brand in safari calibres. In my part of the world - western Canada - they are a common offering in the .375 H&H calibre. I'd go so far to say that i see more of these being offered in this calibre than i do the Model 70. The rifles typically look like standard 'working man's' production guns, perfectly decent/good outward quality but nothing that stands out about them. Typically, the asking price is considerably higher than average for standard production rifles in .375 from the other celebrated mainstream makers (Winchester, CZ, Ruger for instance.) Not infrequently in the $3000 range around here for a plain looking offering that might be asking for $2,000 in the equivalent in other brands. This morning for instance there is one up at this price (3K) with an unattractive (to my eye) laminate stock. Premium prices for a basic production gun.

Curiosity piqued, i'm interested for educational purposes what this rarified crowd has to say about these rifles. Is there something about them warranting the higher asking prices in production rifles?

I've never owned a Sako rifle, but I have owned several Tikka's. The Tikka is essentially the working man's version of a Sako, but it's only giving up to its more expensive cousins in aesthetics. It's not giving up a single ounce in function IMO. Tikkas are in my opinion that absolute best bang for the buck. I would have no concern owning another and would expect flawless performance even if not so pretty. But in my best Gump voice, "Pretty is as pretty does."

The Sako is the considerably more refined and prettier rifle than the Tikka's. You're going to pay more for that. Beauty however is in the eye of the beholder. I personally would not spend $3K on any laminate stocked rifle, Sako or otherwise. However, some would and if they did, they're going to get a fine rifle regardless of whatever the value is as anyone perceives it.

I still own 2 Sako rifles and have owned several more over the years.

Each and everyone was built to very good standard (for a production rifle) and all shot very well out of the box. Factory ammo or most anything I hand loaded always put 3 into one Mao.

I have a sweet spot for Sakos' and will always own a few.

I think they made a nice safari model. However one has to accept they are not control round feed and dont have a 3 position safety.

PHOENIX PHIL said:

"...in my best Gump voice, "Pretty is as pretty does."

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Not sure i'm on board with that. Charles Bukowski wrote some pretty poetry.

woodsrunner said:

Not sure i'm on board with that. Charles Bukowski wrote some pretty poetry.
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In my younger days when still living in Idaho, I had a few horses. One of which was a mix of Arab, Appaloosa and who knows whatever else. He was just a fine old gelding. But he was nothing to look at, quite unimpressive actually.

One afternoon I rode him into a spot where the day before I had downed the nicest mule deer I ever killed. It was down at the bottom of a draw and quite a ways up and out of there to where I parked my truck. There was no way I was bringing the deer out on my own. So I gutted the deer and got him into some shade and propped open the cavity to get him cooled down.

I went back home and called up a couple of friends. We met out on the mountainside and I rode in while my buddies walked. They helped me load up the deer on my horse and we walked him up and out. While loading the deer I committed a terrible sin when using a horse as a pack animal. I lost control of the head of the buck and one of his antlers gave the horse a good poke in the neck. He just turned his head to me as if to say "Really?" But that was it, no rodeo, no bucking around just an ugly glare. Wy e made our way up to their truck which was considerably closer than mine as I could haul trailer to where they were. We unloaded the deer and I rode the rest of the way out on him.

I can tell you on that day, there was no prettier horse on the face of the planet.

You think 3k is high--take a look at what the new ones are in the Beretta gallery! Unbelievable.

Sako Safari of the earlier models , or the «75-85» Safaris you’ve seen ?

PerH said:

Sako Safari of the earlier models , or the «75-85» Safaris you’ve seen ?

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Right - important details no doubt. The one i was looking at this AM, the laminate, is a "Brown bear" model for 3K. Another page has one with a Zeiss scope, model unspecified, for 5K. There's a Safari AIV for 2.8K and the lowest price is for an AIII at 1.8K. I didn't note any years specified. For comparison, there is a vintage BRNO .375 in immaculate condition with a really nice blonde walnut stock that looks to me like more gun offered for 2.2K. It's been listed since mid-July.

PHOENIX PHIL said:

I can tell you on that day, there was no prettier horse on the face of the planet.

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I get it, i've had stock like that for sure. Dogs too. It becomes a "who cares!" thing. On the other hand, we've been working Clydesdale horses for years, some of them home bred and all home-trained. Not only are they virtually bomb-proof, they are affectionate as dogs and drop-dead gorgeous to boot, all of them. Every day with them is an exercise in awe. Beauty and function are not mutually exclusive - you can have it all, in rifles too. But if you could only have one, i'd take function, yes. Thankfully, that's rarely the choice. Look at nature, predators for instance. Pinnacle of both function and beauty in the same package in many cases.

They are a very solidly built rifle to me. All steel, no plastic parts, but the high ejection issue in 85s is a problem. I love my Sako kodiak in 375. It’s accounted for a lot of game, but I am limited to a simple capped duplex scope to work around the ejection issue. Worth more or not? Really dependent on the individual, but I’d choose my Sako Kodiak in 375 over any other 375 higher or lower value. It’s been a very reliable rifle for me and fits me better than any other rifle or shotgun I own.

375Fox said:

Worth more or not? Really dependent on the individual...

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So true. How many times have you heard someone say, "It's not worth that much!" Which is always true - right up until the moment it sells for that much. That's a helluva Hartebeest!

Thanks for the responses. Always satisfying to learn.

The Sako 90 has dual ejectors. I’m not sure if that solved the problem, but Christensen did the same thing and it works.

I recently bought my first 375 H&H. I ended up going with a Winchester. I got a new Alaskan in 375 H&H for $1450 plus tax.

I have several Sako 85 rifles. The Sako 85 in my Avatar has been on many hunts and has been 100% reliable and accurate. I love the optilok scope mounting system. Optilok really holds the scope well and never leaves ring marks on the scope. You can remove the scope and replace it and maintain zero.

The Sako 85 Magazine system is also excellent. The triggers from the factory all break like an icicle. You can easily adjust them to 2.5 pounds or put in the set trigger option.

I have rifles manufactured by Tikka, Savage, Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Christensen. None of them came out of the box with everything I liked or wanted. When I head out on a hunt my Sako 85 is in my hands.

If it sounds like I'm a Sako fan you are correct. What made me a fan was a day visit to their factory in Finland. No gun manufacturer in the USA has the quality control, attention to detail, or employee culture like Sako.

If you are looking to have a Sako in a safari caliber, I recommend buying a Sako 85 with a magnum (.532) bolt face, and sending it to Oregunsmithing, Wayne York, for a new .375 or .416 Ruger barrel.

I sent him a Sako 85 Grey Wolf 7mm Rem Mag, he is putting on a .375 Ruger Barrel, threaded for suppressor and installing a barrel band sling swivel. He also tunes the magazines and makes sure it has flawless functioning. (If you want sights he does that too.)

375Fox said:

They are a very solidly built rifle to me. All steel, no plastic parts, but the high ejection issue in 85s is a problem. I love my Sako kodiak in 375. It’s accounted for a lot of game, but I am limited to a simple capped duplex scope to work around the ejection issue. Worth more or not? Really dependent on the individual, but I’d choose my Sako Kodiak in 375 over any other 375 higher or lower value. It’s been a very reliable rifle for me and fits me better than any other rifle or shotgun I own.
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What a great hartebeest and Sako rifle!!

woodsrunner said:

Curiosity piqued, i'm interested for educational purposes what this rarified crowd has to say about these rifles. Is there something about them warranting the higher asking prices in production rifles?

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Well, first find production rifle in 375 H&H? The list is not long

Second, list the features of sako and compare with others.

375 H&H, caliber
Mechanical sights
Metal magazine, flush with stock, double stack
Set trigger or adjustable trigger
Palm swell on the stock.
FIne checkering
Dove tail for scope basis.
60 degrees bolt rotation.
Almost no plastic.

AT least 60% of modern factory rifles will fail on this test with their plastic magazines. And 90% will fail for the lack of dove tail which is arguably the best scope mount base.

Overall they are ok.
Previous model sako 85 was made in range of calibers of 375 H&H and over.
Ammunition by Sako also was / is available.

Now, they reduced to only 375 H&H, and only one bullet type.

So, actually they reduced their options for DG hunting, but kept 375 H&H at least.

I am conservative, I have passion for African safari, I love DG hunting, and I like 375 H&H caliber,
And my measuring stick for serious rifle company is very simple.
Do they have rifle in 375 H&H or bigger, or not?

That question sets the standard in my book.

woodsrunner said:

I'm not looking to buy one, but i'm curious about the Sako brand in safari calibres. In my part of the world - western Canada - they are a common offering in the .375 H&H calibre. I'd go so far to say that i see more of these being offered in this calibre than i do the Model 70. The rifles typically look like standard 'working man's' production guns, perfectly decent/good outward quality but nothing that stands out about them. Typically, the asking price is considerably higher than average for standard production rifles in .375 from the other celebrated mainstream makers (Winchester, CZ, Ruger for instance.) Not infrequently in the $3000 range around here for a plain looking offering that might be asking for $2,000 in the equivalent in other brands. This morning for instance there is one up at this price (3K) with an unattractive (to my eye) laminate stock. Premium prices for a basic production gun.

Curiosity piqued, i'm interested for educational purposes what this rarified crowd has to say about these rifles. Is there something about them warranting the higher asking prices in production rifles?

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Would love to see which rifle you're looking at, sounds like a model 85

ftrovato said:

I still own 2 Sako rifles and have owned several more over the years.

Each and everyone was built to very good standard (for a production rifle) and all shot very well out of the box. Factory ammo or most anything I hand loaded always put 3 into one Mao.

I have a sweet spot for Sakos' and will always own a few.

I think they made a nice safari model. However one has to accept they are not control round feed and dont have a 3 position safety.

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You can argue all day over whether the 85's are control round feed. They may not have a three position safety, but they do have a bolt release which will allow you to work the bolt while the safety is engaged.

375Fox said:

They are a very solidly built rifle to me. All steel, no plastic parts, but the high ejection issue in 85s is a problem. I love my Sako kodiak in 375. It’s accounted for a lot of game, but I am limited to a simple capped duplex scope to work around the ejection issue. Worth more or not? Really dependent on the individual, but I’d choose my Sako Kodiak in 375 over any other 375 higher or lower value. It’s been a very reliable rifle for me and fits me better than any other rifle or shotgun I own.
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+1 - I love mine as well, luckily mine does not have the ejection issues.