Help needed on Sako 375 H&H

[spike.t]

Please also give me your thoughts on the reasonable price that rifle in good condition (only minor wear on the stock) would generally bring.

A reasonable price is relative.... If you want it then the reasonable price is higher than the reasonable price if you aren't that wanting .. .... ..simple if you want..like it... and in a friends words whose family owns high end jewellery shop....if it's in the budget buy it.....simple

Why this rifle just out of interest .. Compared to others in that 375 thing?

 

[Nic B]

Hi All, More of a warning to readers thinking of buying a Sako than anything else.
I have really enjoyed shooting Tikka / Sako over the years and my go to stalking rifle is a Sako in 308. However, I purchased a 85 Hunter in 375H&H from its first owner (purchased 3 years ago from Avalon guns in Somerset). The seller of this rifle mentioned a bucket-list hunt in Africa that never materialised so it was time to sell the rifle. It was in mint condition and after getting the right glass (low mag Swarovski) onto some optilock mounts to complement the iron sights,I took it out to the range to zero the rifle. After 5 rounds, fired from standing, the walnut stock started splitting! Naturally I stopped firing and returned the Rifle to GMK (the importers of Tikka/Sako /Beretta etc for the UK) for their immediate attention. The shop assistant (at a GMK -owned store) who took in my rifle, returned the action to the stock (I separated it for transportation) and when he screwed the action back in, the barrel no longer was free-floating... picture in the linked album below! I called the Finnish Sako factory and spoke to a gunsmith who explained that it may be the recoil block that was incorrectly bedded but they'd need to see it to confirm. Apparently this will take at least 6 months... While the rifle is a year outside of the 2 year warranty - this looks like far more of a manufacturing defect to me, certainly not the quality I expect from Sako! I'll keep you updated as to if the importer (GMK)/ Sako recognise this defect and rectify it at their cost...

Sako 85 hunter in 375 - shop employee showing barrell mis-alignment

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019

Even the Sako salesman couldn't get the action to bed correctly...

Sako cracked Walnut stock (too close to my face for comfort)

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019

The crack, rear of the bolt appeared after zero'ing with 5 standard PPU 300gr rounds.

Sako 85 Hunter walnut stock - crack visible

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019
• 1

After 5 standard 375H&H rounds this crack appeared

 

[TOBY458]

The misalignment is easy to fix. Just hold the barrelled action center when you tighten the action bolts. There is usually quite a bit of lateral play between the small recoil lug and the steel stock insert that is fits in. As for the split, looks like they didn't remove enough wood at the tang. Read my hunt report BUFFALO RODEO IN THE KALAHARI, and you might learn some valuable (negative) info on these rifles.
If you decide to keep the rifle, I would either get a brown laminated stock in replacement from Sako. Or, get McMillan to build you a fiberglass stock.

 

[Nic B]

PROBLEM SOLVED!
After getting no love from the UK importers (GMK) I contacted Sako in Finland directly who then shipped me out a new stock, at no cost to me, which I swapped out this morning from my local dealer. I think the walnut is prettier on the new stock anyhow, a pity to have to wait as long as I did but I now have a brand new lighter stock should I wish to swap back to the factory stock. In the meantime, I had the action professionally glass-bedded into a GRS HUnter stock by my gunsmith, which is £600 well spent in my mind. I had the rifle down on the range, shooting tight groups happily. Thanks to COVID, I won't even miss my Buffalo hunt as that was postponed by a few months anyhow. So a good result in the end. Thanks to the members who offered solid advice and Sako who came through in the end.

Hi All, More of a warning to readers thinking of buying a Sako than anything else.
I have really enjoyed shooting Tikka / Sako over the years and my go to stalking rifle is a Sako in 308. However, I purchased a 85 Hunter in 375H&H from its first owner (purchased 3 years ago from Avalon guns in Somerset). The seller of this rifle mentioned a bucket-list hunt in Africa that never materialised so it was time to sell the rifle. It was in mint condition and after getting the right glass (low mag Swarovski) onto some optilock mounts to complement the iron sights,I took it out to the range to zero the rifle. After 5 rounds, fired from standing, the walnut stock started splitting! Naturally I stopped firing and returned the Rifle to GMK (the importers of Tikka/Sako /Beretta etc for the UK) for their immediate attention. The shop assistant (at a GMK -owned store) who took in my rifle, returned the action to the stock (I separated it for transportation) and when he screwed the action back in, the barrel no longer was free-floating... picture in the linked album below! I called the Finnish Sako factory and spoke to a gunsmith who explained that it may be the recoil block that was incorrectly bedded but they'd need to see it to confirm. Apparently this will take at least 6 months... While the rifle is a year outside of the 2 year warranty - this looks like far more of a manufacturing defect to me, certainly not the quality I expect from Sako! I'll keep you updated as to if the importer (GMK)/ Sako recognise this defect and rectify it at their cost...

Sako 85 hunter in 375 - shop employee showing barrell mis-alignment

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019

Even the Sako salesman couldn't get the action to bed correctly...

Sako cracked Walnut stock (too close to my face for comfort)

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019

The crack, rear of the bolt appeared after zero'ing with 5 standard PPU 300gr rounds.

Sako 85 Hunter walnut stock - crack visible

• Nic B
• Nov 21, 2019
• 1

After 5 standard 375H&H rounds this crack appeared

 

[steve white]

I bought a Sako safari AV for $1500, but it was cracked in the web. I have regularly seen them for $2500. Newer Beretta/Sako safaris are $7500+. Make sure the locking lugs both make contact! Both my AVs had this problem.

 

[bruce moulds]

guys that don't know a lot about rifles often buy sako in the belief that they are buying a better quality product.
when you have been around the traps awhile you find that this reputation is unfounded, from others and from personal experience.
price does not necessarily indicate quality.
bruce.