Sako AV Carbine .338 wm. My new to me.....

[Mekaniks]

A couple weeks ago I'm browsing GB and came across this Sako AV carbine at a local (anc) gun shop. I happened to be in town so I stopped for a hands on look. The barrel is bright and shiny, the feed ramp looks brand new, a few small minor scratches in the stock that appear to safe dings. I am far from a Sako expert but it appears to be all original, with sako rings, butt pad, sights, and likely shot very little over its 35 year life.
Some horse trading and it comes home with me....
When I got it home I started to put a Swaro Z3 3-9-42 but the rings were to low and it hit barrel.
Oh well...Installed an old Burris 3-9x40 that I have, grabbed some 200 gr TSX hand loads that I had for a different rifle, and we are off to the range to see how it shoots.
BAM it shoots really nice! OK, accurate rifles get to stay, everything else can kick rocks.
I backorder a new Swaro Z6i and some 30mm rings. I also order a new Leupold VX 3-9-40 for it while the waiting for the ship load of Swaro scopes to arrive......
While I am waiting for the Leupold to show up I happen to find 3 boxes (50 ea) of Nosler 225g Partition bullets on the shelf at a ranch and home store that carries reloading supplies. Yehaw!
I work up the 225g Partitions with Reloader 19 using the old Burris scope. Good groups, mess with COL and powder charge a little, the Leupold finally shows up in the mail.
Change scopes and get the Leupold dialed in.
Max powder charge and we are shooting <1.5 groups off the bench at an average of 2726 fps.
I think I just found me a new plains game rifle

 

[wswolf]

Fine looking rifle. I had one just like it i .375 H&H and two friends had them in .338.
In each case the stock split behind the magazine after a few rounds. The recoil lug was not supported by any wood but just the cross bolt. The lower edge of the recoil lug bore on the upper curve of the cross bolt forcing the action to rise up and put all of the force on the rear tang. If in your shoes I would check the stock for cracks and have the action glass-bedded by a competent gunsmith. A gunsmith told me that stock splitting was commonplace with cartridges larger than .30 caliber.
Good luck,
Walt

 

[Mekaniks]

Fine looking rifle. I had one just like it i .375 H&H and two friends had them in .338.
In each case the stock split behind the magazine after a few rounds. The recoil lug was not supported by any wood but just the cross bolt. The lower edge of the recoil lug bore on the upper curve of the cross bolt forcing the action to rise up and put all of the force on the rear tang. If in your shoes I would check the stock for cracks and have the action glass-bedded by a competent gunsmith. A gunsmith told me that stock splitting was commonplace with cartridges larger than .30 caliber.
Good luck,
Walt

Thanks I haven't pulled the stock off yet, but I will!

 

[CBH Australia]

Nice,
I met a Hunter who had hunted Africa numerous times.
He used a .338wm and a .270, those were all he ever used.

 

[meigsbucks]

Very nice and it’s in one of my favorite chamberings.
As others have stated, have the recoil lug area glass bedded. My .375 is an AV and I glass bedded it and accuracy consistency improved.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Beautiful rifle Chuck! In the finest of chamberings!

 

[Mekaniks]

Beautiful rifle Chuck! In the finest of chamberings!

Thanks Cody!. Yeah .338wm is by far my favorite all around caliber also. There may be calibers that do specific things better, but nothing I can find that does everything as well as a .338.

 

[Mekaniks]

Very nice and it’s in one of my favorite chamberings.
As others have stated, have the recoil lug area glass bedded. My .375 is an AV and I glass bedded it and accuracy consistency improved.

Thank You! I am going to pull the stock off to see what it looks like. If it hasn't been bedded its going to the gunsmith asap

 

[Badboymelvin]

Can't fault the rifle or the cartridge... beautiful

Russ

 

[Mekaniks]

Nice,
I met a Hunter who had hunted Africa numerous times.
He used a .338wm and a .270, those were all he ever used.

Thanks! Yeah with those two calibers a person could cover a whole lot of ground

 

[Nyati]

I have a Sako in .338WM, a L61R, had it since 1983 and not planning to sell it.

It has a MacMillan stock, as Sako stocks are known to crack in larger calibers.

 

[Mekaniks]

I pulled the stock off today and it's not broken. Needed a good clean out so I am happy I did it sooner rather than later, but no signs of cracking or rust. I torqued (and loctite) the action screws. The recoil lug seems to rest firmly against the front cross bolt. I am still going to get it bedded, but gonna hunt with it a little first.