Sako Brown Bear

[Dr Ray]

I am looking at the Sako Brown Bear in either 375 H & H or in 416 Rigby.
I am seeking advice on those but my main concern is the relatively short barrel and muzzle blast.
I would appreciate your comments.
I will be hunting Asian water buffalo in Australia. These are bigger than the African Cape Buffalo but apparently not as mean.

 

[SWARA]

DR Ray
The Brown Bear in .375 is built on a sako L action and the .416 is built on the XL action witch is able to handle much longer rounds .416 Rig, .450 rig and .500 Jeff.
Take your pick.. There is not a water buffalo built that won't fall to a well place .375 H+H round.
The 22 inch barrel is fine and you should not suffer from any blast when shooting in the open.
Enjoy your hunt.

 

[Shootist43]

I own rifles in both calibers. My choice if going after Buffalo would be the 416 Rigby.

 

[BenH2016]

I handled a Sako Brown Bear in 416 Rigby when I was looking for a buffalo rifle, it looked and felt quite lovely, went very naturally to my shoulder and felt nicely balanced. I didn't like the large front site bead much.

In the end I turned the rifle down on price.

 

[ZG47]

My understanding, for what it is worth, is that Bob Penfold who established Hunt Australia (and sold it off in 2006) created a standard client rifle using the Mauser 98 with a model 70 style safety catch, .458 Winchester chambering, a quality fiberglass stock and low power Leupold scope. There were at least five or six of these rifles (possibly more) and several spare scopes, allowing scopes to be swapped at the hunting camp and rifles to be returned to the gunsmith when repairs were required.
I have at least two magazines with articles relating to this matter but cannot remember which ones, at this stage. One of the articles was probably written by Craig Boddington.

 

[SWARA]

I own a Sako Brown Bear in .450 Rigby, its an XL action length. It has the 22 inch barrel and a floor plate magazine as opposed to the detachable magazine that comes in the long action and smaller action lengths. I not have any issues with muzzle blast with the 22inch barrel. The recoil pad is on the hard side and I have changed it and it feels better to shoot now. Im not a fan of the laminated stock so am changing that out for a wallet stock.
Otherwise no issues.

 

[browningbbr]

I own rifles in both calibers. My choice if going after Buffalo would be the 416 Rigby.

+ 1

 

[Fredsteyn]

I am looking at the Sako Brown Bear in either 375 H & H or in 416 Rigby.
I am seeking advice on those but my main concern is the relatively short barrel and muzzle blast.
I would appreciate your comments.
I will be hunting Asian water buffalo in Australia. These are bigger than the African Cape Buffalo but apparently not as mean.

Hi Dr Ray. Did you ever buy the Sako Brown Bear? What caliber? And did you use it for buffalo hunting, I am looking at the same rifle in specifically 375 H&H

 

[Dr Ray]

Hi Dr Ray. Did you ever buy the Sako Brown Bear? What caliber? And did you use it for buffalo hunting, I am looking at the same rifle in specifically 375 H&H

No I have never owned a Brown Bear.
Ended up buying a Winchester safari in 416 Remington magnum,
But in future I’ll certainly look at the Brownie in 375.

 

[WiFowler]

Quite a while back, on another forum there was a lengthy thread on issues with the SAKO 85's ejecting spent casings. In short, because of the ejection 'geometry' used by the 85, cases would hit the windage turret of many scopes and flop back into the ejection port. SAKO (read - Beretta USA, importer of SAKO) answer to the issue was "use higher scope rings".
Given this, I've been hesitant and not given SAKO much consideration ever since. YMMV

 

[BeeMaa]

Quite a while back, on another forum there was a lengthy thread on issues with the SAKO 85's ejecting spent casings. In short, because of the ejection 'geometry' used by the 85, cases would hit the windage turret of many scopes and flop back into the ejection port. SAKO (read - Beretta USA, importer of SAKO) answer to the issue was "use higher scope rings".
Given this, I've been hesitant and not given SAKO much consideration ever since. YMMV

It depends on the caliber, and in truth it really depends on the particular 85 that you have. I know a member here who had this very problem with a 375H&H with a Buffalo coming at him. Thankfully it was sorted out with on one injured. The vast majority of 85's out there do not have this issue and you could do a lot worse when it comes to a used rifle. If it is discovered that there is a problem, there are repairs that can be made to the rifle. @Longwalker had a couple of his repaired and the ejector/extractor tuned up (link below). Sako is a good brand and should not be thrown in the bin for this issue anymore than CZ550's should be for the multitude of issues they have been know for fresh out of the box.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/your-opinion-on-the-sako-85.56454/post-653397

 

[WiFowler]

I do seem to recall that the cartridge choice in the 85 may have had something to do with ejection issues. It's HAS been quite a while since the original posting.

Regardless, rifles choice (s) are individual. "Murphy" (what can go wrong, will go wrong) seems to follow me at times. Thus, I shy away from the SAKO 85. Just me.

 

[brummerb1]

So hard to find a brown bear. Been looking for a while. Only one on gun broker for way above msrp.

 

[SDPlinker]

So hard to find a brown bear. Been looking for a while. Only one on gun broker for way above msrp.

What caliber are you looking for?

 

[brummerb1]

Looking for the 375HH, there is one fore sale on GB but will sell prob for 1000 over msrp. They used to sell for 1800-2000.

 

[SDPlinker]

There is a Kodiak .375 on Long Range Hunting, the guy is looking for a trade but maybe he will sell outright? I was eyeing it, but I think I need to exercise some control. LOL I have it in a .500J but afraid to shoot it, no, just have not got around to it.

 

[colorado]

Make sure it's summer and you're wearing nothing but a T-Shirt and shoot 24 rounds from the bench like I did the first time! Not recommended lol

 

[SDPlinker]

Gee thanks!! I have to be careful as I am on blood thinners. You have one too if I have given attention correctly. I need to build a little stockpile of seeds before I go play.

 

[brummerb1]

There is a Kodiak .375 on Long Range Hunting, the guy is looking for a trade but maybe he will sell outright? I was eyeing it, but I think I need to exercise some control. LOL I have it in a .500J but afraid to shoot it, no, just have not got around to it.

Thanks! Just joined the forum so I can contact the person listing.

 

[SDPlinker]

Super! Let me know how it goes? I have bought and sold quite a bit over there, not much lately though.