Kimber talkeetna $1800 roughly
Sako 85 stainless hunter $1950 roughly
Montana XVR stainless $1425
or should I just settle for blue and get a Win m70 alaskan? for $1150 roughly

Have you heard good or bad about any of these?

What are you going to use it for?
If I am spending your money I would go for the Kimber.

It'd be my main hunting rifle for all medium and large game in NA.
maybe someday africa, but it's main purpose is north america.

I'd like it to be a solid 400 yard gun so I like decent accuracy.

Of your list I've got Sakos, one Montana in a different model and 4 different Kimbers.While I don't have an Alaskan I have many Model 70s.

With the Sakos I frankly can't see what they offer for their price. My Montana is a rather rough action that I would say was a fair deal if it cost a couple hundred less than a Winchester.Maybe I got the only lemon around. With my Kimbers I can see what their price bought, and consider them a bargain. I would seriously consider getting the Alaskan, and regard it as choosing not settling. If you are married to the stainless idea then the Kimber.

Kimber.

I have a Montana 1999 - good, durable and sinfully ugly.

I'd go Kimber.

I know where a new haven stainless synthetic model 70 in a 375 h&h is for a steal here in colorado. Its a real low 6 digit model 70 too. I have one already thats why it never followed me home anyhow i buy that before the ones you listed.

I really like the Sako 85 - I've had both the 75 and 85, Dakota all weather, M70's, etc. I'm not really a bolt guy, but the Sako's are smooth, reliable and accurate.

I have a great little Ruger 77 7mm-08 with a pencil thin BBL that I threw into a B&C carbon stock. It's my all weather go to gun. Don't look past the Ruger's - They are every bit the gun compared to the others you're looking at!

It seems like every time I get a nice bolt gun, I end up trading it off towards a double. It's a sickness...

quote:

Montana XVR stainless $1425

This

Sako 85. I enjoy shooting mine and have had no issues with the rifle. Accurate right out of the box. Like any rifle, you'll need to feed it the right ammo to get the most out of the platform.

You might get lucky and get a Talkeetna with good accuracy.

I shot a few before buying a different brand. They feel good in the hand and I thought they were good looking.

I would buy either the Winchester or the Montana.

I know I wouldn't have to worry about accuracy with the sako. they are just so spendy. Contacted Montana and they are pillar and glass bedded and they said their barrels are match grade and to expect sub moa

there's a problem with Kimbers, unless they have changed the original design.

The action was not designed to take a 375 length cartridge. You had to stick the round in the same way you did a Remington pre-700 action. They were a bitch to load, especially under duress, like an incoming Cape Buffalo. The magazine box extended to the rear past the end of the loading/ejection port.

Montana action was designed from a clean sheet of paper around the 375 H&H/458 Lott 3.6" length loaded rounds magazine box.

You could buy a CZ and hold 5 rounds in the magazine and own a 6-shot 375...

I don't know, but I shoot my 375 with 300Gr. Swifts. With a 200 yard zero I am 10-11 inch low at 300 yards. I never shot it at 400 and would let game go if they were that far away under hunting conditions.

There is nothing wrong with any of your choices but I have to ask why you did not include the Ruger in you selection ?

The ruger and CZ are just too heavy for a general hunting rifle in 375 in my opinion when a lighter rifle in this caliber doesn't have horrible recoil. If your talking about the 375 ruger, I've owned 3 and I had problems with all 3 and will not buy another.

I think the ideal weight for a 375 is 7.5-9 lbs before being scoped.

my first 375 was a CZ and it would not feed properly. it was accurate, but a little too big for my liking now days

Gohip,

If you'll look through recent threads, you'll find me in there doing the same as you! I am almost done getting all my pieces together. But basically, what I did along the way was write out all the things I personally want/need out of the rifle project. I put them in order of importance. Then I saw how they matched up on each of the options I faced, kinda scored them or knocked them out based on specific determinants. That helped me pick where to compromise because there were lots of those!

Keep posting on your progress, as I see there are so many ways to configure these kinds of projects, it's really cool to see how different folks come up with their own 'perfect as possible' vision.

Oh, forgot to add, when I was shopping around, there was a shot show special 375 alaskan out there that was stainless in a laminated stock. Don't know if you can still find one, but there were quite a few available a couple months ago.

good idea. I do like that the sako and the talkeetna hold 4 rounds in the mag, but they are definately a jump up in price.

quote:

or should I just settle for blue and get a Win m70 alaskan? for $1150 roughly

I trust my life to one, so I guess the M70 is what I recommend.

Could be some bottom metal would do it for you on a Winchester. That would raise the price distinctly, but if it makes all the other things you want possible, might be a good way. Not sure what your 'dream gun' looks like, but if you spec it out, then maybe a path can be seen to achieve that. It might be a Talkeena, or the Sako, or a box stock Winchester with some add ons, or something else...depends on your ideal.

For me, weight was important, but so was a certain look and style. They were in something of a minor conflict and some people told me it was impossible. But in the end, others showed me it could be done, and, well, it worked out. Now I got most of what I wanted (not all!), so it's on to seeing if it shoots....

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:
good idea. I do like that the sako and the talkeetna hold 4 rounds in the mag, but they are definately a jump up in price.

Today in a new factory rifle I would opt for the Ruger 375 in the African model, its a fine rifle IMO...I like the mod. 70 also.

Another option thats pretty nice is a used Whitworth Express in .375 at around $1000.

If I was looking for a .375 H&H I would build a custom rifle on a 98 Mauser action or perhaps a pre 64 Win. action or rifle..

or if money is no object a pre 64 mod 70 in 375 H&H preferably a super grade would be darn nice.

If money is no Object, and you can wait, I would get an FZH Oberndorf magnum action action from Roger Green and have D'Arcy Echols or Duane Wiebe (in no particular order) build you the rifle of a lifetime. That would be my dream 3-7-5!

Ive got the Sako 85 Kodiak in 375 its a good well balanced rifle and worth checking out.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Today in a new factory rifle I would opt for the Ruger 375 in the African model, its a fine rifle IMO...I like the mod. 70 also.

I think that Ruger came up with a winner in the 375Ruger: a strong medium-weight rifle, moderately priced, in a fairly powerful calibre. A person can buy one, mount a scope, check bedding and feeding, tinker with loads a bit, and go hunting.

If I didn't have 3 bad 375 rugers in a row, that would be a good rought, but I'll never own another 375 ruger

First of all it's got to be a 375 H&H because it was designed to work all the time rather than to fit in a 30-06 action. Also if you are in bumf*** nowhere and the airline has lost your ammo, you have 10 times the chance of finding 375 H&H vs Ruger. Ruger did make a fine big bore, the RSM, but after Bill died the bean counters killed it.

All the rifles you suggested are just fine but you missed two winners. The CZ ranks #1 as it's a real controlled feed Mauser and they have worked rather well a long time. Owning/owned nine 375 H&Hs to date, I happen to like the rifle that gets no respect, the Stainless A Bolt II in a synthetic stock.Find one of 26" barreled models. They are very accurate and have the (theoretical ?) advantage of a removable magazine. The Sauer 90 Lux is also a wonderful (expensive) rifle that is almost too pretty to drag afield. Mine will shoot 235 TSXs @3000' fps (as flat as a 180 in an 06') and put 5 in 1.3" with a 2X scope.

Just buy an H&H, you'll be happy with shooting it, the superior feeding and, should you ever wish to sell it, you won't be trying to unload a orphan.

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:
If I didn't have 3 bad 375 rugers in a row, that would be a good rought, but I'll never own another 375 ruger

What needed to be fixed on the second one?

I'd go with the Winchester 70 Alaskan of the choices given.

I keep going back and forth. apparently the sako is denting the shoulders of the cartidges in the magazing. The kimbers seem to be hit and miss with accuracy. The winchester is looking better. I've heard the montana's can be a bit rough.
I could always get the winchester and have a match grade barrel put on it if I'm not happy with how it shoots out of the box and still cost less than the kimber or sako

Consider finding yourself a nice used Interarms Mark X. Most have nice wood, CRF, accurate, solid guns. The Whitworth models are preferred. Good luck.

Three years ago we had to replace two hunting rifles.
We looked at different makes and calibres.
Nosler's weren't mentioned above, but they will do a very nice job out of the box, for the price of three entry-level rifles. Nosler will do the 375Ruger. At that price a person can consider the B&M line, too. Great little packages with a big punch.
The CZ was mentioned above in the thread and can still be found under the price of the M70. It is a solid, strong, controlled-feed rifle. But it feels like more gun than is necessary for a 375H&H and certainly more than is necessary for the standard length 375Ruger. So we kept going 416Rigby.
To get down to entry-priced rifles in 375, a person could get a Howa in 375Ruger, or a Ruger African in 375Ruger.

My dream .375 would actually be a 416 Rigby!

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
My dream .375 would actually be a 416 Rigby!

I don't think Blaser offers a .416 Rigby, Todd. They do have a .416 Rem tho'

quote:

Originally posted by pagosawingnut:

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
My dream .375 would actually be a 416 Rigby!

I don't think Blaser offers a .416 Rigby, Todd.

Problem solved!! Go with the Rigby!

Well, I went with the new win m70 alaskan for $1070.

I figure if it doesn't shoot good enough for me, I can buy a barrel and have it installed and the action trued for $600 more

Good price, great rifle. Enjoy the load development.

Kimber's customer service leaves a LOT to be desired. Plus, I agree with Todd, make mine a .416 -- now we're cooking with gas. (And yes, I've taken a lot of small stuff with mine. Works like a charm).

quote:

Originally posted by 323:
I know where a new haven stainless synthetic model 70 in a 375 h&h is for a steal here in colorado. Its a real low 6 digit model 70 too. I have one already thats why it never followed me home anyhow i buy that before the ones you listed.

I own one or two too and they are really great rifles.
I have a stainles classic and a super grade both controlled feed.

Congratulations on the new rifle!

I did the same as you and had the same thoughts. I initially started out looking for a model 70 in 7mm stw or other long magnum caliber, planning on a custom job from there. But I quickly realized that the cost of these was much higher than it was in the past and when I found that I could get an Alaskan that was 7.4 pounds naked, I went that route.

Like you, if mine does not shoot, I will just have it rebarreled, action trued etc. I am happy with the trigger, so ultimately, even with that work, I will come out less than starting the custom route I initially specced. And if it shoots just as it is, well, lots more money for bullets!

Hope you enjoy yours, what optics are you considering and what loads?

quote:

Originally posted by gohip2000:
Well, I went with the new win m70 alaskan for $1070.

I figure if it doesn't shoot good enough for me, I can buy a barrel and have it installed and the action trued for $600 more