Yesterday I spent time with a fellow and a new 375 H&H SAKO.

It would not keep them in a 10" paper plate at 100 yards.

He had sent it to "The Answer System" and
had a fancy recoil pad and muzzle break "system" installed.

Barrel was 20" plus break. Dam thing still jumped right off the front rest at each shot.

Tried a different scope, to avail. Every screw is tight, and I can find nothing wrong with it.

What should he do?

Terry,

Are the bullet holes in the paper round, or some other shape?

Maybe if the bullets are hitting the brake on the way out. Is the inside diameter of the brake correct for the caliber of the rifle? Is the brake on straight, or is it off-axis to the bore?

If he shoots it with the brake removed, do the groups tighten up?

Has anyone checked the crown?

Is he using the correct diameter bullets?

George

If the brake is a thread on, I'd remove the brake and test w/o the brake. I'd also inspect the crown in the barrel.

Something got seriously screwed up for the accuracy to be that bad!

I think the advice you've received is right on.

I bought a Remington 700-PSS in .308 Win which had an after-market brake added. It would not keep its shots on a 20"x20" sheet of paper at 25 yards!!!

Removed the muzzle brake, re-crowned the barrel, added a Jewell trigger, worked up a load, and it is now a dependable mid-.3"s shooter @ 100 yards. No other changes.

BTW, you might also check to see there is adequate gap around the bullet as it passes through the brake, in addition to its being installed straight. It is not unknown for .30 brakes to be inadvertantly installed on .338s, and .35 brakes on .375s....

AC

[ 04-03-2003, 02:09: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

Yes, I did take the brake off, and checked for clearance.

Also fired it with the brake removed, and it was just as bad.

The crown also looks good, and yes the bullet holes are round, not key-holed.

Next????

Check the stock for cracks or severe bedding problems.

Could the action screws be too tight?

George

If the bulletholes are round, and it's a Sako, and the muzzle brake is removed...

As a x2 Sako owner, I'd say you should taka a look at the scope mountings. If you have iron sights, hou should try shooting with them - if you *improve* your accuracy with iron sights then you've got the problem pinned down perfectly.

In my youth, when I was poor and stupid (not knowing that quality is the poor man's best friend) I bought millet rings and I damn near wasted a good scope when the scope came off completely - and that was a .308Win! It fell off the gun together with the rings!

If you take a look at the Sako's mounting you will see that they look a bit weird. Some common brands of scope mounts are known to be next to useless on Sako guns - but if you buy Sako original mounts then you have something you can bet your life on. And buy a Zeiss or Swarowski scope to that! You don't want to soil a Sako in .375 with a cheesy scope, do you?

Regards
/HerrBerg

We have tried a Schmidt & Bender and a Burris,and it has made no difference.

Terry,

I am thinking that there is something badly wrong in the last few inches of the barrel, or something really bad in the bedding. Either could give the symptoms you report, bullet exit at wildly different points from the vibrating muzzle.

How did the rifle shoot before the cut job and brake installation?

jim

Jim:

The gun was not fired or tested as new, but given directly to "The Answer System" in Detroit, to have the recoil pad-springs, and brake installed.

I checked the crown and it looks just fine, clean, square, and the edge "broken" slightly.

If I get my hands back on that gun, I'll make a chamber cast to see if the bore or muzzle is too large.

Also I'd try some handloads of 300 gr Hornady RN.

If a gun won't shoot those, it won't shoot anything else either.