Looking at getting a 375H&H

A Sako L691 or a Winchester M70(post 64 I think)
price for these is about $1250AUD used.

So which one should I get?

Also an option in new
CZ is $1600 new
Ruger is $2600 new
The CZ not to much more but the Ruger is a fair increase so really out of the running.
There is Rem of course (375RUM) about $1700 new

quote:

Originally posted by 416SW:
Looking at getting a 375H&H

Also the only option is
CZ is $1600 new

Now, you are getting the right choice!

416 SW,

Well I have both in 375 H&H, a L691 with a really nice factory wood stock & a M70 Safari Express customised. If you can get a Safari Express in good nick for $1250 I'd get that. Mine cost me $1700 new. For $1250 I reckon that is what the Classic Stainless would go for 2nd hand.

Sako is bloody accurate but as a DGR a few issues. No rear sight only a front on mine. Supposed to have come with a peep but I didn't get it on my 2nd hand one. There is an issue with ejecting the last round in the magazine. It ejects too vertically & can hit the scope turret & fall back in - Does not happen if there is a round in the mag. Easily fixed, just turn the scope turrets 90 degrees but it looks "different". My Sako with original wood stock was super light so recoil was a bit of a problem & sako pads are rock hard. Got I believe the last of the HS precision stocks that fitted the L691 & it is now very nice to shooter. Puts on about 1/2 a pound over the wood stock. Now Sako have a lot of variations in their models so yours could be different.

Another criticism of the L691 model is that it has a detachable aluminium recoil lug rather than the integral recoil lug of the earlier Sakos. But in practice it does not

My M70 also shoots very well but I never shot it stock std & it has been fully customised. I only used the floorplate & action. A good CRF action is very nice to use & my custom feeds & ejects beautifully but I spent a lot of $ on it. Necessary or not I don't know as I never used it stock std.

M70's usually need at least tuning the trigger the Sako does not.

Take your pick. The CZ is also nice but the action is really Rigby size so the M70 is a bit more petite if I can put it that way. Ask PC on this forum about CZ's he absolutely loves them & they can hold up to 6 rounds in the mag. That is a lot of firepower.

The Ruger has that look of the Custom Safari rifle for a really good price but good luck getting one. They are not easy to get in 375 H&H. I have heard the importers place it on their order each time but in 5 shipments have received none in 375.

I have been very disppointed with the quality of M700 of late & also in 375 RUM - IMHO they are way too light for that calibre. I converted a M70 stainless to 375 RUM & fitted my Safari Classic wood stock to it to add a bit of weight to the rig. The recoil is so savage it wrecked the leupold Vari X 111 1.75 - 6 x 32 - twice(both times in less than 20 shots)! It was probably a bum scope as Leupold replaced it with the new VX 3 model & I have not had any problems since. But the recoil is stout & kid yourself not its a LOT more than 375 H&H levels.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Regards
JohnT

366
hahaha made me look twice

John
Thanks for the reply.
Haven't seen the Sako but have been told very little use no iron sights, screws in where front sight goes, no mounts.
Winchester currently has 20" barrel, screws front and rear iron sight holes, has Weaver like bases. Seller said owner may have original barrel and sights so waiting for him to advise. At 20" would make good carry gun but with lose of vel and extra blast.

Was thinking of getting which ever one I get reamed to 375 weatherby, would prefer 375RUM but figure feeding would be easier as a 375 wby.

Sort of leaning towards the Win.

How many rounds do the Win and Sako hold?

I have both rifles. I really prefer the Sako for its lighter weight. Points better and swings better with excellent balance. I have the peep sight that slides on the actions dovetail and never used it but remains an option if the scope goes south. It has been rechambered to the 375 Weatherby Mag and provides some outstanding velocities and accuracy. I have pushed it to 3250 FPS with 250 grain seift A-frame bullets. In my mind I think it is the perfect large game Alaskan cartridge.
This information is my opinion, take it for what its worth. Regardless, the best rifle you can have is the one in your hands at the time of judgement.

Hello 416W,
I waited and received new Ruger 77 Magnum Deluxe in 375 and am gald I did. Really like that rifle for the overall package is quite nice and solid built in all respects. From all that I have read and been told by others, the CZ will require additional work and expense to do it right and that made the Ruger seem like a good buy to me.
There probably is not a bigger fan of Remington Model 700/40X rifles than myself for match and civilian tactical/military purposes, but do believe they leave something to be desired on heavy caliber, dangerous game sporting rifles. Some of the negative comments I hear and read about the Sako keeps poping up and that steered me away from them, yet many like the Sako's a great deal???

Good Luck in whatever selection you make.

I currently have three .375s, one of which is a SAKO L61R. I use it with the original peep sight, and it will do 1" easily in that configuration with almost any reasonable load. In the past I've had .375s in a SAKO Deluxe (too shiny!) and a SAKO Safari (too bulky). Like the three bears said, this L61R is juuuust right!

I also have .375s in an early Browning Safari Grade (with a 2-digit s.n.) and the only FN Sporter in that caliber I've ever seen - of the three, the SAKO is the least "beautiful", but my favorite in the field. It weighs next to nothing, and points like a magic wand.

416SW the Sako will hold 4 down the Winchester 3 in 375 H&H config.

Honestly, I would not bother with the RUM again or for that matter the Weatherby(which I also considered). The 375 H&H just as it is, is more than adequate as a "client" rifle & you really don't need any more velocity than what normal handloading will produce in the H&H, which is 2700+ fps with the 270gr Woodleighs & 2550+ fps with the 300gr Woodleighs incl. solids.

But its fun finding out for yourself so go for it! I also fluked a really great M70 Classic stainless, it was old stock sitting around the Olin warehouse in Geelong and was "specialed" at Mick Smiths. This became the 375 RUM. I have a 3 shot group with 300gr Barnes X at 100m of 0.146" & the barrel hardly fouls at all. This one is exceptionally accurate & the action was square as is. Some of them incl the action for my custom needed work.

I am not so concerned by the velocity loss but I would hate the blast from a 20" barrel. The Sako is 24" & the custom is 23 1/2"& I think that is just nice for a H&H.

If you are going to rebarrel stay away from MAB. That is what my custom has & really I would have expected better. It is accurate enough 3 shots less than 1 inch bit boy is the barrel rough. It fouls like crazy. Not many Chome Moly barrels around that are any good but I have not had a bad word said about Walther barrels. Again, contact PC - he ordered a Walther in 404 cal & is very happy with it.

Regards
JohnT

Yeah! I narrowed the field for you!
Why a Brno (CZ550)? You can make a thundering,
fire belching magnum if you need more velocity.
Also with the wight etc it has virtually no kick.

On an aside note, HOLY S**T, are you guys
getting hosed for a new rifle!!!
Here it's about a 1000 for a 375H&H Brno.
By the way I checked it's around 1360 Cdn
that your paying there.

I have two .375 H&H rifles built on the Sako L691 action (one in blue/wood the other is plated/plastic). Both have been to Africa with me and one or the other is usually with me a couple days each week for the pig guiding stuff locally.

That action has really served me well. They're accurate, triggers are great, feed well and as mentioned above hold 4 down in the standard configuration.

Kyler

Kyler,

Have you had any problems with the last empty in the rifle(L691) ejecting almost straight up & sometimes hitting the scope turret? The right hand rail is not flat but triangular in profile & so the case rises up.

If you don't mind could you test it out with an empty case & let me know.

Regards
JohnT

The winchester if it is a model 70 classic with the claw extractor (not the post 64 push feed) is a great choice, then the CZ is also a very good choice but usually needs alittle more fine tuning than the Winchester. If the Winchester is less money that's the way I would go. I'm not too familiar with the SAKO L691.

I had a SAKJO 375 H&H Handy rifle for several years. My brother has it now. It had a 20" bbl with a mcmillian "plastic" stock.
It handled like a fine shotgun. It was accurate.
I only let my brother have I after I started shooting a Blaser R 93 Trapper in 375.
I have also had a SAKO in 308 and 223. All of them have been great rifles.
My brother has the 223. All were replaced by a Blaser R 93 and its multiple bbl system.
The SAKO's were great, I just prefer the Blaser R 93 system.


Sorry Johan.

I have owned all of those rifles.

Sako.

LD

Sako,i have just got back from OZ where my Sako 375 never let me down.