I have a Sako AV Fiberclass 375 H&H. I will be using it for DG and big bear.

I was told by a friend who is a Sako shooter that I should have the bolt guide pinned the way Sako used to do it.

The reason given was so that it would not slide forward and posibly jam the action.

Any one with knowledge on this?

It wouldn't matter if you had a gold plated super duper double square bridge wonder gun - somebody would walk by it and pass judgement, and tell you how to improve it. "Theirs" will always have to be just a little bit better than yours.

I would politely ask your buddy to offer one single documented incident where his recommended modification made a difference.

Your SAKO is fine. Use it well, and enjoy it, and write off the advice as so much hot air.

I have an instance, however it is not documented. I recently built a 300 win mag on a Sako L679 and the owner had problems opening the bolt after firing. I looked long and hard at it and finally realized I had put the bolt guide on backwards. That would allow it to slip forward after firing.

The answer to your question is, only if somone phuqes up like I did.

I spoke with a friend in Bozeman about my proposed conversion of a Sako Finnbear into a .375 H&H he told me the same story about the bolt guide moving forward under recoil and subsequently jamming the bolt and preventing it's operation. So my question is to Jim, "Are you saying the only way this can happen is if the guide is installed backwards?" I have put the project on hold and thoght I might put it back as 7MM Rem Mag. And that would be too bad since I have the .375 barrel laying on bench and the reamer in my tool chest.

Not to worry,
I have room for the barrel, and already have my own reamer.
LD

Had one come in with the bolt guide stop spring broken which also allows the guide to drift forward and jam bolt rotation. Scratched my head awhile before figuring out why the bolt wouldn't open. It was free enough to have slight movement but you could tell it was locked up solid! Just slide the guide back and the bolt opens right up and repairs can be performed.

Had this happen with two AVs. My buddies 375 H&H and a couple of months later my 375 Ackly let go. This was 10+ yrs ago so I can't really remember the fix but I know we ordered either new or inproved ribs from Stoegers. They were aware of the problem and it only took about a week to get them. Since have had a newer AV .416 with no trouble.

I think it might just be a second retainer on the rib. My current 375 has 2 clips, if yours has one thats it. If your gun is an older one I'd definately fix this before a DG hunt. Once fixed they're fine as my current gun is my buddies 375 mentioned in my last post. It has many many hundreds of rounds through it, is a drill and no trouble.

Safarihunter this is true! Underneath the antibind guide there is a small spring steel retainer which should be straw color, the blue ones will break. I assume this is because of a hardness issue. Mine broke 60 days before leaving for safari back in 1991. Fortunately Stoeger was then the importer, and I worked a short distance away. Their in house gunsmith Bill took very good care of me. Now, what will happen if this lockup occurs is that you must use a pin punch, nail or whatever is available to knock back the antibind (Wrongly named) and then be able to rotate the bolt. Should you fire the rifle again before replacing the little spring piece... you will be doing it all over again. It isn't quick or easy to free this part up. Good luck!

I had the 375HH that MTM mentioned. The rifle was a 375 Fiberclass, bought used in 1992 or so.

What happens, is, that the older rifles (sorry, don;t know the change date) has a single flat metal spring on the forward guide rib collar. The guide rib was also solid.

Under recoil, the mass of the guide rib allows it to simply fold the sheet metal spring in half and slide forward.

I went to a Sako dealer to order a new spring, and the exploded view showed two springs, one on each guide rib collar. The new guide rib and springs came as a kit, which makes me think that Sako was already sending them out as an upgrade. The new guide rib also had large milled grooves in the underside to reduce mass and therefore reduce the likelihood of it happening again.

hope this helps.

Safarihunter, look back at your post in 24 Hour Campfire. I typed a lengthy story of two Sako's I've had this happen to. And it is documented. I don't know how to post the pictures to this site but if you'd like to see them I could probably e-mail them .
VS

shortshot,

I would like to see your pics if I could. The rifle is in my brother's posession in Oregon. I would also like the pics to be sent to him since he will probably have to find a gunsmith in Oregon to do the preventative fix. My email is drolen1@yahoo.com. My brother Mike's is molen@ fs.fed.us

I certainly appreciate the help.

Dan

It happened to me--.416 REM on an AV. Bolt locked up tight. Sent it back to smith that built it and it came back double rolled pin. 15 yrs later, hundreds of rounds and no problems. Last year I traded it to my current rifle builder for some bbl work.

As the addicted owner of way too many large bore Sako's I would appreciate a picture or two. I'll also check and see if the current importer (Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, who the fuck am I kidding) still carries the retrofit kit.

LD

If possible I would appreciate it too.

I have a Sako 75 375cal. and a AV 338cal. I would like to see if there is something I may need to do.

If possible please post here or I would greatly appreciate an email (fecampbell@aol.com).

In a separate topic, how do you Sako owners rate a Sako 375cal. to say a Browning FN Safari 375?? That is the only other one I have ever considered besides a Sako and wonder how the Sako and Browning compare?

thanks in advance
~F

E-mails sent. Hope one of you can post the pictures. My Sako's have been so accurate it's almost scarey. My friend shoots one hole groups with my .222 Sako then tried to buy it off me. Told him "not a chance, now that I know what it can do"
The fiberclass had glass hard scope ring screws which all snapped when installing them. The recoil lug was poorly supported and hammered the stock back and bent the floorplate frame. Proper bedding with acraglass cured it. Also installed a decelerator pad and made it bearable for my 15 year old to shoot. With the original pad there was no way I would let him shoot it.

Here are the pics that shortshot sent.










Hope these help, I have a much better understanding now.

Nice Thread,

I'll have to pull all mine apart and see wht's up.

I do miss Stoeger.

LD

Well done on the Pics gentlemen.






Surprising number of parts for what it does...

Ok, now that I have convinced my brother to get this corrected via pinning, I need to find him a gunsmith.

He lives south of Eugene, Oregon. Can anyone recommend a gunsmith in Oregon that is competent to take on this fix? Would the ginsmith need only the bolt or the whole rifle? Bolt only may widen the geography.

Thanks for the help.

before sending the bolt or rifle off, I would check into getting the updated parts, with a lightened guide rib and double retainers.

It would be cheaper and faster.