Sako action

[Bignut]

I'm looking for information or thoughts on Sako actions for dangerous game rifles. Does anyone have any experience with them. I'm looking at a rifle in 404 Jeffery with this action. Thanks in advance

 

[Bignut]

I'm looking for information or thoughts on Sako actions for dangerous game rifles. Does anyone have any experience with them. I'm looking at a rifle in 404 Jeffery with this action. Thanks in advance

I should mention it's the a left hand action.

 

[BeeMaa]

Push-feed vs controlled round feed...coming at you in 3...2...1

 

[cmk]

Wise choice! (Because I have one).

Unfortunately they don't chamber the 404 as a factory option, unless I've missed any newer developments.

Mine is built on a left-hand AV from the mid 80's. Used to be a 6.5x55 before the conversion. The work done was mostly a barrel change, opening the bolt face, a slightly wider magazine box, and maybe som minor work for the feed ramp. But the main thing is that the action has sufficient length already.

I'm not too familiar with the newer models (Sako 75 and onwards) in this respect, but an L61R, AIII, AV and possibly the L691 should be fine - as these actions were chambered for the .375 HH, wich is slightly longer than the 404. Not too sure if the L691 was chambered for the 375, but it might still have the same length. The bolts are interchangeable legthwise between this and the AV, anyway.

EDIT: lefthand means AV or L691

Best of luck!

 

[cmk]

Should mention that my DG experience is nil. But it is a nice rifle. With a 26" barrel it weighs IIRC 4.25kg with a the factory stock, full mag (3+1) and no scope (~9.3 lbs).

Changed the pad to a Pachmayr, which makes it nicer to shoot than with the concrete one that is fitted from the factory.

 

[perttime]

Which Sako action is it? Sako has produced a number of different designs over the years.

 

[BenKK]

Heaps of dangerous game (buffalo) have been knocked-over by my little Sako .500 Jeffery. My first shot ever fired by it was at a huge bull towering over me on a downhill path I was on, about eight metres away. He was injured by the dead bull we were processing and was just as surprised as me, I’d been searching in my pack and heard a huff above me. My Sako was on the ground, full magazine but empty chamber, and I scooped it up and slammed the bolt open-and-closed, and brained him as he contemplated coming down through me or the guy directly under him at just four metres, who saw the bull’s head get concertina-ed by the impact of the 600 grain Woodleigh PPSN and had to dive with ringing ears to avoid the falling bull. I had been intending to test-fire the new rifle and my hand loads later that morning, but had already checked them for fast cycling. That was my first shot.

Since then I’ve shot plenty of bulls in various situations including a few staring me down and assertively advancing.

I’ve hunkered-down behind the vehicle waiting for a mad young bull in a front yard to make a move, then when he raced around the veranda I bolted inside with my mate, said “Good morning!” to the ladies taking shelter, and stuck the barrel out a gap in the louvre / flyscreen in the kitchen window, braining him at two feet as he huffed-and-puffed at us, losing my sight hood under recoil - it’s gone.

Then there was the angry bull that had humbugged the airstrip all day and chased the vehicles and motorbikes trying to shoo him away. When I heard about it I realised I had Cessna 210 due, and we sorted it out and towed him off with thirty seconds to spare.

 

[cmk]

Exciting stories @BenKK !

Is your 500 Jeffery a factory rifle or custom build?

 

[cmk]

Which Sako action is it? Sako has produced a number of different designs over the years.

That is true, but AFAIK, the only left-hand actions capable of dealing with the 404, would be the AV or the L691. (Did a little digging, an it dosen't look like the new action lengths that came with the 75 has any LH that are long enough)

It might be possible to find a factory-built L691 in 416Rem, which is nearly identical in performance to the 404. Don't know how many were made though, but probably not a lot.

 

[BenKK]

Exciting stories @BenKK !

Is your 500 Jeffery a factory rifle or custom build?

Just a humble factory Brown Bear.

 

[BenKK]

Sorry, I missed the left hand requirement - mine is right hand.

 

[Bignut]

That is true, but AFAIK, the only left-hand actions capable of dealing with the 404, would be the AV or the L691. (Did a little digging, an it dosen't look like the new action lengths that came with the 75 has any LH that are long enough)

It might be possible to find a factory-built L691 in 416Rem, which is nearly identical in performance to the 404. Don't know how many were made though, but probably not a lot.

It is indeed an AV left hand action, and it is a custom gun

 

[cmk]

It is indeed an AV left hand action, and it is a custom gun

Aah.. I didn't understand that there was a specific rifle you had in mind - thought it was more of a general question.

Any pictures to share?

Btw, there is a gentleman by the name of Barry, who runs a buffalo hunting operation in the Northern Territories of Australia. On their website they used to have a couple of PDF's titled "building a DG rifle" and "calibre choices for DG" or something along that line. There he describes the steps he went through to build a 404 on a LH Sako AV. It was a good read, and I had a brief email exchange with him, with questions that he kindly answered. This finally convinced me that it was the way to go. IIRC he had a DG rifle built on a LH L691 as well. They were his own rifles, but also lent to visiting left-hand clients.

Unfortunately, the web site layout has changed and the PDF's aren't there anymore. And I can't really remeber the the name either.. something like australianbuffalosafaris.com.au.. but it was a few years ago, and I might be mixing it up with some other buffalo safari company.

 

[cmk]

Just a humble factory Brown Bear.

That is a mighty fine rifle, and nothing to be humble about.

 

[cmk]

Found it.

The old version of the web site can be found on the "wayback machine" at archive.org.

The domain is simply buffalosafaris.com

Maybe this direct link works;

https://web.archive.org/web/20141002131418/http://buffalosafaris.com/hunt-details.html

On this page are those PDF's I mentioned earlier.