Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Sako 85 or Winchester 70

Which rifle would be more reliable in a real life situation. The cal. would be 375 H&H.

Reliable as in accuracy, feeding, etc.??

Real life situation, as in an animal that want to eat or stomp you, looking at you with a glint in his eye??

My personal choice for a .375 H&H was the Model 70 Classic with CRF. I have one with the original M-70 style trigger, not the new FN trigger. I'm quite happy with it and would go that route again, although I do like Sako's.

DF

I guess discussion will be if push feed, controlled push feed or Mauser system is best.
I am very satisfied with my Sako 85 in 375 H&H. Never failured to function. Shot many animals and a few thousand cartridges with it.

Reliabiltiy with regard to feeding. The odds are this rifle will never see dangerous game but if it did I want the confidence that the rifle will feed properly. I know a gunsmith should go over the actions to make sure feeding is not a problem. But out of the box which one stands a better chance of feeding and not jamming.

I like both the Sako and M-70. It appears to me that the Winchester is a better buy, considering what each gun costs. I bought my M-70 Classic in the $900 range, used, but in perfect condition. One thing about buying a used big bore, the chances of the barrel being shot out is about zero...

Well, if you read a lot, the prevailing "wisdom" says that CRF is far superior to push feed. IHMO, if the extractor successfully pulls the fired case out of the chamber, feeding the next round should happen with either system. You don't hear a lot of complaining about Weatherby's and they're push feed. The "C" clip extractor on the M-700 just looks flimsy to me, although they seem to work. Just from that mental picture, I'd probably not choose a 700 to shoot DG, although a lot of folks do without reservation. Others may have stories of the Remington extractor failing and getting someone eaten... Or mashed... I must have missed those accounts...

I think it's more of a mental thing, and you need to use what you have confidence in...

DF

I have been looking for a 375 H&H and I was hoping to find one in Sako 85 but I would also be interested in what experiences others have had.

Sako's are fine rifles;so are M70's.

I'll take the M70 because that's what I grew with,have used a great deal, and trust them.

I own both. I've owned a few more Win 70's. I would not question either of these rifles with regard to feeding. I don't own any big bores but in standard cartridges the rifles I have owned and the one's I still own have all been flawless.

I think almost every 375 H&H made is overweight - the one exception - is Sako's Model 85.

I have their 375 H&H in the model 85 Stainless Synthetic. It was 7lbs in the box. Anything heavier is just dead weight IMHO. My Sako is the best factory rifle I've ever owned.

BCBrian, I admire your high tolerance for recoil. A seven pound 375H&H gives me a headache just thinking about shooting it.

I`m glad you mentioned that.

When I bought the rifle - I worried about the recoil.

The recoil attenuation of this rifle is amazing. I would rather shoot the 7 lb Model 85 in 375 H&H, than my 7.5lb Browning A-Bolt (in 7mmSTW) or my old 7.5lb Remington 760 - in 30-06.

According to published recoil stats - a 7lb 375 H&H should recoil about the same as a 7lb 12 gauge shotgun with strong loads - something many people shoot all day long.

I don't think I have any great recoil tolerance - but I certainly shoot the 375 well. But then again, when shooting off a bench when working up loads - I always use a lead-sled for longer sessions.

BC: Yes the M70 is not a flea weighht rifle. Mine weighs 8# scoped but it has a custom barrel and Brown stock, so I guess I cheated.....

DirtFarmer,

I like Sakos as well and have owned four over the years. All great shooters.

The Sako extractor is a semi CRF on the new rifles. (I realize this is an old thread). The bolt lift with the additional lug, (3 lugs now versus two in the past) is only 60 degrees.
The Remington extractor problem isn't just a "mental thing". I experienced it first hand and luckily it wasn't in the field but at the range. Remington fixed it, turn around was very quick, no problems whatsoever. Service was excellent. However this made me think twice and for DG rifles, I do not buy Remington.

While I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one, it would strictly be up to a 300 Win Mag for deer and elk. Not a DG rifle. Were I to go after bear, I'd take a Weatherby, Sako or Winchester...For heavier calibers up to 416, I prefer CRF. Because of that experience with the extractor that took place over 25 years ago............It has become a mental thing but I can assure you that when it happened, it was not. It was a shock.

best !

Once upon a time, I was readying a Remington 700 Classic 7 Mag as a gift to a SIL. I was also sighting in a .270 for myself. I got careless and fired a .270 cartridge in the 7mag. The Super strong 700 action stayed together, but the extractor was history. That is the weak link in an otherwise tough action. My hunting bolt guns are mostly CRF with one Blaser in the mix.

I swore I'd never sell my SS classic M70. Then I stumbled across a Kimber Talkeetna. The Kimber is only slightly less accurate, but weighs ~1.5# less (9# scoped) and feeds/functions just as well. Both will cycle empty cases slick as snot and loaded cartridges slicker than that. In my old M70 when you swap bullets there is just a change in vertical POI based on bullet weight and velocity. The Winchester is bone stock save for being bedded into an HS Precision stock.

Good friend of mine bought the M70 and killled a Cape Buffalo with it this spring. He completed a safari shooting school instruction weekend session and the instructor for the session as well as his Buffalo PH were impressed by his rifle's F/F and accuracy.