Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only .370 Sako

Anyone read Boddington's article in the most recent G&A on the new .370 Sako? Not an overly warm report and I think it was clear he too was asking: "WHY?"

What are your thoughts?

Read it, will be surprised if it goes anywhere,
Course it will be heavily promoted on any show that Barreta is involved with.
Boddington called it--A 35 whelen on steriods.

Would be nice if they'd brought it out back in the day, but competing against the old standards I'm not going to get my hopes up. Would prefer it to the Whelen, and 9.3x62, availability aside.

I think it is a great cartridge design.

This cartidge, known as the 9.3 X 66 in Europe, is only about one one hundredth of a inch smaller round than a 375 bullet. It produces close to the same velocities as a 375 H&H, when shooting bullets with similar sectional densities - with a kick that is closer to a heavily loaded 30-06 than a 375 magnum. The 250 grain bullet has a sectional density almost the same a 270 grain 375 bullet, while the heavier 286 grain bullet in this caliber has sectional density exactly the same as a 300 grain 375 caliber bullet - thus penetration will be similar.

Not only that - this cartridge allows 5 rounds in the magazine in addition to the one in the chamber. That's a lot of firepower - something that can really feel good for people who hunt bears without a guide.

Admittedly it's a proprietary round right now - as was the 375 Ruger, just a year or so ago. Personally I'd much rather own a Sako than a Ruger, but that's just a preference thing - both brands have a lot of fans, and both companies produce fine rifles.

I wanted one to be my "B.C. big-bear" round. But after reading about "Furprick" waiting for more than a year for his - I changed my mind and went with a 375 H&H (which the store had in stock) to suit the same purpose.

That doesn't mean that a part of me wouldn't have liked a more "unique" round, with a bit less kick, basically the same killing power - and the ability to have an extra round in the magazine.

If you hunt big bears - without a guide (like most British Columbians) or alone - every extra round available to you makes you feel just that much better.

I hope it succeeds - but, sadly, wouldn't bet on it - North Americans seem to prefer faster cartridges.

The HH could beat it handily if loaded to the same pressures, but the Sako sure looks nice. I might build one at some point, with the understanding that it would essentially be a wildcat here in the US.

Aside from the Sako rifle itself which is a very good rifle, my gutt instinct on the .370 Sako as a cartridge is this.

Too close in diameter to the 375`s to offer any more benefits.

The 370 Sako cartridge imo, will never see the growing popularity like the .375 Ruger has had since its inception. Sako (Beretta) I don`t believe, has the marketing savy or the influence on the shooting public like what Ruger/Hornady had and does in promoting worldwide of the .375 Ruger.

Even with their M/85 in the 21.5" barrel, to any potential 375 buyer, ballistically, the 370 Sako cartridge brings no advantage over any other 375. Where`s the advantage in this cartridge?

On the other hand, Hornady and Ruger designed the 375 Ruger to at the very least, offer an additional benefit in giving the shooter/hunter the same or slightly better ballistic performance as the longer tubed 375 H&H and do so from shorter rifles.... So now, here comes Sako trying to do the same thing by following Ruger`s lead and trying to do so with a brand new cartridge.

Imo, and since the .375 Ruger is not a proprietary cartridge, Sako should have just chambered their new Model 85 in the 375 Ruger, which is and will continue to be a far more popular round than the .370 Sako will ever be. As a result imo, they`d sell far more rifles in the .375 Ruger chambering. The public appeal and appeal from the gun writers, would be many times better, if Sako had put the .375 Ruger chambering in that 21.5" Model 85. Then, they`d have a real winner!!!!

Not a brilliant or smart idea from Sako.

I know nothing of this cartridge other than what I've read above, but it sounds to me like an equivalent to a 9.3x62 or maybe 9.3x64. Those have been around for many years, as someone else said, classics. I don't see a need for this one, but I don't have to. I'm glad these companies are developing new cartridges and developing new ideas. Sako obviously make fine rifles and this round may do well elsewhere in the world, but I don't see a big market for it here. Good to have choices though.

It has 200 fps on the 9.3x62, and the 9.3x64 has 100-150fps on it. I like the idea of the 9.3x66 because it fits in a 30-06 action and I can fit four or five rounds in it easily. That said, a better commercial offering would indeed be the Model 85 Kodiak in .375 Ruger--I would certainly buy one.

I think that some brainiac wizard at Sako or Beretta decided that this chambering would sell well given enough time. Like throwing the **** on the wall to see if it sticks without doing the necessary marketing homework! If you`re going to offer a new cartridge to the market, WITH THE IDEA OF SELLING IT, you`d better offer something new, exciting, distinctive and a product that will have a broad base appeal.

Ok! So you can put an extra round in the magazine and have 5 all-together including one in the chamber instead of 4!! Big whooopie doooo!!! The 375 Ruger is also a 30-06 length action, so there is no benefit to the 370 Sako in that dept.

Commercially for sales here in the US and in many parts of the world, with maybe the exception being in Europe, the 370 Sako will FLOP and BOMB out!

The 21.5" tubed M/85 rifle is wonderful and very appealing, but people have to buy the cartridge too. A cartridge that has no distinctive marketing appeal, along with no distinctive advantage vs its competition, even though chambered in a great rifle,,,,won`t fly!!! They did a great job with the rifle, but that`s only half the equation!

A cartridge a 1/4 of an inch shorter - only makes for a rifle 1/4 of an inch shorter. The rest is just barrel choice. If enough shooters wanted 20 inch barrel 375 H&H's - I'd think the market would provide it.

I can't get excited about a quarter of an inch - or 50 to 75 fps.

But, perhaps that's just me - I prefered the longer barrel and the much lighter weight of the Synthetic Model 85 (7lbs) to the heavier Kodiak model with it's shorter barrel, and I prefered an the extra round, the better trigger, the slicker action, the lighter weight, the clip feed, and the guaranteed accuracy of the Sako over anything Ruger makes.

But it's a better world for the added choices!

In a DGR rifle - if you NEED the extra shot - believe me - it WILL be a "big- whooopie doooo!!!"

Besides with the Sako 370 - you get TWO extra rounds compared with the 375 Ruger. Five rounds in the magazine of a DGR rifle - is quite different than three. That's what - 66% more fire-power?

Hmmmm...do I need 50 to 75 fps more - or would I like to extra two rounds - when alone in the woods with a big bear nearby. Hmmm...

..........Well! A .370 Sako chambered in the M/85 with say a 1/2" or 3/4" or even less with a consistent 3 shot group would appeal to me far less, than say my 375 Ruger Alaskan, which consistently averages 3 shot groups at 3/4" to 1 1/8" (outside to outside) or outer group dimension depending on the reload.

These are big game hunting rifles and cartridges here, not match shooting, paper punching target rifles. For any big game and at the distances they are hunted, ANY success or failure between them, won`t be determined by the respective differences in group sizes or by their names, Sako and Ruger. Instead and for these calibers, success or failure between a Ruger and a Sako, will be 100% determined by the guy pulling the trigger.

Grizzlies often are in groups - I'll always prefer extra rounds when hunting bear without a guide - one round extra is enough to matter to me - two rounds is - well, "case-closed".

......If you`re hunting dangerous bears alone or in an area where there are dangerous bears, that`s a concern......But I never go alone and I always have the backup!! That`s quite another thing. I have no need for a 5 or 6 shot chamber and magazine capacity.

I read a recent gun test where the Ruger was shooting 2/1/2 inch groups at 100 yards - and if that's what you buy - with Ruger - that's what you own.

Sako guarantees 5 shots into an inch.

Why?

They KNOW their rifles are put together in a manner that will enable them to deliver that kind of exceptional accuracy.

But - to each - his own.

That's the difference between us.

Never had a guide - never will.

........BUT!!!!That ain`t my rifle there pal!!!. .....My 1st 3 shot grouping with factory 375 Ruger Hornady ammo was,,,,,1 1/4" (outer dimension). Some of my reloads are more accurate.

Hey - you are a lucky man! Nothing like being happy with the rifle for which you parted with hard-earned dollars to get.

I won't buy from a company that won't guarantee their product anymore - after the experience I had with my Remington Ti. I love that rifle now - but it should never have left the factory the way it was.

Reputations are hard to build - easy to destroy.

I like to "stir-the pot" and you took it in the spirit it was intended - truth be known - the Ruger in 375 was a top contender for my dollar!

Has any one dealt with Sako on there accuracy? Honest question
my hunting buddy had a LH Sako 375 that shot 3" at best with all
ammo we tried. It was in the late 80,s when Sako chambered in LH
Sako said that accuracy was acceptable? Have not dealt with Sako and want to know if accuracy guaranty is a new policy?

IIRC the guarantee started with the M75. My L61R is a very accurate weapon, I regularly shoot birds in the head at 50 yards.