Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Best rifle- Sako AV or Ruger African??

I owned ONE, a very expensive and inaccurate Sako Safari in 375. The accuracy guarantee is something you paper punchers love and besides the two Rugers I own, a 416 Rigby and a 338, are both half MOA shooters. The Ruger is specifically designed for African DG hunting, down to the finish, bomb-proof V sight and of course CRF which the Sako is not. Like I said, not even close. jorge

Third, it has a clip system - ideal for dangerous game - Of course we don't NEED sub-moa DGR's. What we really need in a DGR - is that they are built impeccably.

A clip system on a DGR? LOL! That right there is enougn for me (and probably 100% of the PHs out there) not to buy one. If the SAKO makes you happy, fine, but as a DG I'll take the Ruger.

Was it possible that the Sako you speak of was an old Sako? One prior to their new line? I don't believe they used to have enough faith in their manufacturing process to offer any accuracy guarantees - but they do now. Why? Because of their total confidence in how they are building them - now.

I guess you are unfamiliar with the newest model they make - the Sako 85. My 375 H&H is a controlled-round-feed.

It's also the finest built factory rifle I have ever owned.

First, it's not two pounds over-weight - it is 7 lbs naked. It's the weight a 375 H&H should be.

Second, it easily meets it's accuracy guarantee - even with cheap ammo. With hand loads the groups shrink further.

Third, it has a clip system - ideal for dangerous game - like the real danger that comes, when you hunt without having a guide backing you up. When you, and you alone, have to deal with trouble you get yourself into. Within seconds I can drop an empty clip, and then I can quickly put another clip with another 4 rounds in my rifle - with one hand.

Fourth, it's trigger is flawless, smooth, crisp and so predictable.

Fifth, being that it IS a CRF rifle - contrary to what you stated, mine feeds upside down, downside-up, left-side up, right-side up, always feeds so slickly, it makes you wonder if it has actually chambered a round. It might be the smoothest and slickest factory-built CRF action ever made.

I have no doubt Ruger makes good rifles too.

But in comparison to the Sako 85, they are overweight and they aren't confident enough in their own manufacuring process to offer any accuracy guarantees. That - in itself - is way more important, and way more telling, than needing sub-moa accuracy in a DGR.

Of course we don't NEED sub-moa DGR's. What we really need in a DGR - is that they are built impeccably.

It's the company's confidence in it's own tolerances and their quality that matters. Only companies with total confidence in the quality of their products can ever afford to offer such guarantees - even if that extreme amount of accuracy is unneeded. Still, the presence of such a guarantee - speaks volumes about the company. The lack of one - says even more about those other companies. If they could guarantee their product - they would.

The Sako 85 isn't a rifle you buy - before you visit your local gunsmith, to have it worked on. It's a rifle guaranteed to be good, right out of the box. That means a lot - at least, it does, to a lot of other folks.

I think SAKOs are great rifles, don't get me wrong, but for this specific application and using the "whole rifle" concept, the Ruger, at least in my limited African experience is the hands down winner. jorge

The best way I can describe the pinned guide rib may not be very helpful unless you have access to Frank de Haas's 'Bolt Action Rifles' (revised ed)or another exploded diagram. On page 207 there is an exploded view of the L-46 Vixen Sako action. A study of the picture shows a retaining pin (#25-56), that fits in a pin hole in the guide rib, just behind the narrow part of the slot that that the guide rib collar (#24-55)fits into. The pin is put in place after the guide rib is assembled on the bolt and positively prevents the guide rib from sliding forward.

Pinning was a far more secure assembly method but Sako went to the clover leaf spring retainer. It was just plain folly, especially for the Safari class rifles.

For the gunsmith, or even a moderately talented bubba, the job is simply to drill a pin hole vertically through the guide rib and install a pin. 10 minutes of a gunsmith's time if that. For the AV action, where the bolt has two guide rib bolt collars, 15 minutes. However, I imagine that pinning only one bolt collar would be sufficient.

Alternatively, it may be (im)possible to hunt down a NOS guide rib that was made to be pinned.