Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Sako AV 375 H&H

Anyone have experience with one of these? What are your thoughts. What would one with a wood stock in excellent condition be worth. I have a whitworth interarms in this caliber but this sako looks nice.

Yes I have one. Mine's in a mcMillan stock , shorter barrel and a brake. LOVE It, though i have yet to take it to Africa.

Had one, liked it a lot, sold it to a good friend. It was smooth, accurate, reliable, handled well, and recoil was manageable. It had classic good looks and was made of high quality materials. If I didn't have two other .375 rifles that I liked just a tiny bit more I'd still own it.

I've had 2. Both were the full length stock (20" barrel). Both were very accurate and smooth working. I did eventually split the stock on the second one and had it restocked. Both absorbed recoil very well, but personally I never really had a problem with the 375 recoil. Everyone is different. Sorry, I can't even guess as to the current cost. Terry

As far as cost/value/price check, etc.....

I USED to own a gun shop, people were always asking what's it worth? My answer is what ever it's worth to the person buying it. If , for instance, I said I'd pay $800 for it - to me it's an $800 gun. BUt Joe over there has zero interest in the caliber so he'll pay $400 - it's a $400 gun to him. Another dude is a collector and HAS to have this to finish out his "collection" - say he wants a .375 from every manufacturer, He's got to have it and will go up to $1500 - to him it's a $1500 gun.

.375 H&H, You're in Alabama? AV model, scope, sling,ammo, Rings/bases (original SAKO can got for over $100) And what's it worth to you? Probably, face to face - no tax/transfer, etc.
Private sale CASH sale - $900 is a good start base, depending on model, and accessories, wear, etc.

Look at Sako Collector Club on the net, Look at auction sites, take it with a grain of salt. I've seen lots of SAKOS on GB starting at $1500, and there they sit,,,,,

You have a Whitworth? What's that worth to you, and how much nicer, better, fancier, is the SAKO? $100? $500?

In conclusion, I've long held, that if both parties are happy with the transaction, it was a good solid sale......

I had two of these and liked them after the problems were ironed out.

The square recoil lug bears against a round cross bolt. The bolt has a flat surface but on both of mine the bolt was rotated so that the flat was away from the recoil lug. The recoil lug was supported only by the bottom corner against the round side of the bolt. Two friends bought new 338s and the stocks split before ten rounds had been fired. My favorite gunsmith inlaid a block of walnut, epoxy bedded the action and I had no trouble.

The other problem was with the bolt guide which is held in place by a small leaf spring. (Inserting a punch in the hole in the guide depresses the spring allowing the guide to slide off.) The spring broke under recoil and the bolt guide slammed forward into the locking lug recess. The barrel had to be removed so that the bolt guide could be driven out of the recess. The solution was to install a pin vertically through the bolt guide to bear against the bolt ring and prevent forward motion. Mill a flat onto the bolt guide to make drilling possible.

Unless you are willing to address the above problems I could not recommend the AV in .375 H&H.

Cheers,
Walt

Have one here in an AIII round top action, from an ITW action NIB.
Added a 20" new, old stock Sako 375 carbine barrel.
It was polished, given a blue job and put in a mag fill McMillan Hunter.
Shoots great, carries great.

Dunno its worth. The Round tops arent that common.

I own 2 Sako AV 375 H&H rifles. One mannlicher with the prettiest wood I have seen, and the other a Safari. Both are very accurate and reliable.

The wood of these rifles can shrink. Bedding fixes that issue right up.

The only issue I have with Sako is the scope mounts. No one makes a great QD ring mount for the factory dovetails. Optilock is about it. I went with Talley, but unless you drill and tap the receiver I wouldn’t trust the base to hold up to the recoil.

Decent prices in my opinion-sure cheaper would be good!
Mannlicher-1200-1400
Safari-2000-2500
Forester-1000-1200

The ejector and housing can come loose, blue loctite works well.

Sako makes great barrels! I have a stock ‘06 that is unreal!

I would take them and be 100% confident to hunt anything that walks with them.

I’ve had a lot of Sako’s, but never a 375. I love Sako’s.

Mine has been to Africa 6 times and has never given me a single problem. Very accurate rifle, very smooth action and a nice stock design that makes for an easy recoiling rifle. My wife used it to take a cape buffalo. As has been said rings can be expensive and maybe tough to find. Mine has a 30mm Kahles 1X6 scope on it. No idea on price.