Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Has anyone seen the Sako 85 Kodiak rifle yet?

Hi Folks,

On the SAKO web site it shows this model in 338 Win and 375 H&H. The model 85 is said to have controlled feed. Stainless metal in a laminated stock with about a 21" barrel with a useful open back up sights. All for an MSRP of $1800.

Has anyone seen one yet? What did you think of it?

I have a Mod 85 SS/lam in a smaller version, .308. It is built very well, excellent trigger and quick lock time. The detachable magazine system is the best I've seen, and the rifle is accurate. Feeding is flawless. It is one of my favourites. I think the Kodiak would be a good rifle if it fits you.

I have one in 375 H&H magnum.
Sako recoil pads are not good.
Action is not truly "controlled round feed", more like partial.
It came with a standard sling swivel and the barrel band, that's just ridiculous.....now I to grind off the swivel (read knuckle buster) and change the recoil pad before the gun is ready.
I ordered mine last August and recieved it end of April for 1600$
trigger lacks nothing, and I'm fussy.
It is set up for quick detach scope, I'm going with Talley's.

Yes! I have seen and handled one. My dealer ordered one in a 375 H&H for a customer and is waiting for the customer to come in and get it. The Kodiak hapened to come up in our conversation, so he let me handle it.

It is very good looking, is well built, smooth action, and handles very well. But for $1600 to $1800?????.....NOPE!

18 months ago, I paid $821 for my uglier, but all weather 20" barreled matte .375 Ruger Alaskan. That Sako Kodiak is almost or at double the price. Any small differences in the actions, feeding, or anything else you can come with imo, can`t justify doubling of the price. On any hunt, the Alaskan will certainly do anything the Kodiak will do and a little then some.

Even if one dislikes the Alaskan`s Hogue stock, the Alaskan`s Hogue stock can still be replaced for less than the total cost of the Sako Kodiak.

But if you have a need for the more "traditional" 375 H&H, the Sako Kodiak is fine looking and great handling piece.

BTW! I wonder where or from whom, Sako came up with the great idea to chamber the 375 H&H in a shorter and handier rifle???......HMMMMM!......From Ruger??? Naaaaaw!!!

Ahem... <politely clears throat> I think you have things reversed!

Sako sold a lot of 19 inch barreled .375 H &H carbines that went under 8lbs --- about 25 years ago!





Here is one for sale at Cabela's

I have shot several of them at the range, but alas have not been able to buy one yet. A bit lively to shoot off the bench, but no problem really.

John

............Interesting! I didn`t know that. Possibly more popular in Europe awaaaay back? I never have seen one on the racks here in the states.

I saw 2 in Canada when I lived there, but that was all. Never saw one when I lived in the US, but now I can find some on Gunbroker so at least some made it there.

Nice rifles in my opinion.

Cheers,

John

I've heard of the short Sakos in Alaska, IIRC.

Well! At least I had a good excuse for not realizing that they existed,,,,somewhere!

Regardless of who`s idea it originally was in chambering 375`s in shorter and handier rifles, the concept behind them is wonderful.

By introducing the Kodiak, perhaps the powers that be, who are at Sako today, saw what Ruger was and is successfully doing in the US market and decided to get in on the act themselves??......Highly likely!!!

I do believe that Sako in introducing their own .370 Sako cartridge, (in possibly thinking it could compete with the .375 Ruger; NO WAY),,,will flop big time! Rifle sales is the name of the game and the bottom line. IMO, the .370 Sako will never take off here in this country. It just might in Europe though!

If Sako wants more Kodiak rifle sales here in the US, they should just stay with chambering the popular cartridges including the .375 H&H, the 338 WM as they are apparently doing and also include the .375 Ruger.

370 Sako??? Forget about it Sako. It won`t fly!

The idea that a ruger is equal to a sako is well..........BUll. This rifel has to shoot 5 rounds inside 1" or it isn't shipped! Sako action is famous for greased glass smooth (always, every rifle). Couple that with caliber selection (not rugers pet cartridge). (Yes the 375 H&H is one of my great loves)
p.s I will always pay what ever it costs to have the right rifle! When it comes to hunting griz the "kodiak" is the right rifle. My 1600$ +.02

Sako shipped in 75 rifles into the US in March I got #32

..........Nickelstick!.....First, I never implied on this thread that the Ruger Alaskan was equal to the Sako Kodiak as far as action smoothness, or in any other areas of possible manufacturing refinement.

Secondly! While the Sako Kodiak has some refinements over the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Alaskan, I did previously state that these extra refinements (as a personal observation and opinion after handling the Kodiak), are not worth double the price or more. And I`ll stand by that assessment!

While the action of the Sako Kodiak is quite smooth (granted), my Alaskan`s M77 action smoothness, isn`t reeeeally too far behind the Sako in that particular dept, especially after its been worked hundreds and hundreds of times.

And yes, Sako has certain accuracy standards or they don`t ship, such as 5 shots at 1" or less and that is great and all well and good! While I haven`t as of yet, fired a 5 shot group with my Ruger Alaskan, I have fired quite a number of 3 shot groups with reloads.

After much experimentation, my best 3 shots groupings, using specific charges of either RL15 or H4350 along with the Nosler 260 gr A/Bs (combos which my Alaskan seems to love and after some COAL adjustments), do average an inch (OD) and slightly less in some groupings depending on the charge.

Whether a 375 rifle averages 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" at the outside for 3 to 5 shot groupings, averages moa, or sub-moa for 3 to 5 shot groupings and given the same hunting distances for the first shot, it will make no difference whatsoever between any success or failure hunting any large big game that is normally hunted with a 375. It won`t matter whether the end result comes by a $821 Ruger Alaskan or a $1600 to $1800 Sako Kodiak! The end result, whether hunting a big grizzly, a moose, a bison, or an African caped buffalo, will still be the same;;;;very DEAD assuming the hunter does his part.

1" or less for 5 shot groupings are great for the range. But I have yet to tape or secure a paper target on any of my kills prior to the first shot in the pursuit of seeking tight groups while on a hunt.

Like I stated before but with a slight addition this time, I`ll state this...Setting aside the certain refinements of the Kodiak over the Ruger, of which granted there are; given the same hunting circumstances, the same animals, the same shooting distances, the same weather conditions or given the same of anything else for that matter that you can think of, there is absolutely nothing that a $1600 to $1800 .375 H&H Kodiak can do, that a (what I paid) $821 .375 Ruger Alaskan cannot do!

If there is in the case of these two rifles,, it won`t be the fault of either rifle, but instead the fault of the hunter himself.

Whatever, at 200 yards either 375 has more ftlbs than a 300 winmag at the muzzle! There is no reason to not shoot 400 yards with a 375 magnum. I use tactical style scopes/range finder/range time to be spot on (with all my rifles except black powder).
p.s I like Rugers to....but it's no Sako. Don't slam rifles you can't or don't want to afford.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=970195

....................Well Nickelstick! Quite a little remark! By your defensive posturing, I can see that you just may have a habit of seriously taking things out of context by mis-reading what was stated.

Accusing me of slamming rifles, that I either cannot afford or that I don`t want to afford???? You`re taking this way too personal. However, I can assure you, that I can WELL afford any rifle I want,,,hundreds of times over.

No way sir, did I slam the Kodiak rifle itself in any way on this thread. If so, WHERE`S the quote? My only slam of the Kodiak, if you want to call it a slam, was Sako`s decision to chamber a redundant .370 Sako cartridge of their own! But that`s not really a slam on the rifle itself,,is it??? I also expressed the opinion, that the Sako Kodiak was not worth twice the price or more over the Ruger. That opinion by me, WAS NOT slamming the Kodiak rifle itself!

WISE UP and get over yourself with your out of context over emotional defensiveness. I know that the Sako Kodiak is a very good rifle. As far as just the rifles were concerned, I never stated that the Kodiak was equal to the Ruger. Where`s THAT quote by me?? What I did state however (paraphrasing), is that their capabilities in the field on the HUNTS would be equal. See the difference?????

Put things into their proper perspective with what I stated and try to contain your emotions and/or your defensiveness as well.....OK?

whiner

........ ....You`re a laugher and a joke!....."Whiner" is the best rebuttal you can come up with after you are challenged and rightly so?

Accusing me of slamming rifles that I cannot afford or won`t afford?

And when you`re challenged and confronted head on,,,"WHINER" is the best response ya got there???.................

Yep! A real laugher!

I just like to watch you babble.....see no one cares.

It seems like reloading with the Ruger 375 would definitely increase its versatility(Midway only has 3 loads all 50$ a box!). Does anyone except Hornady make ammo for it yet? That's one reason I went with a H&H is lots more ammo options, all the way down to 30$ for a box of 20 plinkers (if a 375 every plinks).

How many does the Ruger hold in the mag, the 85 Kodiak holds 4 in the mag.

........I`m not concerned with who cares or who doesn`t care! Interesting that you have no comment or can`t comment, after you were confronted, challenged, dis-credited and then decisively check-mated.....

It appears as though you`re a damn democrat! Ah hell! Just an assumption on my part! Because that`s what they do when confronted with facts. Like a bunch of cockroaches when confronted with a can of "Raid"

PS.......BTW! In your sentence above of,,,"know one cares",,,the "know" as you so eloquently state or typed should be spelled as,,,,,,,,,"NO"

How`s that for some babbling?