[mark]

Just wondering if anyone has bought one of these yet. thoughts, likes and dislikes. I had a look at one in the local gun shop yesterday. i was impressed. id certainly be getting one of these over a ruger gunsite scout.

21 inch fluted barrel
excellent open sites
3.1 kg
available in 308, 30-06, 338 fed 9.3*62 mauser, and some others

Attached image(s)

• 

[Knogg]

I prefer the kodiak or brown bear.

[robah]

Gday fellas,
I've been looking at both the brown and black .So far i've handled a 9.3x62 Black but not fired it.
Finish, fit and function seemed realy good but I'm keen to have a shot before parting with any cash.
I reckon both would make a very handy close cover thumper in the 9.3 or 375.
looking forward to hearing any comments on either model.

Knogg, can you shed some light on your preference please mate? Or is it just an asthetics thing?
cheers

[Knogg]

In that kind of rifle and price I would want anything but synthetic.

I haven't looked to much at the black bear but it prefer the timber stock.
But function and durability the laminate pepper stock has me.

I fell for the kodiak a few years back and had a good play just not fired one. As a deer stalker.
More aesthetics as you stated and I'm not sure if the 3 are the same barreled actions etc

[vman]

6.8 pounds is very light. Looks like a nice deer gun

[robah]

Totally agree with that, I reckon the laminated stock is about perfect.
The synthetic looks to be a good style and would definately have some merit here in the pissing rain.
Im going to have to do a bit of digging at Old smelly to see if the actions are the same.
Dont realy see how they could be but thats just me speculating.

[lulwut]

What action is it?

[poohbah]

lulwut, on 08 Sep 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

What action is it?

Sako 85 action

[Bahana]

mark, on 08 Sep 2011 - 08:40 AM, said:

Just wondering if anyone has bought one of these yet. thoughts, likes and dislikes. I had a look at one in the local gun shop yesterday. i was impressed. id certainly be getting one of these over a ruger gunsite scout.

21 inch fluted barrel
excellent open sites
3.1 kg
available in 308, 30-06, 338 fed 9.3*62 mauser, and some others

Only handled one in the gun store. I'm a laminated person myself. What caliber are you looking at?

[Viper]

Bigger price tag too.

[mauser]

Thats a nice looking rifle

[mark]

Bahana, on 08 Sep 2011 - 02:23 PM, said:

Only handled one in the gun store. I'm a laminated person myself. What caliber are you looking at?

probably the 9.3

I definitely prefer the look of timber also. but i think its a function thing. reduced weight and durability. also think that only the black bear of the 3 bears is fluted.

[Rush]

freind of mine bought one and loves it

[exocet]

oooh, 338 fed. do you know if it comes in a short and longer action or is it 30-06 length only?

[Tikka Tart]

exocet, on 09 Sep 2011 - 04:25 PM, said:

oooh, 338 fed. do you know if it comes in a short and longer action or is it 30-06 length only?

Quote

Made in action sizes:
S, cal 308Win and 338 Federal (Weight 3,1kg (6,13/16 lbs)
M, 30-06 Sprg, 8x57JS,9,3x62 and 9,3x66Sako (.370 SakoMag)
Weight 3,2 kg (7 lbs)

Taken from here: My link

[exocet]

hold the phone, just checked. short and medium length actions, with 5 round magazines, plus one up the spout. thanks tikka.

sorry if i missed it above, what is the rrp?

[17fireball]

I have just got a Tikka T3 in 9.3 x 62, seeing as they are made by Sako is it the same action? it looks similar.I tried to post a picture but I have exceeded my limit of uploads.

[Rush]

nuh there not the same action. instead of having different sized actions they all use a long action and then use a bolt stop to reduce the bolt throw. mind you they are just as good and even have slightly quicker lock times.

[mark]

17fireball, on 09 Sep 2011 - 04:32 PM, said:

I have just got a Tikka T3 in 9.3 x 62, seeing as they are made by Sako is it the same action? it looks similar.I tried to post a picture but I have exceeded my limit of uploads.

also the Sako bolt has 3 locking lugs whereas the Tikka has 2. the other key difference is the Sako magazines are fatter to enable staggered loading which means more capacity and the ability to top load thru the action. with the single stack tikka mag you must remove the mag to load. its also harder to load than a sako mag.

with the recent fall in sako 85 prices, one would have to consider spending a little extra for all the metal bits, closer matched action sizes and superior mag arrangement.

[vman]

The price difference between the Brown and black is not too much imo. Obviously brown bears being larger and more powerful than a black, it comes in larger chamberings.

I brown in .375H&H would be sweet.

[MCKSyd]

nice rifles, if the 338fed was more popular would try to come up with an excuse to have one . It will fit nicely in between the .308W and .338WM.

I think a 9.362 or a .375H&H in either of the kodiak or brown bear would be nice for Sambar. I wonder if the 21 inch barrel would make it nasty in terms of recoil and muzzle blast.

what do they retail for?

[winchester70]

i had a couple shots out of 1 in 30 06 nice feel to it, not to much recoil either.

[robah]

vman, on 10 Sep 2011 - 11:44 AM, said:

I brown in .375H&H would be sweet.

I was thinking the same thing but ...The 85 has the worst recoil lug arrangement Sako have ever produced.
Dont know if that dinky little insert will tolerate much abuse from 375 300g full power loads.
Im going to wait six months and see how that pans out.

[vman]

robah, on 11 Sep 2011 - 07:33 AM, said:

I was thinking the same thing but ...The 85 has the worst recoil lug arrangement Sako have ever produced.
Dont know if that dinky little insert will tolerate much abuse from 375 300g full power loads.
Im going to wait six months and see how that pans out.

LOL

[exocet]

MCKSyd, on 10 Sep 2011 - 04:23 PM, said:

nice rifles, if the 338fed was more popular would try to come up with an excuse to have one . It will fit nicely in between the .308W and .338WM.

the 8x57 would fill that niche well, but you would miss the benefits of the nice short action you'd get with the 338 fed.

[Varminter]

exocet, on 11 Sep 2011 - 02:11 PM, said:

the 8x57 would fill that niche well, but you would miss the benefits of the nice short action you'd get with the 338 fed.

Even better is the .325WSM. That would fill the gap fairly well I believe, and is just as short as the .338 Federal.

[MCKSyd]

Varminter, on 11 Sep 2011 - 03:04 PM, said:

Even better is the .325WSM. That would fill the gap fairly well I believe, and is just as short as the .338 Federal.

Two nice 8mm cartridges (8x57 and 325). Though .325WSM hasn't really been a sales success either (like the 338Fed) which means if you don't reload you are limited. Need to start reloading or get one of my hunting buddies to start

The 85 comes in 375H&H in other models so I would ha e thought if the lug was an issue there would have been reports already. I have the Bavarian in 308W and it is accurate, smooth and balances well. As a bonus it looks great, just can't really justify owning one of the bears

[exocet]

Varminter, on 11 Sep 2011 - 03:04 PM, said:

Even better is the .325WSM. That would fill the gap fairly well I believe, and is just as short as the .338 Federal.

ah yes that is a good one. not many about though. 8mm calibre is not sexy it seems. would flatten anything we have in this country.

[mauser]

I had 2 sakos bavarian and i hated them because stock on them is hog back an everytime i was shooting that corner on top of stock was stabing my sholder i hate hogback stock and i sold rifles but this stock looks nice wouldent mind this rifle as a samber gun.

[MCKSyd]

mauser, on 12 Sep 2011 - 04:02 PM, said:

I had 2 sakos bavarian and i hated them because stock on them is hog back an everytime i was shooting that corner on top of stock was stabing my sholder i hate hogback stock and i sold rifles but this stock looks nice wouldent mind this rifle as a samber gun.

I've read that many prefer a straight stock for that reason. Mine is a .308 so not much recoil to speak off. It probably doesn't help that the bavarians have a fairly thin and hard recoil pad. I haven't seen these bear rifles in the flesh yet.

[mauser]

Yea that is the only problem stock and recoil pad

[mark]

MCKSyd, on 10 Sep 2011 - 04:23 PM, said:

nice rifles, if the 338fed was more popular would try to come up with an excuse to have one . It will fit nicely in between the .308W and .338WM.

I think a 9.362 or a .375H&H in either of the kodiak or brown bear would be nice for Sambar. I wonder if the 21 inch barrel would make it nasty in terms of recoil and muzzle blast.

what do they retail for?

Clayton Firearms lists the following

Black Bear $2275
Brown Bear $2430
Kodiak $2470

The black bear comes with a fluted barrel. It really depends on the caliber you want. The black bear is the small and medium action (308, 338fed, 30-06, 8*57, 9.3 * 62 and 9.3 * 66 Sako), the Brown bear and Kodiak are Large action (338wm and 375H&H) All have 21 1/4 inch barrels, the Black bear is blued and the other 2 stainless.

[Bahana]

Hey Mark have you given any thought to the Sako Hunter in laminated stainless 375 H&H? Different rifle but still a nice thing.

[mark]

Bahana, on 13 Sep 2011 - 03:43 PM, said:

Hey Mark have you given any thought to the Sako Hunter in laminated stainless 375 H&H? Different rifle but still a nice thing.

Used to own one but sold it a few years back and bought a sauer 202t elegance in 375 h&h. Also own a ruger no 1 in 375 h&h. But it is a great rifle. Will probably go a black bear in 30-06

[GWH]

I have a Sako Kodiak in 375, I think i will pick up a blackbear in 308 as a deer and general use rifle - they look the goods and are a great action. I have used my Kodiak 375 alot (including Africa) and have had no issues with it.

Cheers