Back in 1996 my old friend Henry Paasikivi, who is general manager at Sako, invited a handful of writers from around the world to attend the official unveiling of a new rifle at the factory in Finland. The rifle was so new it had yet to be named.

A few days later as we traveled by bus from a moose hunt, another friend of mine, Australian writer Breil Jackson, opined that since the number "7" (as in Model 70, Model 700, and Model 77) had proven to be a winner for other companies and since Sako was celebrating its 75th birthday when the first rifles were built in 1996, it should be called Model 75. And so it was that the new rifle from Finland got its name.

The Sako Model 75 holds the distinction of being the only commercially built centerfire rifle to be offered in five different action lengths, from the extremely short No. 1 action for the .223 Remington to the No. V action, which is long enough to handle full-length belted magnums such as the .300 Weatherby Magnum and .375 H&H Magnum.

Sako Model 75 Varmint Bolt-action Rifle
Distributor:	Beretta USA
Model:	Model 75 Varmint
Operation:	Bolt-action repeater
Caliber:	.223 Rem. (.204 Ruger, .22-250, .243 Win., .260 Rem., .308 Win. also available)
Barrel Length:	23 5/8 inches
Overall Length:	43.25 inches
Weight, empty	8 rounds
Safety:	Two position
Sights:	None, receiver dovetailed for scope mounting
Stock:	Laminated (European walnut also available
Magazine Capacity:	6 rounds (5 rounds for other chamberings)
Finish:	Matte stainless steel or blued carbon steel
Price:	$1684 (blued/walnut), $1959 (stainless/laminated)

The new SM action is about the same length as the No. III action, which is of the correct length for the .308 Winchester, but it was designed specifically for the .300 WSM and other short, beltless magnums. Regardless of which action length you choose, you will find a 70-degree bolt lift, compliments of three locking lugs, along with an extremely smooth bolt travel.

I first discovered how smooth the Model 75 action actually is during the 1996 trip to Finland. Anyone who hunts in that country must first pass a shooting test to obtain a license, and the test consists of shooting from the offhand position at a running moose target at about 85 yards. After qualifying for my hunting license with a Sako Model 75 in .30-06, I decided to have some fun by attempting to rapid-fire as many rounds as possible into the target during a single run rather than only one shot per run as required by the official test.

Even though the target was exposed to view for only four seconds per run, I managed to place three shots into its vital area in two out of three tries from the offhand position. Considering that it probably took me at least one second to take aim and squeeze off my first round, I was averaging one bullseye hit per tick of the clock. That's as good as I have ever done with any bolt gun.

Some of the speed also comes from one of the smoothest cartridge-feeding systems you will ever encounter. Soon after adding a Model 75 Hunter in .30-06 to my personal big-game battery, I asked a friend to assist me in an experiment. Instructing him to close his eyes, I handed him the rifle with its magazine empty and asked him to cycle the bolt. I then took the rifle, loaded its magazine with a dummy cartridge, and asked him to operate the bolt once more.