Just Got The Call

[HighDesertHunter]

Beautiful rifle, congratulations. If I ever get rid of my McMillan, I'm getting a Sako. Not sure which one yet.

[Chris338378]

I don't know yet Dan.I'll scope it and see how it shoots.Going to try and find a SN reference somewhere and find out year of manufacture.I'm a little hard on a utility rifle that will get carried in the passenger seat of the pick up and an overhead rack in my Ranger.My old 722 is beat up pretty good and I think I'm going to make it more user friendly and cut the barrel from 24 to 20 inches.

Chris 338-378, I really think they are Sako original rings.

I'm almost positive they are original Sako rings.  I know that the Garcia imports had something along the lines of The Garcia Corp., I don't remember the exact wording,etched into the bluing on the bottom of the barrel.  It wasn't engraved so if your rifle was reblued it'd be covered over. 

[224KING]

Was it on the bottom of the barrel just in front of the forearm?

[Chris338378]

Was it on the bottom of the barrel just in front of the forearm?

Yes that's where it'd be located.

[224KING]

I guess it's been re-blued.When I was looking at the auction pictures I said to myself that the blue looked too good to be true.Or maybe I should say original.

[Weatherby-SL]

Congrats on the win; gorgeous rifle and blond stock!
I have an old Vixen Varmint, bought new a billion years ago, in .222. Still, to this day, shoots 'lights out'. Sure yours will too!

[224KING]

Nice rifle.I hope mine shoots as well.

[African Leadwood]

I can't really see the rings. I like the originals a lot, but they are heavy and the screws are "poorly" hardened, so the heads damage easily.

[Chris338378]

Prior to the Garcia Corporation importing Sako they didn't etch the name of the importer on the bottom of the barrel so the bluing on your rifle can be original.  I don't remember who imported them prior to the Garcia but after them Stoger imported them.  Other reasons I suspect your rifle wasn't reblued is because the .222 Remington Magnum wasn't an extremely popular caliber so I suspect the round count through it is low and the condition of the stock which is very good.  My logic with the stock condition is if it needed to be reblued the stock would've taken more of the wear or abuse and shown the evidence of how the rifle was treated.

[224KING]

It's a L461 with serial number 806XX.The internet is full of dates,but I haven't found one that I'm sure of yet.Lot's of contradicting info.

[224KING]

I can't really see the rings. I like the originals a lot, but they are heavy and the screws are "poorly" hardened, so the heads damage easily.

The slots on every screw on the rifle including the ones on the rings are cherry.

[224KING]

Best educated guess I can make is late 60's from what info there is on the net.

[Chris338378]

I can't really see the rings. I like the originals a lot, but they are heavy and the screws are "poorly" hardened, so the heads damage easily.

I've never experienced any problems with the screw heads marring. 

[HighDesertHunter]

I can't really see the rings. I like the originals a lot, but they are heavy and the screws are "poorly" hardened, so the heads damage easily.

The slots on every screw on the rifle including the ones on the rings are cherry.

Sounds like no one field stripped it or if it was done it was done by a good gunsmith. Most folks don't have all the correct screw drivers and end up curling the edges of the slots.

[African Leadwood]

I will check serial number against my info and see if it adds anything.

224 if you've seen the screwheads on the rings I guess you know whether they are Sako. Most will be so engraved.

Of course I received many 2nd hand rings so how much force was used to marr the screws I don't know. But quite a few were damaged and I've seen this mentioned on forums too. I just thought a heads up may save yours damage.

Older Sako rifles can be interesting in that some feature unusual features and there is talk of say older style cocking pieces on newer series rifles etc. Stories are that the parts bins were well utlised and that sort of transition rifles exist. This  uncertain information does spill through to serial numbers to some extent. The Sako Collectors Club is a great resource.