6,3 x 33 R

[deersako]

Always good to read a field report John !

 

[blackjack]

Good Morning Sako Lovers,

I collected my Sako L46 6,3 X 33 R on the 10th November and she now sits safe & secure in one of my rifle safes.
I'm not any good at all in posting photographs, so I have asked a good friend to help me. When this will happen I
don't know, but soon I hope. The 6,3 X 33 R is almost the same as Topgears { John } although mine has a very dark
coloured stock, which I do believe is a factory finish. I am so pleased with this rifle as all the pins { screws } are all
in line and not chewed. The bore is clean and bright, and I would suspect the rifle has had light use. This L46 has the first pattern trigger guard and original rear sight, hood and butt plate. The barrel has that slightly brown coloured patina. The magazine is not marked with the calibre.

As I have said before this rifle serial number 4933 came out of production on the 1st October 1949. bound for Sweden.
The stock is only chequered on the pistol grip and not the forend. I believe that the rifles exported to Sweden were only
chequered on the pistol grip, and that the rifles sold to Finland did not have any chequering at all. This rifle came from
an English collection, and for some unknown reason is not smothered in English proof marks, only the Finnish proof
marks which I really like.

I hope I have given enough details about this rifle, and as soon as I can I will post photographs. I am on the hunt for a
pair of Sako 22mm rings & mounts, as I have a pretty little Pecar Berlin Scope I would like to mount on this L46 rifle.

Regards Blackjack AKA Mike The Limey

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Congrats on your find!!! Sounds like you snagged a beauty. Will look forward to the pics. 66 years from Finland to Sweden to England & who know where in between. If that rifle could only talk!

 

[blackjack]

Thanks Paul,

I forgot to say that the 6,3 X 33 R rifle also has the original pistol-grip cap and sling swivels, and the stock is made from Birch not Walnut.

Thanks Blackjack

 

[mrfiberclass]

Hi! Congratulations to your "new" rifle. I used to have one of those and it shot like a Dream with old factory sako ammunition. I have had several L46:s but nowdays only a .22 Hornet reside in our house. I have several old mounts, some of them NIB. I do Believe I have one set 22 mm, as well as an old pecar scope to match. I go to the UK now and then (last in September and also in February for some stalking) and I could bring them over sometime. If you are in a hurry, it is of course possible to send them. Send me a message and remind me, since I am not in here all the time.

 

[topgear]

Looking forward to seeing some snaps of the old girl Blackjack. I think all the export birch stocks had checkering on pistol grip (some fore end as well) and the domestic birch stocked rifles had no checkering.

 

[blackjack]

Hello MRfiberclass,

I PM you earlier on today. Very interesting to read how accurate the Sako .25-20 WCF ammunition was.
Wish I could find some. However I did find a box of 50 Remington rounds.

Blackjack

 

[mrfiberclass]

Hi Blackjak - I have tried to reply so please look in your message box. I used to have a lot of sako factory 25-20 ammo, but it was sold with the rifle. I may still have some cartridges since I have a permit to collect ammunition, so I can have a look. However, exporting ammunition is a little tricky but I know a gun dealer in West Sussex that may be able to help.

 

[janne skog]

Lots of good reading here. This is my 1st post - I just recently bought a L46 25-20 my 1st Sako. The previous owner bought it from Finland in 2006 and has not fired a single shot. I have only seen it on a pic yet. It comes with some brass & some ammo. I will only use it for forest bird-hunting, I think it will be perfect for it.

Now I will have to order some reloading dies and will perhaps be looking for more brass, bullets & ammo.
Do you know where I can find bullets & brass? (I live in N of Sweden)

 

[stonecreek]

Congratulations on your L46 .25-20, Janne! By "forest bird" I'm assuming that you are speaking of the Capercaelli? I understand that they are very wary birds and that they stay far enough out of shotgun range that they must be hunted with a rifle.

We have several Swedish members here, so maybe they can tell you where to find reloading supplies for a .25-20. Such supplies are a bit difficult to find even here in the U.S. since the brass and bullet manufacturers have neglected less popular calibers for the last several years.

 

[blackjack]

Hello Steve,

We have Capercailzie or Capercaillie { same bird } over here in Scotland, which are shot for the Taxidermist and not the table. I have not heard of hunters using rifles. The preferred weapon is a shotgun with BB or No. 4 shot being used. The bird feeds on pine needles and is not recommended for eating.

Blackjack

 

[topgear]

Janne welcome to the forum mate. I saw that gun and am interested to find out more. I take it that it's the one in the middle of the photo? The thing is the only .25-20 that Sako made that I'm aware of is the L46. However that middle rifle in the photo looks nothing like a L46, bolt is wrong etc. So I would love to see some photos of it when you get it. You could have a really interesting Sako rifle there.

We can get factory loaded Remington and Winchester out here which I'm using to build up brass for reloading at the moment. There is also star line .32-20 brass out here which is common as well that could be pretty easily necked down. Anyway hopefully you can order something in.

I'm about to start reloading for mine. Planning on using lilgun and 75 grn HPs.

Anyway please keep us posted.

Cheers John

 

[janne skog]

Thank you topgear. Yes it´s the one in the middle, the lower is a Mosin Nagant and the other a Beretta A390 - all guns from the seller. As soon I have the gun I will post more pics + serialnumber. I will also handload and most probably use Vihtavouri or Norma powder, I will check what other handloaders use for powder around here.

stonecreek/blackjack: yes I hunt capercaille (Tetra urogallus) and black grouse with my dog specialised in that kind of hunt, a Norrbottenspitz. The birds here are among the best you can eat imo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norrbottenspets

 

[topgear]

Well janne that will be interesting. Like I say I'm pretty certain from the photo it's not a L46. So I wonder what you have. Maybe some sort of Sako prototype?
The other thing I have found reference to is Husqvarna rifles in small calibres and I have actually seen one of these advertised in 7x33 and .25-20. I've never been able to see photographs of these rifles though. I wonder if this rifle could be one of those?

very interesting and please post some photos when you get it.

 

[janne skog]

topgear: I have the original paperwork (license) - got it today: It says Sako cal .25-20 (6,3x33) Serialnumber 99305

 

[topgear]

Amazing. That is really interesting janne. The highest serial numbers on the L46 that we know off were from the second production run with some rifles in the 80 000 range. I Have never seen anything in the 90 000 range. I don't think your rifle is an L46 personally. It will be really interesting to see what you have. If you can post some photos up when you get it we would really appreciate it. You may have found something we have never ever seen before! Every once in a while we seem to unearth something really cool that Sako built!

You've got me all excited!

 

[janne skog]

Here is a copy of the license: It does not say what model it is - it´s blank.

 

[stonecreek]

Janne: By all means, post some detailed photos of your new .25-20!

 

[janne skog]

got som more pics today from the seller:

 

[deersako]

Hi Janne,

Any more pics of action or barrel stampings ?
The only one I can see is on the buttplate, I can't make it out, but it's not any of the familiar Sako insignia's.

Does anyone recognise the make of this rifle ?