L461 S type bottom metal, what year?

[cmjr]

Approximately at what serial number did Sako go from the S type mag release to the new style? I have a L461 serial number 103,xxx, S type bottom metal and long ejector with no serial number on the bolt. Just trying to make sense of what's in front of me. I've seen original rifles without numbered bolts and all stand alone actions in a box I've owned weren't numbered.

 

[stonecreek]

I can't tell you the approximate date that the round button release came into production, but it is very approximately about the same time as the Bofors mark was dropped and the stock dimensions beefed up, meaning about 1968-ish. However, just because the push button release was introduced then doesn't mean that Sako didn't continue producing rifles with bottom metal with the "S" release for some period of time afterwards -- perhaps a few dribbled out for years.

Sako, it appears, always used up their functional inventory even if it had been obsoleted by a later design. So, it isn't that uncommon to find a Sako with a mixture of "old" and "new" features which is a factory original. Unlike, say, Winchesters, which seem to make a changeover at a certain SN and never go back, there is no such bright line with Sakos.

Factory finished Sako rifles without a numbered bolt are usually rifles which either have replacement bolts or the bolt handle has been reblued. I haven't seen a factory Sako rifle bolt without a number, at least not that could be identified as factory. On the other hand, as you observe, Sako actions-only seem to have come without numbered bolts. I'm at a loss as to how to explain this lack of bolt numbering, other than that Sako did not keep sales/shipping records on actions-only prior to the late 1970's. (However, the actions-only are listed in the production/inspection records).

 

[stonecreek]

Just remembered: Others have speculated that bolts were only numbered after the barrel was fitted and headspaced. Since an action-only can't be headspaced, the actions-only never went to the little elf with the electric pencil who engraved the rifle's serial number on the bolt after barreling.

 

[cmjr]

That's what I remember about the numbering also, barreled actions were numbered. This action could have been an action only as it's been blued in a matte finish. Any idea as to when they went from the long ejector to the short one?

 

[stonecreek]

Any idea as to when they went from the long ejector to the short one?

I'd say about the same time, but I really don't have anything concrete to base it on.

I have only two Sakos without bolt numbers, and both are L461 custom rifles that someone else built. One appears to have been full custom built from the action-up. The other may have originally been a finished rifle (or barreled action) on which the bolt number has been obliterated in applying a custom Cerakote-type finish.

 

[kevinlg]

Chuck,

You do mean "extractor".....don't ya?

BTW.....I don't have a clue as to whether there was any cut-off date.......for the floorplate release or extractor.

 

[topgear]

Cmjr I think it was just after the 100000 range but like stonecreek said I think there was a lot of cross over and mix and match. We also got .17 rem rifles out here stamped L461 on the action but with A1 style bolts!