• Hey All! Lately there has been more and more scammers on the forum board. They register and replies to members requests for guns and/or parts or other things. The reply contains a gmail or hotmail address or similar ”anonymous” email addresses which they want you to reply to. DO NOT ANSWER ANY STRANGE MESSAGES! They often state something like this: ”Hello! Saw your post about purchasing a stock for a Safari. KnuckleheadBob has one. Email him at: [email protected]” If you receive any strange messages: Check the status of whoever message you. If they have no posts and signed up the same day or very recently, stay away. Same goes for other members they might refer to. Check them too and if they are long standing members, PM them and ask if the message is legit. Most likely it’s not. Then use the report function in each message or post so I can kick them out! Beware of anything that might seem fishy! And again, for all of you who registered your personal name as username, please contact me so I can change it to a more anonymous username. You’d be surprised of how much one can find out about a person from just a username on a forum such ad our! All the best! And be safe! Jim

Pictorial of the P54

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

L-46

Well-Known Member
So little is known about the P54 outside of Finland,

A fun little rifle which has enjoyed vast popularity bringing meat to the table, plinking jam tins, and even competition biathlon. Production started in 1954 and ceased when the P-72 was introduced. The first serial number produced was 20001 and i have seen numbers up to about 44xxx.
The 'P' is short for 'Pienois-kivaarit' or 'Small-Rifle'. Not being fluent in Finnish i hope my translation is close.

I have over the years wanted to learn what i could about this little 'P' rifle. I bought my first P54 back 25 years ago from a leading gun shop in Sydney. The store owner did not know what he was selling, he called it a 'finnfire', the model stamp was hidden by the scope mount, but he knew it was a Sako and worth alot!
It was high on the wall in the old shop with all the rifles that were keepers for the family dynasty. It was only a keen eye and perseverance that parted that little Sako out of his tight grip!

They were imported to most countries that imported the Sako centre fire rifles, Australia imported the odd one but not many. With most rimfire sales here, at the time, they where going to browning pumps and autos and the Brno/CZ repeaters. I can only imagine that the price of a P54 was higher than the average rimfire also. Browning autos had the market cornered when you had a rabbit plague, and believe me we have had Rabbit plagues here, and Brno was well know for a crisp trigger and great accuracy. The P54 had neither of these attributes.

Sako was by no means a leader in the Finnish rifle market, playing small brother to larger companies like Valmet and Tikka. At the time, decisions were birthed from a strong German influence. Prior to 1930 the Finnish civil guard 'P' rifles where imported. The accepted trigger for military and hunting rifles was a two stage trigger.

I do not want to say much more, and let you see for your self the beauty and variations of this early Sako! 001 - Copy.JPG

The rifles are shown from lowest serial number at the bottom 205xx, to the top at 41xxx.
Both Domestic and Export stocks can be seen clearly, funnily enough the domestic stocks are common in most countries, so it may never be known as whether the stocks are standard and deluxe grades! 003 - Copy.JPG

These rifles gathered briefly for a photo shoot, a one off, and are now nestled back at home with some of our members and Sako enthusiasts 'Downunder'.

L-46
 
Fantastic display, L-46!

I almost never see a P54 for sale here in the U.S. I'm guessing that the European market was where most of them went.

How did they differ from the P46?

And would you consider the P72 a significant improvement? I do have a P72 and its trigger and accuracy are excellent.
 
Oh wow! Now that´a decent collection of P54´s, if only a temporary one!
A huge thank you for posting it!

stonecreek, the main difference is that the P46 was a single shot and P54´s have magazines but I will let L-46 tell you all more as I am on the run today.

Man, that was truly a treat for my sore eyes!

Jim
 
Fantastic display, L-46!

I almost never see a P54 for sale here in the U.S. I'm guessing that the European market was where most of them went.

How did they differ from the P46?

And would you consider the P72 a significant improvement? I do have a P72 and its trigger and accuracy are excellent.
Jim is right the main difference being the single shot vs repeater. I have seen the stocks interchanged and also the bottom metal is interchangable.
I have only ever seen the P46 with the domestic stock so i am assuming this is the only configuration Sako offered. IMG_9076 - Copy.JPG

The P46 for comparison, without stripping them down, the triggers and bolt are different along with small things like the sling swivel attached to the barrel. The P54 has a toggle safety on the trigger and the P45 has the hand cocking piece on the rear of the bolt, similar to many early rimfire makes.

I have never owned a P72-78 so others would be better versed with the improvements.

A few chose ups of a friends P54's collection.
IMG_6812.jpg

You can really see how different the colours are!

L-46
 
Hi,
There are some beautiful rifles there. I have a P54-T down in OZ too, bought it years ago. It has the offhand ball etc, however the rear sight is missing. Does anyone know where I can get one and or what the part number would be? I'd like to complete the rifle again.
The gun is very accurate and nice to shoot, except the bolt will come out of the action when it is cycled. Any ideas on this?
Thanks in advance.
Dan.
 
Dan,
You are very lucky to have the ball, that makes yours a later build, around 30-40xxx.
Do you have the hook as well or the std buttplate?
Pics are always nice, not many have seen these little Sako's.
Do you know any history of it, was it an original Aussie sold rifle?

L-46
 
L46, would the rear sight Dan is looking for be one of the ladder sights depicted in the previous pics ?
If so, I believe Topgear may have a couple for sale.
 
L46, would the rear sight Dan is looking for be one of the ladder sights depicted in the previous pics ?
If so, I believe Topgear may have a couple for sale.

I think the one's on the .22's are graduated to 100 so are different to the two centre fire versions - 300 and 500.
 
Awesome !!

thanks for sharing. Very, very nice set of rare rifles your have there, L-46. My hat is off to you!

DeerGoose
 
Thanks for your reply. I don't have any info on it unfortunately, and Im out of the country so can't look at the SN although I defiantly will. I bought it maybe up to 15 years ago now from someone who must not have known what it was. It has the standard buttplate and barrel mounted rear sight. I have a nice wooden box with red velvet lining that it came in, not sure if original or not.
Dan.
 
So little is known about the P54 outside of Finland,

A fun little rifle which has enjoyed vast popularity bringing meat to the table, plinking jam tins, and even competition biathlon. Production started in 1954 and ceased when the P-72 was introduced. The first serial number produced was 20001 and i have seen numbers up to about 44xxx.
The 'P' is short for 'Pienois-kivaarit' or 'Small-Rifle'. Not being fluent in Finnish i hope my translation is close.

I have over the years wanted to learn what i could about this little 'P' rifle. I bought my first P54 back 25 years ago from a leading gun shop in Sydney. The store owner did not know what he was selling, he called it a 'finnfire', the model stamp was hidden by the scope mount, but he knew it was a Sako and worth alot!
It was high on the wall in the old shop with all the rifles that were keepers for the family dynasty. It was only a keen eye and perseverance that parted that little Sako out of his tight grip!

They were imported to most countries that imported the Sako centre fire rifles, Australia imported the odd one but not many. With most rimfire sales here, at the time, they where going to browning pumps and autos and the Brno/CZ repeaters. I can only imagine that the price of a P54 was higher than the average rimfire also. Browning autos had the market cornered when you had a rabbit plague, and believe me we have had Rabbit plagues here, and Brno was well know for a crisp trigger and great accuracy. The P54 had neither of these attributes.

Sako was by no means a leader in the Finnish rifle market, playing small brother to larger companies like Valmet and Tikka. At the time, decisions were birthed from a strong German influence. Prior to 1930 the Finnish civil guard 'P' rifles where imported. The accepted trigger for military and hunting rifles was a two stage trigger.

I do not want to say much more, and let you see for your self the beauty and variations of this early Sako!View attachment 7675

The rifles are shown from lowest serial number at the bottom 205xx, to the top at 41xxx.
Both Domestic and Export stocks can be seen clearly, funnily enough the domestic stocks are common in most countries, so it may never be known as whether the stocks are standard and deluxe grades!View attachment 7676

These rifles gathered briefly for a photo shoot, a one off, and are now nestled back at home with some of our members and Sako enthusiasts 'Downunder'.

L-46



L-46

Are the P54 sort after bye collectors ?? I've got one here with 2 x magazines.

Regards,
Sean
 
I read above that the Sako p54 (in comparison with the Brno .22) had neither a good trigger nor a reputation for accuracy. I'd like to hear from someone who has used one. The only Sako .22 that I have ever fired is my M78 fullstock. It has a great trigger and shoots right along with my Brno Model 5.

P1I5M0t.jpg
 
Last edited:
I read above that the Sako p54 (in comparison with the Brno .22) had neither a good trigger nor a reputation for accuracy. I'd like to hear from someone who has used one. The only Sako .22 that I have ever fired is my M78 fullstock. It has a great trigger and shoots right along with my minty Brno Model 5.

P1I5M0t.jpg

I use mine regularly and like them. Trigger is adjustable, I don’t have a Brno to compare to, but I have no complaints about accuracy.
 
Last edited:
My son just ran across a P-54, serial 38xxx out west which he says is in very good condition, marked correctly but has no rear sight. Is it possible to find iron rear sights or should he just pass on it?
 
Back
Top