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Re-barreled?

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

dtspoke

Member
My Sako knowledge is fairly limited, so bear with me. I picked up this Finnbear at an estate auction recently. It's in very good shape, but when I got home and started researching the serial number I noticed something that I thought was contradictory. My understanding is that the SN on this L61R connotes a manufacture date somewhere mid 60's, at least before 1973.

Didn't Garcia start importation after 1973? The barrel shows Garcia so if that's correct the only thing I can assume is that it was re-barreled at some point. Correct?

The blueing on the barrel doesn't seem to match the receiver in the sunlight, but I've had barrels change color at different rates over time than the receiver so I'm not sure that is evidence enough.

Thoughts?
 

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One other point to note, commercial rifles weren't labeled .25-06 until after 1969 since that is when Remington adopted and introduced the cartridge, which gives more credence to re-barreling.
 
Trying to determine a date of manufacture from a serial number can be an act of futility, sometimes, with Sakos. Making any assumption is difficult as there are documented cases of serial numbers being many thousands lower being shipped many years later. It is a factory barrel, it is stamped L61R & it was imported by Garcia. Based on those parameters, I would say it was made after Garcia started importing them (circa 1973?) & before the action stamping change to AIII (1978). Not sure what year the 25-06 was introduced, but that would narrow it down a little more. The different hues to the bluing is from the metals in the barrel & action being different & the "plum" color is not uncommon. It is not a rebarreled rifle in my estimation. It is more trustworthy to use what you see to determine made on dates than the serial number as Sako did not build rifles in sequential order or with any regard to the serial number. Welcome to the club!
 
OK, thanks. That's helpful.

I agree on the blueing being an inaccurate determination of re-barreling, but the SN question made me assume 2+2= New Barrel.
 
Your sporter is a twin to my L61R #61166 25/06 , and is a three lug Garcia import. Odds are slim that both guns were re-barreled. Just sayin'.
 
My understanding is that the SN on this L61R connotes a manufacture date somewhere mid 60's, at least before 1973.
As Paulson notes, Sako serial numbers skip around in a somewhat random fashion, so dating by serial number alone is very "iffy". However, I haven't come across any L61R's with serial numbers in the 60,000 range as early as the 1960's -- all were early 1970's or even later.

Garcia took over as the U.S. importer during the year of 1971 (both Firearms International and Garcia -- sometimes under the subsidiary name of Impecco -- each imported Sakos during part of that year). And the first .25-06's chambered by Sako were made after Garcia became the importer. Everything about your rifle, including the checkering pattern, caliber, serial number, and barrel marking is consistent with an early Garcia L61R.
 
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