• 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

Sako Finnbear Deluxe 25-06.. honest answers please :)

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Ding

Member
Is it possible for someone to give me some details on my Sako. Barrel is stamped L61R, serial number# 83067. I am pretty confused by now after reading numerous post about pre-garcia, 3 lug bolts, etc... I purchased the rifle while stationed in Germany in the time frame of 74-76 and got it the rod & gun club they had on base at Ramstein AFB. Don't know how long they had it before I purchased it but it was definetly brand new when I bought it. Never really thought anymore about the rifle till I started reading these forums, now I am all confused. As far as I was concerned when I bought the rifle it was stated as a "Sako Finnbear Deluxe 25-06 with checkering & rose wood forward" Can someone give me some insight into what I actually have by my serial #. I am contemplating selling it since I have not shot it since the late seventies, maybe a box & 1/2 thru the rifle since new. I don't have the slightest idea of what I really have and what it is worth as far as trying to sell it. I also had a Redfield 4x12 scope put on it when I originally purchased it. Sorry for all questions and I hope someone honest will answer my questions about my Sako. It's hard to find anyone that will give you an honest answer without trying yo rip you off in the mean time..just looking for an honest straight up answer..Thank you my friends... Ding
 
Ding what you have is deluxe gun from the garcia era. Most likely made late 73 or early 74.pictures are always a help when trying to give a value. i doubt that it will have a 3 lug bolt. the 3rd lug is at the rear of the bolt.hope this helps
Scott
 
Thank you Scott for the quick answer. If it is from the Garcia era, will it have something on the gun stating that or made a stamping mark? As far as the 3 lug bolt, haven't been able to find a picture of what I am suppose to be looking for when someone says about a 3rd lug. Hopefully tomorrow I'll post some pics of the gun, barrel markings, and the bolt..maybe will get better info by doing that. Didn't if it could be done by serial # only. Thanks again Scott... Ding
 
Ding here is a picture of the 3rd lug on a3 lug bolt. your gun will not have any Gacia markings since it was originally shipped to Germany. sent pic to your pm box
 
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The serial number won't tell you anything about which particular model you have, only a very approximate range of its probable manufacturing date. Your rifle is exactly what you state: A Sako Finnbear Deluxe made on the L61R action. An engraved floorplate, skipline checkering, rosewood fore end, and grip cap with a stylized bear head in the grip cap are the fundamental features of the Deluxe (as opposed to standard) model.

Since your rifle was retailed in Europe, then whoever happened to be the U.S. importer/distributor of Sakos at the time (likely Garcia) is irrelevant to it. It is somewhat confusing to interject that issue with this rifle since it would not have a U.S. importer's mark on it in any event.

It would be highly unlikely for a rifle with a serial number this high to have a "third" lug, but the third locking lug, dropped by Sako around 1972, was located just in front of the bolt handle and mated into a recess in the bottom of the rear action ring. The third lug is just behind the rotating bolt guide bar. On bolts without a third lug the rotating guide bar extends all the way to the bolt handle.

Its dollar value will depend somewhat on how the figure of its wood strikes the fancy of a potential buyer, but the .25-06 is a very desirable caliber in this model and tends to bring something of a premium over the more common calibers like .30-06 and 7mm RM. Deluxe Sakos from this era sell at the baseline of around $1,000 (so long as they are not in "beater" condition) and with a combination of extra nice wood and a scarcer caliber chambering can go up to the $2,500 range.

Why don't you post some detailed photos here on SCC. That way there will be no mistaking what you have.
 
IMG_20141219_224437_7461_zpsd57aec0b.jpg
 
Ding

you have a super 74. they were made just after the 72's
The little knob on the bolt shroud tells us it's a super 74.

The most common Deluxe is 243 . . . and they bring at least a $1000.00

Your 25-05 is a Deluxe that will bring a higher value.

My estimate is $1300 to $1500.00
 
You beat me to it " enotstehw " , I figured you would have picked up on that. Any how an open sight Deluxe is hard to come by, you have a "nice" find. It is definitely a two lug.
 
What the heck, the model 74 super serials weren't supposed to start until 500,ooo range for the L61R action. Perhaps a firing pin assembly change? Does the bolt serial match the receiver? Maybe another mismatched to receiver. Jim
 
What the heck, the model 74 super serials weren't supposed to start until 500,ooo range! Perhaps a firing pin assembly change? Does the bolt serial match the receiver? Maybe another mismatched to receiver. Jim

Yes I just looked and the bolt 3 digit number is the same as the last 3 digits in the serial #
 
Ding

you have a super 74. they were made just after the 72's
The little knob on the bolt shroud tells us it's a super 74.

The most common Deluxe is 243 . . . and they bring at least a $1000.00

Your 25-05 is a Deluxe that will bring a higher value.

My estimate is $1300 to $1500.00

So I take it that the FinnBear Deluxe is the same as a Super 74?? Never heard it called a "Super 74".. does that mean the year it was manufactured?.. Thanks for the info.. Ding
 
Ding,strange things can happen but as a rule the model 74 super model came out in approx. 1974 and started with serial number 500,000 with the L61R action, (both in Deluxe and standard grades). Seems to be a mismatched for a 5 digit serial number with the pin in the bolt sleeve. Jim
 
Ding, I am not trying to detract from your very nice rifle in any way. Sako never wasted parts and built rifles out of serial number sequence, it is highly possible they found some receivers and used available parts to finish the rifle. There are many examples of rifles built with parts from different times and so goes the story of Sako. Since you bought the rifle new that is what I would suspect. It would be interesting if you have the hang tag that came with the rifle with the inspection date. The model 74 super is not marked as such on the rifle and only appeared on the box and hang tag and the hang tag is the only way to date the rifle. Jim
 
Ding, I am not trying to detract from your very nice rifle in any way. Sako never wasted parts and built rifles out of serial number sequence, it is highly possible they found some receivers and used available parts to finish the rifle. There are many examples of rifles built with parts from different times and so goes the story of Sako. Since you bought the rifle new that is what I would suspect. It would be interesting if you have the hang tag that came with the rifle with the inspection date. The model 74 super is not marked as such on the rifle and only appeared on the box and hang tag and the hang tag is the only way to date the rifle. Jim

Jim,
Thanks for the reply. The only tag I remember was the price tag that was on the gun when purchased...and the box..well that got ruined many many years ago. Had I been as responsible back then as I am now, it would have made sense to keep the box but, being in your early 20's, we don't think of these things ha ha...anyway thanks for the reply... Ding
 
I did just discover that I do have the original book and it says the "Day of Inspection" is 11-28-1973. Also in the book there is a parts breakdown...maybe the bolt part# would shed some light?? 231-232 is the part # but there is a lot of other parts shown that attach to the bolt, so not sure if that does any good.. Ding
 
The 500,000 serial numbers came about in mid to late 74. The early 70's had special serial numbers for anniversary models ( completely out of sequence )
 
If you have the hang tag (parts manual) with the date and serial number matches your gun. Then you have a "transition gun." And we have a few collectors that collect transition guns. Keep you hang tag as proof that your gun is a factory gun. And not a parts gun, constructed from spare parts here in the states.
 
Seems to be conflicting views as to what I really have, and all this time I thought it was easy until I started researching the Sako forums ha ha.. thanks for the help guys, it is much appreciated :) ...Ding
 
Ding, very nice rifle you have there. There is a similar Finnbear in excellent condition sitting at Cabelas in Hamburg right now priced at 1500.00. It is not listed on their website for whatever the reason, but I would not hesitate to pay that if I wanted it. If it were in .25-06 it would have followed me home. Enjoy that Sako!
 
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