Block Letter "N" on L579 Barrel

[atticus]

Kinda thought that, Stonecreek. The only markings on the barrel are cal. 243 win on left side, on right side, 61c, on top of the barrel, is 61L, in front of a P that the bottom becomes a J, and its in a oval

 

[northernlights]

Re-visiting an old thread with a couple of photos:

Bofors marked .243 Sporter showing the block "N" underneath the inspector's initials:


Bofors marked .243 HB without the block "N" but with the same inspectors initials:


Does the block "N" remain one of the Sako mysteries?

northernlights

 

[icebear]

My first thought was that it could be a Nitro proof mark from whatever country the rifle was first shipped to. But then I went through the previous posts and saw that there were a number of these guns with the N, and they all seemed to be .243's. Which is strange. Perhaps there were some .243's made for shipment to a country that required an N for Nitro proof mark, and the order was cancelled? For anybody who has one of these guns, is there a US import stamp? Maybe some of those guns are GI bringbacks that went through the PX system and acquired an extra proof mark for the country where the PX was located. This is all pure speculation; I have no actual knowledge and my collection is no help since I haven't owned a .243 Sako since the late 1990's when I traded mine for a repro Sharps.

 

[bloorooster]

Northern Bro
I have twice now been involved with the “N” mystery.
My findings thus far are that still, no other rifles in any other caliber besides .243 win have shown up. The earliest example was on a Sporter I owned numbered in the 10xxx range, then a DeLux numbered 15xxx and a Mannlicher Carbine numbered 25xxx…all were .243’s. All have been L579’s….I’d still like to hear of one in any other caliber and / or model designation.
Lol! I even had Deergoose digging thru his inventory!
Good luck!
Bloo

edit: all my rifles marked with the “N” are pre Gun Control Act …no import stamps.
Pre Garcia as well!

 

[cat9]

I was a little interested in an ugly duckling L579 .243 at a Canadian auction. In part because it has that mysterious N proof mark/stamp or whatever the correct term is.

https://www.icollector.com/5-10-SAKO-MODEL-L579-FORESTER-CALIBER-243-WIN_i49739544

The gun has the N and, like most such guns I guess, has an earlier serial number … 21767.

But I was surprised to hear from the auction house that there is no Bofors Steel stamp on the barrel. Which rules it out for me. (And the barrel does not seem to be twisted to hide the Bofors stamp.)

Would not all barrels with an N be Bofors?

Maybe a more interesting item is

https://www.icollector.com/9-10-BROWNING-MODEL-HIGH-POWER-SAFARI-CALIBER-308-WIN_i49739481

which they say is Sako-made?

Cheers.

 

[bloorooster]

I think the ugly duckling is Bofors. There is one photo that, if you squint right, you can almost make it out.

 

[icebear]

Maybe a more interesting item is

https://www.icollector.com/9-10-BROWNING-MODEL-HIGH-POWER-SAFARI-CALIBER-308-WIN_i49739481

which they say is Sako-made?

Made in Belgium by FN on a Sako action.

 

[cat9]

I think the ugly duckling is Bofors. There is one photo that, if you squint right, you can almost make it out.

Yeah, I thought so too as a maybe. So I wrote and asked and they said no Bofors. Might be worth checking with the auctioneer again.

 

[cat9]

Made in Belgium by FN on a Sako action.

That certainly sounds correct. But oddly enough the barrel is stamped made in Finland under the standard Browning Utah Montreal stamp. Maybe they did that all the time, given the Sako action?

 

[bloorooster]

For less than $300 CAD … it could make a good project gun

 

[stonecreek]

I agree that if you blow up the photo of the RH side of the rifle you'll see marking on the barrel in the correct location for the Bofors Steel mark.

The entire barreled action for the Browning Safaris in .222, .222 Magnum, .22-250, .243, .284, and .308 were made in Finland by Sako. Only the stocks were fitted by FN in Belgium. (Note that the first year of the Safari production used an FN small ring action for the .243 and .308. These are very scarce.)

 

[bloorooster]

Would not all barrels with an N be Bofors?
Cheers.

All the rifles I have owned with the N have been Bofors stamped, also all chambered in .243 win.
Keeping the Never say Never rule in front..a L579 that has both the earliest floorplate release lever inside the trigger guard and the flattened bolt knob should be Bofors stamped.

 

[cat9]

I agree that if you blow up the photo of the RH side of the rifle you'll see marking on the barrel in the correct location for the Bofors Steel mark.

The entire barreled action for the Browning Safaris in .222, .222 Magnum, .22-250, .243, .284, and .308 were made in Finland by Sako. Only the stocks were fitted by FN in Belgium. (Note that the first year of the Safari production used an FN small ring action for the .243 and .308. These are very scarce.)

Thank you. So would that be an L579 action in the Browning? Thanks.

 

[stonecreek]

Thank you. So would that be an L579 action in the Browning? Thanks.

Correct. However, it was round-topped, meaning no dovetails and required screw-on bases to mount a scope. Unlike some other round-topped actions made by Sako for other companies, the Browning-Sako actions had the rear receiver ring milled down lower than the front, much like an FN Mauser. The actions made for Browning also had bright bolt handles, unlike the contemporaneous Foresters which had blued handles.

The Browning L461's and L579's also had their own serial numbering, which, unlike Sako's own numbering system, were pretty much -- wait for it -- serial! And unlike Sakos, the year the rifle (or at least the barreled action) was made can be determined from its serial number.

By the way, the Safaris came in two versions, a sporter with a very light, 22" stepped barrel (often called the "pencil barrel") and a heavier, but not quite bull barrel that was 24" long. The heavier barrel was available in .222, .222 Mag, .22-250, and .243.

There were also two fancier grades, the "Medallion" and the "Olympian", which had increasingly ornate engraving and select wood. "Long" and magnum calibers were built on the FN Mauser large ring action -- but in later versions even some of it was Sako in that Sako supplied the triggers.

 

[cat9]

Correct. However, it was round-topped, meaning no dovetails and required screw-on bases to mount a scope. Unlike some other round-topped actions made by Sako for other companies, the Browning-Sako actions had the rear receiver ring milled down lower than the front, much like an FN Mauser. The actions made for Browning also had bright bolt handles, unlike the contemporaneous Foresters which had blued handles.

The Browning L461's and L579's also had their own serial numbering, which, unlike Sako's own numbering system, were pretty much -- wait for it -- serial! And unlike Sakos, the year the rifle (or at least the barreled action) was made can be determined from its serial number.

By the way, the Safaris came in two versions, a sporter with a very light, 22" stepped barrel (often called the "pencil barrel") and a heavier, but not quite bull barrel that was 24" long. The heavier barrel was available in .222, .222 Mag, .22-250, and .243.

There were also two fancier grades, the "Medallion" and the "Olympian", which had increasingly ornate engraving and select wood. "Long" and magnum calibers were built on the FN Mauser large ring action -- but in later versions even some of it was Sako in that Sako supplied the triggers.

Thanks very much for that info.
As you guys thought, here is the reply today from the auction house:

I’ve checked the firearm today and have found this marking on the barrel – sorry I think the person that checked yesterday should have put on their specs

 

[douglastwo]

That certainly sounds correct. But oddly enough the barrel is stamped made in Finland under the standard Browning Utah Montreal stamp. Maybe they did that all the time, given the Sako action?

The Safari grade Browning/Sako action rifles are all stamped made in Finland, supposedly, because producing the barreled action was considered a larger percent of the work than the work performed at Browning FN to complete the rifle. The identical rifle was offered in two higher grades (Medallion and Olympian). All Medallion and Olympian grade Browning/Sako action rifles are stamped "Made in Belgium", because the additional work to engrave the metal, apply a more luxurious metal finish, and upgrade the wood stock with more difficult checkering resulted in Browning performing more of the work to produce the rifle, thus Browning got the rights to stamp them "Made in Belgium". This is what I was told by my Browning friends in the know.

 

[stonecreek]

All Medallion and Olympian grade Browning/Sako action rifles are stamped "Made in Belgium"

Douglas2: If I knew this I had forgotten it (that applies to a lot of knowledge I once possessed . ) But you're right, as I checked the only Browning-Sako Medallion grade I own and found the "Made in Belgium" stamping on the barrel where you see "Made in Finland" on the Safari grade. I'm too lazy to take the rifle out of the stock, but I wonder if the action, magazine box, and trigger are stamped "Finland" like most Sakos?

 

[douglastwo]

I no longer own any high grade Browning Sakos, so I can't take one apart to see. And I suffer from foggy memory also.

 

[douglastwo]

Douglas2: If I knew this I had forgotten it (that applies to a lot of knowledge I once possessed . ) But you're right, as I checked the only Browning-Sako Medallion grade I own and found the "Made in Belgium" stamping on the barrel where you see "Made in Finland" on the Safari grade. I'm too lazy to take the rifle out of the stock, but I wonder if the action, magazine box, and trigger are stamped "Finland" like most Sakos?

Here's 3 pictures of a Medallion grade 22-250 Browning/Sako serial number 6179 A7 showing the stamping you asked about. In photo 1, the trigger is stamped on the right side Made in Finland. The stamp is mostly covered by the safety and you need to enlarge the picture to see "nland". In photo 2, the action is stamped Made in Finland on the left side and is covered by the stock. In photo 3, a portion of the Browning serial number and caliber is stamped on the bottom of the barrel close to the action and is covered by the stock. The entire Browning serial number (6179A7), Caliber and Made in Belgium is stamped in the normal location of the barrel where it it visible and not covered by the wood. I forgot to look at the mag box to see if it is marked.