Dumoulin Sako 61R in .270

[TIMEBANDIT]

I picked up this Dumoulin with a Sako L61R action a couple years ago here in Dallas,Tx. It is a very fine rifle with a great scope. It seems Dumoulin Rifles are rare with a Sako action. I have only seen one or two and they were heavily engraved, in addition to what I have. Do any of you guys have any information on this rifle? View attachment 13957

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Ernest Dumoulin made what amounts to a custom rifle for retail sale on a small scale, but is not well known nor found in great numbers. From what I have heard Dumoulin rifles are now under the Herstal umbrella, but I have no idea how one would currently acquire one or even if they are available anymore. Based on your serial number your rifle was built when Sako offered their actions only, in the white, to the gunsmith trade for building custom rifles. Yours is obviously a high quality build & you have shown us some wonderful close ups to confirm that, but not a picture of the whole rifle for us to enjoy. The serial number is within the range the club has records on, so you could request the factory data on when the action was shipped & to who. Just click on Factory Records Service on the upper left of this page.

 

[stonecreek]

The serial number is within the range the club has records on

Sorry, but the Club's records on the L61R just go through #48900 so records on this Dumoulin would not be available.

A couple of other very scarce proprietary Sakos have shown up on Gunbroker recently, an Anschutz and a Holland & Holland. Both are asking multi-thousand dollar prices, so far without response. The market seems not to be very active in this type of item, even though they are scarce (and in my opinion quite desirable). They seem to be more a curiosity rather than of active interest to Sako enthusiasts. Even a Browning Medallion or Olympian on a Sako action, either of which will command serious dollars, seem to garner much more interest as a "Browning" than as a "Sako".

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Oops! I forgot the records ended @ 48900.

 

[Deleted member 14372]

For what it’s worth I ran across this page from the 1979 Gun Digest. They went for $1,350 that year.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[icebear]

I've heard of these before, but never seen one on a Sako action. I have seen a Dumoulin built on an FN action. Thought about buying it but it was chambered for a cartridge I wasn't interested in. I'd love to see a Dumoulin-Sako close up. If these guns were going for $1350 in 1979, what would they be worth today?

 

[misako50]

I was impressed with the quality of the checkering and all of the rest of the rifle. It could be all Dumoulin's work, save the metal on the unengraved option whereas it would fit in the proprietary Sakos category. It could also be a custom stock. I did manage to find stamping on the barrel that is normally where the bofors mark would have been on the older "bears"

 

[stonecreek]

I've heard of these before, but never seen one on a Sako action.

There was one on a Sako action on the Griffin & Howe website a while back, but the vast majority were on FN actions. I've also seen them on actions said to be Dumoulin's own square bridge Mauser, but I'm not sure whether that reference may be erroneous.

I've always been confused by H. (Henri) Dumoulin, and Ernest Dumoulin. Both were Belgian and I have to assume the two were related, but they produced somewhat different firearms. Maybe someone has some information to enlighten me.

Similarly, there were some Winslow rifles built on Sako actions, while most were on FN actions. When the original Winslow (of Florida) was bought out by the shop in South Carolina things changed and the S.C. Winslows seemed not to be of the same quality as the originals.

 

[icebear]

Just for fun I looked up Dumoulin on Gunbroker. Found one in 9.3x62 with - would you believe - what appears to be a fiberglass stock. Buy it now price was 1850 if I remember right. There was also a very fancy left-handed .416 for big money, and a couple of other things.

 

[bumppo]

I paid CDN$499 for this dumoulin-herstal mauser 98 sporter barrelled action, marked SARCO EASTON PA / MAUSER / BELGIUM on the receiver's underside.
see also sarco's website: https://www.sarcoinc.com/dumoulin-mauser-action/
any info or comments would be appreciated.
the bottom of the bolt-handle knob is flattened and crosshatch-milled like my 1960 sako forester's.
the trigger is unknown to me but I believe it is not standard mauser 98.
(sorry if this post belongs more in the non-sako forum)

 

[stonecreek]

The integral scope bases are a little reminiscent of Sako but are quite unique. So is the "Model 70-style" safety.

 

[misako50]

So much for the tightening effect of inertia.

 

[bumppo]

here is a dumoulin-herstal mauser 98-action custom build in progress at the shop of a Quebec City gunsmith named christian lemieux whom I contacted about helping me with mine.
I don't know what to think at all about spending alot of money on such a project.

 

[icebear]

If nothing else, it's one of the most spectacular pieces of exhibition grade wood I've ever seen.