Guys and gals!
We´ve had a bonanza of pics lately with loads of new findings and we´ve learned a lot about our favourite brand. This is exactly why I run this forum so I thought I´d contribute some as well.
First. I collect from a technical and historical point of view, which means I concentrate on the differences and on the technical details more than on the condition. To find a NIB L46 is probably possible but not important to me, even if I´d prefer good condition to poor. All my rifles are used and some will be re-finished in the future.
I find it very pleasing to un-tie all the little knots in the production of Sako. The model I find most intriguing is the L46 line as there´s a multitude of varieties and models. In the very beginning they were virtually hand made and there are many small variations. There are so many discrepancies and to collect all varieties is most likely impossible.
I am working on a proper article on these fine rifles but that will take time so you will have to make do with this for now.
I will start this "lecture" with my own L46 from 1946 and it has serial # 840, so it´s quite early.
Like all the first L46 rifles it´s a 7x33.
It has the ususal early L46 features with birch stock, barrel band,
straight stock with cheek piece,
open sights with rear tangent sight
and left hand safety.
This particular stock is lighter than some other stocks and has checkering around the pistol grip. Below is three L46´s in the #200, #400 and #1000 range and they have no checkering at all.
I´ve also seen a few early birch stocks (with barrel bands), which are fully checkered.
The butt plate and the pistol grip cap are early and there are later versions of these.
and here´s the rear swivel.
So far, so good! Now over to what differs this one compared to later one.
All the early L46´s I´ve seen, have bolts which are not blued/browned.
The shape of the bolt handle is also different than others I have and have seen.
#4604
#5806
#13622
The top of the receiver has the dovetails and is marked L46 in the front one. This disappears later in the production. It also has the strange hole as many of the early ones had. Don´t know exactly why and I have yet to see what kind of mounts were intended for it.
Later dovetail without L46 markings and hole
These early ones didn´t have MADE IN FINLAND roll marked on the forward right hand side like later ones. This changed somewhere between mine and one I´ve seen in the #1000 range.
Then there´s the roll marks on the left hand side. If I can remember correctly I´ve only seen this marking on 1946 rifles but I have a hunch there might be a few from 1947?
Another thing is that there is no gas evacuation hole like on later ones.
This one has the first left hand safety which is the most common one.
The bolt release mechanism is the first version and I have seen at least two and maybe three others. Pic below of one other version.
There are also another LH but that one is scarce and must have been a transition version just before the right hand safety was introduced.
I´ve seen mentionings of differences in barrel contour and length but I have no info at hand right now. What you can see here is the ”flange” on the early barrels. This disappears somewhere down line. At the beginning all metal were browned but later blued.
Trigger guards and bottom metal differs as well. This one has a pressed trigger guard which is welded on to the bottom metal plate.
Later they are incorporated. Magazines also differs some and a few are not marked with calibers at all.
I may have forgotten loads of details but I´ll post more later. I will show more pics from later rifles to illustrate what I have stated here.
Have a great weekend my fellow Gentlemen!
Jim
We´ve had a bonanza of pics lately with loads of new findings and we´ve learned a lot about our favourite brand. This is exactly why I run this forum so I thought I´d contribute some as well.
First. I collect from a technical and historical point of view, which means I concentrate on the differences and on the technical details more than on the condition. To find a NIB L46 is probably possible but not important to me, even if I´d prefer good condition to poor. All my rifles are used and some will be re-finished in the future.
I find it very pleasing to un-tie all the little knots in the production of Sako. The model I find most intriguing is the L46 line as there´s a multitude of varieties and models. In the very beginning they were virtually hand made and there are many small variations. There are so many discrepancies and to collect all varieties is most likely impossible.
I am working on a proper article on these fine rifles but that will take time so you will have to make do with this for now.
I will start this "lecture" with my own L46 from 1946 and it has serial # 840, so it´s quite early.
Like all the first L46 rifles it´s a 7x33.
It has the ususal early L46 features with birch stock, barrel band,
straight stock with cheek piece,
open sights with rear tangent sight
and left hand safety.
This particular stock is lighter than some other stocks and has checkering around the pistol grip. Below is three L46´s in the #200, #400 and #1000 range and they have no checkering at all.
I´ve also seen a few early birch stocks (with barrel bands), which are fully checkered.
The butt plate and the pistol grip cap are early and there are later versions of these.
and here´s the rear swivel.
So far, so good! Now over to what differs this one compared to later one.
All the early L46´s I´ve seen, have bolts which are not blued/browned.
The shape of the bolt handle is also different than others I have and have seen.
#4604
#5806
#13622
The top of the receiver has the dovetails and is marked L46 in the front one. This disappears later in the production. It also has the strange hole as many of the early ones had. Don´t know exactly why and I have yet to see what kind of mounts were intended for it.
Later dovetail without L46 markings and hole
These early ones didn´t have MADE IN FINLAND roll marked on the forward right hand side like later ones. This changed somewhere between mine and one I´ve seen in the #1000 range.
Then there´s the roll marks on the left hand side. If I can remember correctly I´ve only seen this marking on 1946 rifles but I have a hunch there might be a few from 1947?
Another thing is that there is no gas evacuation hole like on later ones.
This one has the first left hand safety which is the most common one.
The bolt release mechanism is the first version and I have seen at least two and maybe three others. Pic below of one other version.
There are also another LH but that one is scarce and must have been a transition version just before the right hand safety was introduced.
I´ve seen mentionings of differences in barrel contour and length but I have no info at hand right now. What you can see here is the ”flange” on the early barrels. This disappears somewhere down line. At the beginning all metal were browned but later blued.
Trigger guards and bottom metal differs as well. This one has a pressed trigger guard which is welded on to the bottom metal plate.
Later they are incorporated. Magazines also differs some and a few are not marked with calibers at all.
I may have forgotten loads of details but I´ll post more later. I will show more pics from later rifles to illustrate what I have stated here.
Have a great weekend my fellow Gentlemen!
Jim
