Early L61R Finnbear Info??

[Guest]

I'm new to this forum and appreciate reading all the great input from you experts. I have a quick question: Just purchased a really sharp Pre-Garcia Finnbear in 30-06 with a period Balvar 8 scope. This rifle has sling swivels, is marked "Bofors Steel," with a serial# 1269. Bolt matches. Seems to my amatuer eye to be complete, original, and fairly early in the L61R production run. Only a slight thinning of bluing at the muzzle crown as though worn by slipping in and out of a scabbard. Paid $725.00.

What year do you all think this is?

Appreciate it!

 

[Guest]

Whoa! That's a low number.

You can't always depend on Sako serial numbers to accurately judge the year of production, but the very early L61R actions were pretty consistent. So far as I know (which is about as far as from my chair to my desk), the L61R SN started with #1 (or thereabout) and proceeded in a linear fashion through at least the first 10,000 or so. Some time later, they began to jump around with certain blocks of serial numbers reserved for certain calibers, so that a gun of one caliber with a lower serial number than a gun of another caliber with a higher serial number might actually have been produced later.

At any rate, I believe that your rifle is one of the first 1200 or so L61R's produced, which would almost certainly be within the first two CALENDAR years of production. I believe the first L61R's were turned out sometime in 1962, so you're looking at '62-'63 is my guess.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm old to rifles but new to Sakos. I found an early 80's AV in 25-06 this last summer and thought it was the most beautiful rifle I'd ever seen. So, I got hooked and found your site. I did a double-take on the Finnbear serial number when I first saw it this weekend, and went back this morning and grabbed it. It is in magnificent shape, too. Thanks again for the info!