Identification help please

[Juventus206]

Hello all!

Just joined the forum, as I just got my first SAKO. I’ve owned a Tikka for a few years now and love it, but always seemed to lust for a SAKO.

As luck would have it, I was gifted one this weekend. Not much information on it other than it belong to a friends grandfather, who shot it a few times but never warmed to it. It’s sat in a safe for decades.

I can identify that it’s an AV that was imported by Stoeger, my guess is some time in the 80’s. The serial number is an 8 digit number, starting with 603.

I’ve attached a picture for reference, chambered in 7mm REM Mag.

Thanks in advance

 

[gowyo]

Tighten up the screws and clean it before shooting it.

 

[icebear]

Not sure what additional information you want or need. As you have already figured out, you have a standard grade AV Hunter in 7mm Magnum. The guess of mid-80's production is as close as you're going to get, as Sako serial numbers are not in sequence by date and there is no known source of production date information for A-series rifles. The scope rings appear to be original Sako but I can't tell for sure because the photo is at least 2 stops underexposed and the blacks don't show any detail.

The AV is a direct descendent of the original L61R Finnbear. It differs from its prececessor in that it has a redesigned stock, the cocking piece is shrouded, and the tang is a bit longer. The AV action is functionally identical to the older rifle.

Do follow Gowyo's advice and clean the rifle and snug up the action screws before firing. You also might want to check that the stock hasn't warped in the 40 years or so the gun has been around. A-series guns generally have partially or fully floating barrels. A piece of paper should pass freely from a couple of inches in front of the action out to the tip of the stock, or nearly so. Some A-series guns were made with fully floated barrels; others have upward pressure near the tip of the stock. The key is that there should be no off-center contact between the barrel and the stock.

 

[Juventus206]

Awesome reply’s, thank you. I’m not sure so much what I wanted to know, only that I love these types of tools that come with stories. I wasn’t sure which model this was, so hearing it’s a hunter is just a cool useless fact (which I love cool useless facts)

The rings are marked SAKO, so I assume they’re the originals. The Leupold 3.5-10 is just as old, that serial number shows a 1987 manufacturer date.

I’ll check the action screws, but if this rifle was ever fired I couldn’t tell. immaculate condition. Any idea what the toque values are for the action screws?

Thanks for all of the help, very valuable and helpful information.

Warm Regards,

J

 

[icebear]

Any idea what the toque values are for the action screws?

I don't usually bother with the torque wrench for action screws. I use what the Germans call fingerspitzengefühl (feeling in the fingertips). I start by getting both screws nice and snug, then tighten the front screw as tight as it will go with hand pressure. Then I snug up the rear screw to just a tiny bit less than the front.

Far more important than torque numbers is using the right kind of screwdriver. You need a parallel-ground blade, not the tapered kind sold in hardware stores. Tapered blades will twist out of the slot and bugger the screw head. And the blade should be as close to a perfect fit as possible. I use a handle and bit system sold by Brownells. If you prefer fixed-blade drivers, Brownells also makes those. Grace are also good and have square wooden handles for maximum grip.

If you want to use a torque wrench, the Wheeler website has a pdf instruction sheet for the FAT torque wrench, giving base values for firearm applications.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

AFAIK, Sako serial numbers never had 8 digits. The AV stamp is the action model & not part of the SN. Sako started using serial numbers in the 600,000 range in the late 1980's & continued into 1991. AV would be the action model, Finnbear it's generic name, & Hunter it's stock style. It could go by any of those names depending on your preference.

 

[Juventus206]

Thanks again. I noticed this barrel isn’t free floated, a piece of paper only goes in approximately 2.48” before making contact and stopping with the stock. Is/was this common?

 

[icebear]

Thanks again. I noticed this barrel isn’t free floated, a piece of paper only goes in approximately 2.48” before making contact and stopping with the stock. Is/was this common?

Where are you starting the check? At the tip of the stock or just forward of the action? If you are sliding a piece of paper in from the front of the stock, the pressure point on a gun with a non-floating barrel will be about 2-1/2 inches from the tip. Try sliding a narrow piece of paper (a dollar bill, a piece off a note pad, etc.) under the barrel in between the block point and the action. It should slip between the barrel and the stock and move freely through a foot or more of barrel. At least, that's how one or two of mine go. I have A-series rifles with floating barrels and ones with a pressure point a couple inches back from the tip. Again, what you are looking for is unwanted, off-center contact between barrel and stock. It sounds like yours is one of the non-floaters, but there shouldn't be contact behind the pressure point, and the pressure point should be centered.

 

[Juventus206]

Where are you starting the check? At the tip of the stock or just forward of the action? If you are sliding a piece of paper in from the front of the stock, the pressure point on a gun with a non-floating barrel will be about 2-1/2 inches from the tip. Try sliding a narrow piece of paper (a dollar bill, a piece off a note pad, etc.) under the barrel in between the block point and the action. It should slip between the barrel and the stock and move freely through a foot or more of barrel. At least, that's how one or two of mine go. I have A-series rifles with floating barrels and ones with a pressure point a couple inches back from the tip. Again, what you are looking for is unwanted, off-center contact between barrel and stock. It sounds like yours is one of the non-floaters, but there shouldn't be contact behind the pressure point, and the pressure point should be centered.

I started at the tip of the stock. So the pressure point is exactly where you’re mentioning it’d be.

What kind of accuracy can be expected from the non-floating versions? I’m curious now if this led to the original owners frustration.

 

[icebear]

What kind of accuracy can be expected from the non-floating versions?

I can't remember which of my AV rifles have floating barrels and which do not, but they all shoot about the same. I get 100 yard groups around an inch with factory ammo, without a lot of experimenting with different brands, bullet weights, etc. This group shot with an AV in 7x64. 3 shots in just under an inch with cheap PMC ammo. This was a test group to zero the scope. I'm sure the gun could do better if I had the time to play with handloads.


A pair of AV's. 7x64 on top, 9.3x62 on the bottom.

 

[Juventus206]

This is interesting. I’m going to see what kinds of groups I can get with some off the shelf ammunition. If I don’t have to free float it, I’d rather not modify it in any way.

 

[icebear]

This is interesting. I’m going to see what kinds of groups I can get with some off the shelf ammunition. If I don’t have to free float it, I’d rather not modify it in any way.

Agree. Sako's engineers did things the way they did because it worked.