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Banned
June Newsletter
The Sako Model 75 is a Beretta?
Hi Guys, sorry I have not been around lately as work has been very hectic and you know the drill. In any event did have an opportunity to stop in a small gun shop in Ohio that has the occasional Sako or two. When I walked up to the counter and asked what they had a young lad commented that Sako was no longer in business. I will refrain from giving the store's name to prevent any retaliation by our Sako fans. I inquired as to what this young lad was talking about. He repeated knowingly that Sako has gone bankrupt and sold all it's tooling to Beretta. He went on to tell me that Sako's would be built in Beretta's Maryland facility.Getting back to my question, he handed me a Sako Model 75 with a Beretta import stamp. Now if you have ever seen a Beretta Mato you will notice the import stamping is crude and uneven as if someone beat it with a hammer. Sure enough the Sako had a similar marking. This Model 75 was nice in terms of Finnish but the stamp ruined it for me. Now as many of you know I am no fan of the model 75 but still this Import stamp looked like hell. I commented that I though even Sturm Ruger did a better job with their warning stamp and the sales guy agreed. I looked at couple of other Sako's even some new ones without the crude stamping but nothing needed to fill the holes in the old collection. Anyway after several minutes of listening to the guy tell me about Beretta dropping the Mato and selling the model 75 I asked him where here learned this information. Well he could not tell for sure as it was all a secret. Well I must have looked puzzled as he asked me if I knew differently. I told his I thought I new a little about Sako but as I rarely here anything from my friends at Sako anymore. I walking around he store I noticed a small video/vcr player, which had a tape playing about bird hunting. At the end was a commercial, a Beretta Commercial it told the story of the worlds oldest Gunmaker and showed various pictures of highly engraved shotguns and their clothing line. At the end was a picture of the Sako Model 75 Deluxe. Sako was never mentioned at all in the ad just a picture.
When I was back in the hotel I went to the Beretta Web Site and it mentioned nothing new neither did the Sako web site. I then called a friend a Sako and I think all is well although I cannot be sure. Sako and Tikka rifles are still being built in Finland and then send to Beretta the new distributor and owner. The Berretta Mato is still being made and in fact will have a new Model the Mato Deluxe Extra. Sako has a new model 75 the Sako 75 Safari grade. In fact it will be highlighted and tested by Gen. Boddington in a upcoming issue of Peterson's hunting. Maybe he can shed some light on what is going on in his article, I hope so.
I have said this before and I am sure to mention it again in my current state of mind, Sako's at least the early ones should go up in value. It has happened virtually every time there is a change in the manufacturer ie Winchester, Kimber, and Mauser as examples.
As for me I hope to be out and about a bit more now that summer is approaching. I booked a goat hunt and I am testing a few rifles for this alpine hunt. I hate to say it but it may not be a Sako this time as weight is a huge consideration at 10000 feet but I will let you know. I recently fired my Finnwolf in .243 and let me tell you it does not shoot like a lever action at all. .73 inches is not bad I would say....
Well guys that is all for now I would appreciate some more member participation when you have a chance.
Sean
Sako Finnbear
Manager