L57 Deluxe

[emmerth]

I just picked up a L57 Deluxe in .243. Here is a picture that looks like the one I just purchased (I borrowed the pic from this site). It should be on its way any day now. Can anybody tell be about the diamond inlays? I have seen this on several of the older L57 deluxes. Did it come on all of them or was this a temporary thing? What type of wood did they use? These seem to be very redish in color and have plenty of fiddleback.

Thanks in advance and of course when I get it, I will post plenty of pictures.

 

[deergoose]

Congrats on your find!

Yes, please post as many pics as you can, Emmerth. Any L57 is a good one to have, but an L57 deluxe is a real treasure. Very few ever made. And with LOTS of configurations. Check for differences in the ID stampings, the floorplate/TG engravings, checkering patterns and sight/barrel configs. And the diamond inlay indicates early as you state. We'll need to see the serial number, of course. An L57 deluxe in .244 is on my Sako Holy Grail list, real close to the top.

Hey guys, I bought that .300 Win Mag deluxe on the Cabela's website. This one has the medium heavy barrel with front site and is as clean as a new Rolls Royce. I should post some pics when time allows.

DeerGoose

 

[deergoose]

hello Emmerth.

I just now have seen the diamond inlay on your pic here in this thread. I do not believe it to be factory original. I thought you were talking about an inlay in the grip cap, which can be found on L57 and L46 deluxe rifles. Sorry for the confusion, as I have a computer that doesn't always load the forums pics. I'm at home now, and have no problems. Yes, still post pics if you can, as I think most of us would definately have an interest in a closer inspection of an L57 deluxe.

thanks,

DeerGoose

 

[misako50]

DeerGoose- Here's a diamond inlay in a 10XXX serial Number L579 Deluxe.-Mike

 

[emmerth]

DeerGoose,

I have seen this diamond inlay on 2 in person, 1 in the "Show us your Beautiful Sakos" and now the one that I purchased. All seem to have a 4 digit serial number and the Doe with the 2 Bucks engraving. If not factory, I wonder who was responsible for the very impressive work? I hope someone here knows more about the older L57 deluxes.

 

[hayseed51]

Emmerth -

Wonder if it might be the same rifle? Mosi364s photo's are from a bit over 2 years ago... Don't think he's made the trip over to the new clubsite - at least under the same name.

Starting in the late 50s, and for about 10 years or so, the inlaid diamonds were sort of the 'rage' in custom and semi-custom rifles. Bishop, Fagen, and most of the stockmakers offered all sort of diamond combos in contrasting hardwoods and even ivory. I recently parted with a rifle I built in 68 - birdseye maple with 3 overlapping diamonds of ebony and cocobola. Some smiths would regularly inlet the diamonds into a customer's rifle to personalize it. The yellow outline diamonds as shown are a little different, but I think still the same deal.

So few L-57 Ds made, guess it would be hard for anyone to have seen a lot of them, but Deergoose, Misako, and Stonecreek would likely be the resident experts. Since L-57 production ended at 10,090, don't think the 4 digit # is significant, nor the 'Deer along the Fence' engraving - pretty common - that's what mine is too.

Anyway, congrats on your find. Hope to see some pics of it when it arrives. Dick

 

[emmerth]

hayseed,

It could be the same gun...you never know. Do you know Mosi's first name by chance? As soon as it arrives, I will take detailed pictures and post them.

The antisipation is killing me

 

[hayseed51]

Sorry, I don't.

Waiting for a gun to show is tough. Time really seems to crawl. As I get older, life seems to speed by, so I'm thinking the solution is to always have a rifle bought and be waiting for it's arrival... Simple huh?

 

[wooderson0018]

Wondering if anyone has an L57 deluxe... I bought one last fall.... in 99.95% cindition.... wanted pics to make sure it is what i think it is...

 

[hayseed51]

99.95 % ? Man, that's getting pretty scientific about it Woody. The way it usually works is a person who has questions about a rifle will post some good photos and let folks here comment on them. Myself, and I'm sure many others would enjoy seeing detailed pics of your nearly perfect L57 D.

Barring that, the catagory for L57s, L579s, AI, etc has some posts pertaining to L57 Ds, if you browse back a ways. Also, the first sticky post in the photo catagory has a link to the archived club photos. On page 3 of the archive is a collection of pics of the bottom metal engraving that Misako put together from member's rifles. I know there's examples of 57 Ds there. I guess you understand that there's a variety of themes to the engraving possible for your rifle. I'd be interested to know what your's carries...

Dick

 

[misako50]

Wooderson- Here are a few shots of mine. Also, it is a .308 and the "pad" is in bad shape. Hope this helps.-Mike

 

[hayseed51]

Dang Mike, he's sure a handsome booger. What engraving pattern does he carry?

The forend tip and checkering panel slant being reversed on the early Ds really gives the rifles a subtley different look than all of the later ones. Since you're the encyclopedia on this stuff, when is it thought that change took place - 66 or 67 or something?

Something that catches my eye on your rifle is the shape of the bottom corner of the cheekpiece. Seems more squared off than mine - more like that used on the 579s that followed. Mine carries s/n 9637 or something, so getting near the end... Is yours later than that then?

Thanks for the nice pics. Dick

 

[misako50]

Dick- The engraving pattern is of "Deer in the Woods" Serial # is 99XX. That may explain the later looking stock. I was wondering if someone may have an L57D with the "Tree" in the grip cap. The slant on the forend tip seems to have changed around 1961. Can't be sure about the dates.-Mike

 

[hayseed51]

A couple more excellent factoids for the list. Thanks Mike.

 

[wookie316]

Very very nice. I like that one.

 

[deergoose]

oh, yes. That's a good one. All the L57D's that I've seen have the diamond in the cap, but I'm sure there is at least one out there somewhere that will have the Pine Tree. Now, where is it?

DeerGoose

 

[deersako]

Handsome rifle Mike. It has been said here in the past that the L57's had 'xEDssues'. Apart from being scarce, what were these issues ?

 

[misako50]

I had to stop and think a while before replying to that "issues" question. I can only attest to what problems I have encountered through personal experience. Please keep in mind that bad things happen to guns and gunners when they least expect it. Anyone that abuses a firearm will cause it to fail. The L57 is no exception nor is the Finnwolf the L61Rs ,L 579s and so on. When you consider the quality from it's "little brother" the L46, You can come to the reasonable assumption that there are no issues. I have had them with cracked stocks (someone didn't tighten the screws after cleaning it or from general use) and I had one that slamfired (because the screws were too tight). I can get an L61R and the L579s to do the same thing but nobody has written a thing about "issues" with them. I honestly think it is a bad rap that some so called expert outdoor writter came up with when he had nothing to base it on, somewhat perpetuated like an urban legend. We see far too much of that today, made worse by the speed of the internet.-Mike

 

[deersako]

Just as I thought Mike, it was never actually stipulated as to what these ''issues'' were. I found it hard to work out just what could be wrong with something so close to perfect !

 

[wookie316]

The only issue I can think of is that it is not in my cabinet.