Opinion Needed L46 218 Bee

[rugerbob]

Opion wanted on this find, L46 218 Bee.

Dovetails are drilled and tapped, how much does this detract from the price?

Bob

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bob,
If the price seems right, it wouldn't bother me a bit. That's a nice looking rifle and I wouldn't give a rip what anyone said. You can obviously scope it, or use a peep sight and plugs. Unless you run into a total dip stick, it shouldn't really matter. I wouldn't let a snob talk me out of it. After all - it's going to be yours.
S-A

 

[rugerbob]

S-A:

Thanks for your input, I have ask the seller to send me a pic with the scope remove and the status of the opened sights.

It would compliment my 7x33.

Bob

 

[Anonymous]

Bob,
I think the caliber of the rifle is the draw on this one. Good idea to look underneath those mounts to see how chewed up it is. May get a small discount for that. Never hurts to make an offer and spit the difference if it can be done.
Let us know what's up.
S-A

 

[deergoose]

I agree w/ S-A. Bees are scarce, don't let it get away ! You probably won't find a nicer one. Good luck.

DeerGoose

 

[rugerbob]

Did not jump fast enough, it is gone

 

[sakoswede]

Rugerbob;
Sorry you didn't get that bee. You should maybe have snapped it up. A man named Ken Waters did many extensive articles on reloading in a number of hunting and reloading magazines since the 50's. He is now over ninty and has compiled his reloading articles into a two volume set. He did two articles on the 218 bee. The first I believe he used a Winchester Model 43. Well, later he bought a Sako L-46 in 218 Bee and he felt he needed to revisit the caliber. I think he did because the Sako shot soooo much better. The Winchester shot OK and the Sako shot little bug holes. If I get a chance to buy a L-46 in 218 Bee with or without extra holes I'll buy it if I can afford it because they shoot and it's a good caliber.
I do have an early L-46 Hornet with left hand safety with two extra holes in the rear bridge and it is a keeper. It shoots.
S&S
Georgia

 

[steyrman]

Well this L46 Bee is even better in hand, the pix do not do it justice. I have been too busy to get to the range and check it out, I am not a Sako collector, although I have owned many over the last 40+ years, but when this one came up at a below average price I snapped it up. Blueing is excellent, the stock has original finish with minimum marks for a 60 year old rifle, chamber and bore are also excellent, original butt plate, grip cap, sling swivels, overall a very well cared for firearm. I previously collected Steyrs, M/S, and German Weatherbys, then I switched to high end Coopers( very nice but not perfect)the Bee is an era correct companion to my mid 50's Walther KKJ Hornet, and pre-64 (1953) 220 Swift, central BC is rather wet this time of year, when the skies clear I will introduce my "new" Bee to the local gopher population, collectibles are nice, but vintage shooters are much classier.

 

[deergoose]

Congrats Steyrman ! you got one of the best. Please do let us know how it shoots.

DeerGoose

 

[sakoswede]

Another congrats steyrman. Great find. I was lucky enough to hunt once in BC. When you say gopher is that the same as woodchuck. If it is, bet your going to have fun with your Sako bee this summer. Hope you let us know how it shoots.

S&S

Georgia (where woodchucks are hard to find).

 

[steyrman]

Hey S&S
Gophers are the same family as ground squirrels and prairie dogs just little guys, we do not have woodchucks(groundhogs), we have hoary marmots, they are big and hairy, look like a miniature Sasquatch, and are protected. We are in the Cariboo-Chilcotin district, lots of very large ranches, forests, lakes, and mountains, gophers are everywhere. We also have caribou,moose, deer, the largest Canadian population of Black and Grizzly bears, and other assorted critters including elk which are a little further north, must not forget, sheep and goats abound, and now and then maybe the odd Sasquatch. At the coast (Bella Coola) we have super size Grizz, along with Halibut,Salmon, Cod, Red Snapper, Scampi, and nice size crabs,we also have lots of crown(public)land and very friendly people, fishing is unreal, central BC has over 8,000 lakes, end of commercial. I have a restored Redfield 6400 16X to put on the Bee, will try factory ammo to start, have an assortment of .224 bullets to try later, should be a shooter. One more thing that you and DeerGoose might appreciate, we have nice warm days / cool nights during summer and low humidity (rust is very minimal), I have been in Georgia and Virginia in July.
Bill

 

[sakoswede]

steyrman; It has been long enough to have forgotten how beautiful BC kind of a hunters paradice, and the people were super nice. I was hunting black bear with a bow, had one 15 yds out of range for 30 minutes. Sure would have liked a Sako in my grips. And I was in a blind and had two huge great snow owls perch on a limb not more then twenty feet away. You live in a beautiful place.

You mentioned you have collected other fine guns including Coopers. They used to (and still may) make and sell ammo, basically what they shoot to make those tiny little groups that they send with their rifles. Last year I had a chance to buy 400 rds. of Cooper hornet ammo loaded with 40 gr. projectiles for my old L-46 Hornet. That ammo shoots great. You might see if you could buy some cooper ammo in 218 bee. I also reload but when I find factory ammo that I can't improve on, that works.

Your scope sounds like a good choice. Hope you will let us get a look at your rifle when it's ready to go.

S&S

Georgia