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Sako 30-06

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

newbie

Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
11
Hi Guys,I just found this site when i was searching the internet trying to find some info on my second hand Sako that i bought.

It's a sako Finnbear L61R Serial no.509089.

I will appreciate if you guys can give me any info on this rifle,when it was manufactured etc.

Thanx in advance
 

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Newby: Your serial number makes your gun a later Garcia import, probably in the 1974-77 range. Earlier Garcias had a five digit serial number. You can confirm this by looking on the underside of the barrel just in front of the forearm to find the importer's name etched there. It likely reads "Garcia Sporting Arms, NJ" or something like that.

You can find a compilation of hang tag dates on this site at https://sakocollectors.lefora.com/2009/02/15/sako-serial-number-reference-list/page1/, however, these guns are mostly from the pre-Garcia era before 1972. You can also look at the web links on the lower right hand corner of this page at "Manufacturing dates based on serial numbers" which will provide you with some approximate information.

Welcome!
 
Thanx for the reply and the welcome...

I am so excited about this gun.

I'm from South africa so I will be doing some african game hunting with it.

Any idea what the rate of twist is on this rifle and what grain bullet will be a good allrounder?
 

Model Change First date First number Last number Last date



L61R Special numbering for magnum calibers 1973 509 537

I found this info on the sako website,my rifle's first nr's starts with 509 so is it possible that it could be a magnum or am i understanding

the above incorrectly?

Please help,i'm a bit confused.

I was under the impression that the 30-06 is not a magnum...
 
Just one more question,my sako's seems to be a very light colour is this the original stock.

I was told it is,so I will be very upset if it's not.

The grip seems very dark aswell,is this dirt or is it normal?

Sorry about all the questions....
 
Hi Newb -

Concerning s/n, I'm not sure exactly what rifles the Sako database is describing, but they are a special run that have 3 digit s/ns, so 28 rifles with magnum boltface. They appear to be a match to the previous line of s/ns 1-509 that must be standard boltface.

Your rifle is represented on the line right after the 509-537 entry. Falls in the group 500001 to 530537 - as Stonecreek said, 74 to late 77 production.

Your stock appears to be Sako to me. The color varies a bit from gun to gun. I'm sure no expert on this era, but it does suprise me a little that your rifle appears to have the earlier low comb. I would have thought a 75 rifle would have the raised cheekpiece. Maybe one of our other members can clear that up.

Good shooting - Dick
 
From what I can see in the photo I would say your gun has an original stock because the checkering and pad appear correct. This stock looks like one from the 72-73 period. Are those FIXED sling swivels? If so, I'm going to revise my original estimate and say that this is a very early Garcia, perhsap 1972 or 1973 -- either that or the stock has been changed out to a later barreled action.

The gun in total looks like a Sako Model 72 (they were marketed that way but never marked that way). The Model 72 had a rear sight and no checkering on the top flats of the receiver. So far as I am aware, it was the only Sako offered with a smooth surface on the scope dovetails. You can check under the scope bases to see how the dovetail flats are finished. What is confusing me is that most Model 72's would have had a high 5-digit serial number, although it is very possible that some could have been made subsequent to the changeover using six-digit numbers. With Sakos, nothing is ever linear it seems.
 
Thanks for the replies guys,i really appreciate it.

Stonecreek,I'm not sure if it's fixed sling swivels.didn't really pay attention to that.

would be interesting to find out exactly when it was made.
 
Hey all,
I have a Garcia 72 in .300 Win Mag, SN 71XXX, straight bolt with the white spacer and black pistol grip cap as well as rear and front Sako sight, not a Williams sight like Newbies. Stonecreek is correct if the SN is 500XXX and up being Mfg'd between 74 and 77. As stated, a peek on the underside of the barrel in front of the forearm grip (maybe with a magnifying glass) will tell the tail of the Garcia import. According to my references, this rifle is the model 74 Super Sporter Mfg, from 1974 to 1977.
Regards, Will
 
Is my rifle 'model 74 Super Sporter Mfg, from 1974 to 1977'?

Do you have anymore infor on this rifle?

I really appreciate your input.

I can't wait to shoot this rifle,but I would probaly have to wait atleast another year before i get my licence.

It's quite a mission to get a licence in south africa.

So i'm trying to get all the info on my rifle in the meantime to keep me occupied.
 
Newbie: I just now realized that you were in RSA. Now this is making more sense. Assuming your rifle did not come through the U.S. (little reason for it to have), then you won't find any import mark. The guns that Sako distributed to countries other than the U.S. varied a bit from those cataloged by U.S. importers. In the 1960's and 1970's, iron sights were much more popular outside of the U.S., so much of Sako's worldwide distribution left the factory with both front and rear sights.

Your gun does appear to be in the mid-1970s range. Basically, it is a Sako Finnbear on an L61R action. It is somewhat irrelavent and meaningless to call it a "Model X" or "Model Y" since those were marketing designations used by the importers and were not necessarily Sako factory designations.

Here are it's fundamentals:

620mm (24.4") barrel
five round magazine, 3.6" length
#4 Sako adjustable trigger
hammer forged barrel

I own several Sakos in .30-06 and they are generally very untempremental. My son's is a Deluxe model that is about the same vintage as your gun. It is by far his favorite game rifle, and although he could have had his choice of any of my larger rifles he chose it to take as his rifle for a trip to Namibia in 2007. Using a 180 grain Nosler Partition at around 2775 fps, he took sprinbok (2), oryx (2), jackal, warthog, kudu, and mountain zebra with it -- all as effectively as those taken with our companion's Sako .300 Winchester or my Sako .338 Magnum.

Hope your license comes through soon so you can start enjoying it. What kind of plains game do you intend to put in its sights?
 
Stonecreek,you're right it does make more sense now.
I'll be targeting all kinds ao african game,impala,blue wildebeest,warthog,kudu,gemsbuck and maybe eland.That's why I'm having a hard time deciding on
a bullet that would be an all rounder bullet.
I've orderes a burris fullfield II 4.5x14 scope aswell,so I'm thingking of using a 165gr bullet the compliment the setup....
 
Can someone please tell me what is the barrel's rate of twist?

I've been searching the net but can't find anything.

Thanks
 
I would have said closer to 1-10", but I've actually never measured any of my '06s. If you'll wrap a cleaning patch tightly around a cleaning rod you can measure pretty closely (within a cm or less) the barrel twist simply by making an indexing mark on the rod and determining how far into the barrel the rod goes to make one full revolution. You may need to do it several times and take an average since it is difficult to determine when your indexing mark has turned exactly 360 degrees.

Whatever the twist, Sako .30-06's do fine with even the longest 180 grain bullets. I've never had occasion to use anything heavier.

I have a friend who hunted with a South African host using the host's .308 loaded with 165 Nosler Partitions. The host swore by them and used them for every type of plains game, large and small. They should be just that much more effective at .30-06 velocities.
 
I will try to check later, but I think that Hornady or Nosler have a list of the different manufactures rate of twist.

I think that SAKO was a little differnt in many cases as was Browning. I think that my 7mm is 1:91/2 VS. 1:10 by others.

Rob.
 
Stonecreek and Newbie- I should always put a question mark after my answer to a twist rate question. I have owned both of those twist rates in .30 cal. Sakos. I also have .243s that are pre Garcias with two different rates ie: 1 in 10" and 1 in 12". After all they are Sakos. The bullet twist for your rifle will be good for the array of bullets available for the 06" just like Stonecreek says. - Mike
 
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