Sako Catalog for 1951-52

[douglastwo]

I just picked up this Firearms International catalog for 1951-52 and I scanned a couple pages for your viewing pleasure.

 

[deersako]

A few desirables there Douglastwo,
I’d very much like a left wing fullwood amongst others...

 

[stonecreek]

According to the U.S. inflation calculator, that Mannlicher at $123.50 would cost you $1165 today. Most guns don't appreciate as quickly as inflation, but I don't think there's any question that an L46 Mannlicher NIB would be worth some bit more than $1165.

I never heard of an "Armstrong Scope Mount for Sako Rifle". Anyone familiar with this? The same goes for "Janssen Shotguns". Anyone familiar with those?

 

[douglastwo]

I've never heard of either. The description of the Armstrong Scope Mount (slips onto dovetail, tapered blocks, two piece, coin slotted locking screws and windage adjustable) sounds like a description of Sako Rings. Maybe they evolved to become a Sako product....just speculating.

 

[Tomball]

According to the U.S. inflation calculator, that Mannlicher at $123.50 would cost you $1165 today. Most guns don't appreciate as quickly as inflation, but I don't think there's any question that an L46 Mannlicher NIB would be worth some bit more than $1165.

I never heard of an "Armstrong Scope Mount for Sako Rifle". Anyone familiar with this? The same goes for "Janssen Shotguns". Anyone familiar with those?

See this thread where some of you discussed various Sako mounts. I read this thread a few months ago and recalled it.
Old "Sako" rings like I've never seen before!

 

[stonecreek]

Okay, this is weird. I don't recall ever seeing a precise address for Firearm International other than simply "Washington, D. C." The ad has the address 6521 Kerby Hill Road, Washington, 20, D.C." But neither Google Maps or Yahoo Maps recognizes such an address. Things can change in 65 years, but has a street in a major U.S. city simply disappeared? There is a Kerby Hill Road about a dozen miles south of the center of D. C., but it is in Fort Washington, MD and has no 6521 address. ???

Curiously, Beretta is headquartered in Accokeek, MD, which is about 10 miles further south of Fort Washington.

 

[marlin92]

You've heard the rumor that it was a bogus company set up by the CIA - conspiracy theory maybe that is why the street doesn't exist

 

[douglastwo]

I flipped through some of my FI catalogs from 1960 thru the 1969-70 catalog with the hunting camp scene on the cover and found two other Kerby addresses:

The 69-70 catalog has 515 Kerby Hill Rd

The 1961 dated price list that is loose in my 61 catalog is 4837 Kerby Hill Rd

Most other FI catalogs/price list are either Washington, DC or Washington 22, DC . If these two addresses have a zip code it is 20022.

I like the conspiracy theory. Every time they got a new CIA agent, he changed the address.

 

[Branxhunter]

Interesting to read the 10 shot 1.5” accuracy guarantee - no wonder Sakos have a reputation for fine accuracy.

Marcus

 

[icebear]

Until about 1960, Fort Washington got its mail service from a post office in Washington, DC as it was closer than any in Maryland. The mailing address was DC rather than Maryland. This changed when a post office opened in Oxon Hill, MD. It is highly likely that at some point the addresses on Kerby Hill Road were renumbered, accounting for that anomaly.

 

[stonecreek]

Until about 1960, Fort Washington got its mail service from a post office in Washington, DC as it was closer than any in Maryland. The mailing address was DC rather than Maryland. This changed when a post office opened in Oxon Hill, MD. It is highly likely that at some point the addresses on Kerby Hill Road were renumbered, accounting for that anomaly.

Thanks for that explanation. I was always puzzled that FI could/would have headquarters in the crowded, expensive, and restrictive District. But being out in the suburbs of Maryland would have been no problem. Looking at Google Maps it appears that Kerby Hill Road is primarily residential, but at the 515 address there is a commercial building (now occupied by some religious organization) which may have been the FI headquarters. Whether it also served as a warehouse isn't clear.

 

[Mike Graves]

Interesting to read the 10 shot 1.5” accuracy guarantee - no wonder Sakos have a reputation for fine accuracy.

Marcus

any SAKO barrel that didn't meet specs was scrapped