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Sako L46 / Vixen?

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

blackjack

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
624
Location
New Forest, Hampshire, England.
Hello Sako Lovers,
Was the Sako L46 ever called Vixen? or was the Vixen name only given to the L461? Was it in 1961 that the Model designation Vixen was given? Was the Sako L57 ever called the Forester? or was the name given only to the L579 in 1959? I believe that an American importer of Sako Rifles gave the names Vixen, Forester, FinnBear and FinnScout is this correct?
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}
 
Not sure about the Finnscout but the other names were on the left side of the respective barrels, when the original rifles were named, by the Sako Factory. The L57 was called a Forester. The L46 was called the Riihimaki (marked on the receiver) but not the Vixen. The L461 was the Vixen and marked as such on the barrel. The Finnbear was also marked as such , originally.--Misako
 
Blackjack,
Notwithstanding the Finnscout (of which I have no knowledge), you are correct that the models were stamped with Vixen, Forrester, Finnwolf, Finnbear, etc. by the US importers with the thought that those more "manly" names would allow the American hunter to relate to them better. "Marketing", you know?
S-A
 
SA- I think the only stamping that the distributors did was their etching, I think the barrels were done in Finland along with the receivers. Paulsonconstruction may be right about the L46s and the Vixen connection as a marketing tool. The advertising bit rings a bell. I am having trouble in regard to a "slam to americans". I am not seeing anything resembling that? - Misako
 
Mike- Let me back up a little. I believe you asked if the american distributor named the respective rifles and I would agree that the story is that the names came from Firearms International. I also think they may have come from Jan Winter, the president of Firearms Int. in conjunction with Russ Moure, that company's first engineer. I am sure Sako had the last word on the names. -Misako
 
I remember reading that the names vixen, forester and finnbear were added in order to differentiate from Japanese rifles of similar make (or model numbers)....my two cents -Bloo
 
Misako!!
You are right as usual! The name was an invention of Mr Moure, most likely together with Mr Winter and Sako in RiihimxE4ki.
If I remember correctly, the Vixen name was introduced in 1959 but if that meant the barrels were marked with the Vixen name, I donxB4t know.
IxB4 ll do some investigations and be back shortly!
Jim
 
Hi Jim,

As you have the "Blue book" from Sako, pls look on page 46 and let somebody translate it for you
[SakoCollectors.com] Sako L46 / Vixen?

The year is 1963 and generally the name change to "Vixen", "Forester" , "Finnbear" and "Finnwolf" is
"blamed" on the English speaking markets who pronounced the "Sako" name "Seiko" and also
"Riihimaeki" became "Rehu Maki"--- This accoringly got many clients to believe "Seiko Rehu Maki"
was a Japanese rifle which gave Japan unearned credit. This is how patriotic Sako-people were arguing, according to the "Blue Book" and everybody agreed on the name changes. Who invented the names, the book doesn't tell, but it happened most likely as you said.

BTW, sun is shining in Cairo....
SS
 
SS,
Just best to know that the box of ammunition matches the rifle. Another thing, you can't measure the effect of alcohol at the pub when SAKO Jeopardy is on the tube! a 'visual" usually helps in this case. Of course, if any of one's friends are smart, they will be hunting alone:bigsmile3:. Good Show!
Take care,
S-A
 
Hi S-A,

A bit sophisticated for me........ here it's only Wednesday.....
[SakoCollectors.com] Sako L46 / Vixen?


Enjoy the pub and don't put Sako or anybody in jeopardy......

SS
 
SS,
No worries , my friend. My pub days are over and I only shoot one SAKO at a time these days -quite sober, I assure you.:wink2:
S-A
 
SS!
I have the English translation which came with the book so IxB4ve seen it. Just checked my "library" and 1960 is the first year the Vixen name appears on L46 rifles. Will need to check some more but to my recollection, I have not seen any L46xB4s with barrels marked Vixen.
Maybe some of our members can chip in on this??
And just to brag for my American Sako friends I recently bought this Sako watch!!:wink2:
[SakoCollectors.com] Sako L46 / Vixen?
Jim
 
Hi Jim! That sure is a mighty fine lookin' wrist-ticker you have there...on the subject of the "bloo-book" is it Arma Fennica you are refering to? I would love to have info on how to obtain one of them with english translation, I could then translate that to hill billy for all my Sako buddies here in the mountain state, and any other sako related books on the market
..any help on this subject-Bloorooster
 
Hey El Jefe,
Can't get to me with that fake watch - even as nice as it looks. The obvious give-away, is the mis-spelling on the face "SEIKO", not SAKO. I have a real nice Timex I would trade you for it:bigsmile3:.
On the L46 matter, would that be about the time (1960) Firearms International became the importer?
S-A
 
Hej Jim,

Snyggt urverk!!
[SakoCollectors.com] Sako L46 / Vixen?


The Blue books page 47 says that L 46, L469 and L461 manufactured from beg of the 60xB4s were called

Vixen. (?)

SS
 
A</p> -sala-ampuja said:
On the L46 matter, would that be about the time (1960) Firearms International became the importer?
S
No, FI was the original importer to the U.S. starting in either the late 1940's or early 1950's, I believe, and lasting until sometime in 1971.
 
book" is it Arma Fennica you are refering to? </p> -bloorooster said:
on the subject of the "bloo
Bloo! No it is the 50th Anniversary book in Finnish. It has corporate history and also some info on models alog with a few pics.
The title translates into Finnish gunmakers for 50 years 1921-1971.
https://sakoparaphernalia.com/Sako_Paraphernalia/Sako/Sidor/Books.html

sala-ampuja said:
t Hey El Jefe,Can't get to me with that fake watch t
Dang! CanxB4 t say I didnxB4t try!!:bigsmile3:
sserlachius said:
The Blue books page 47 says that L 46, L469 and L461 manufactured from beg of the 60xB4s were calledVixen. (?)SS
SS! Yes that would be about right. The L461 was introduced in 62 and the Vixen name came along in approx 60. At least for all I know.

stonecreek said:
No, FI was the original importer to the U.S. starting in either the late 1940's or early 1950's, I believe, and lasting until sometime in 1971.
1949 was the first year Sako exported rifles to the US market. Firearms International was newly started back then and were importers until sometime 1971. There is a haze cast over the transition from F.I to Garcia and I have no clue to the exact date when it took place. I have records saying Sako shipped rifles to F.I very late in 1971 but who knows?
Jim
 
Let me back up a little. I believe you asked if the american distributor named the respective rifles and I would agree that the story is that the names came from Firearms International. I also think they may have come from Jan Winter said:
Herein, from "Sako 1921-1971", lies the fact of the "names". We all draw a Goose-egg! But, as Misago speculates - SAKO had the last word."When there began to be a demand for heavier big-game rifles
Sako started to make Sako Mausers, to the Belgian FN actions,
at the beginning of the fifties. Ten years later, however, Sako
designed a sporting gun of its own, much larger than its tore_
runners and of bolt-action type. lt was typenamed L 61 R and
is available in three models, Standard, Mannlicher and Deiuxe.
As the total number of calibers is eight, one could arranqe side
by side 24 different Sako L 61 R rifles.
Many Americans are sentimentally attached to their traditional
leveraction rifle. Probably this is why requests lor such a rifle
were made to Sako in the fifties. A new mechanism and lever
action combined with the calibers .30g and .243 were desired.
The prototype was ready in 1960. lt had to be revised twice,
however, when new types of cartridges emerged in the meantime.
Eino Mdkinen, who for more than 30 years has been engaged in
the designing of firearms speaks of rilles as of his children:',The
prototypew ent to the U.S.A. ,i t said i t would only visi t the photo_
grapher and soon be back. pity that it was the only one, because
it did not come back. But it did send a photo of itself and it was
quite impressive." lt was not untjl 1g62 that production of the
first series could be started, the prototype having been some_
what revised. The first lever action VL 63 in cat. .243 and .308
was manufacturedo n the 1st of Apr i l 1g63.
Thus uninterrupted designing and development work over some
twenty years had resulted in a large assortment of different
car t r idgesa nd four typeso f r i f les,L 46.,15 79,61 R and VL 63.
The code names tell quite a lot to an expert but as Sako as such
was pronounced Seiko in English and interpreted as Japanese, i t
was time to do something about the code names: L 461 was
named Vixen, L 579 Forester, L 61R Finnbear and VL 63 Finn_
wolf. Patriotic Sako people thought that otherwise Japan would
acquire unearned prestige."

S-A
 
Sako designed a sporting gun of its own, much larger than its tore_
runners and of bolt

S-A, I realize that you are quoting from the book, so this comment is not directed at you, but at the content of the book:
I think that the inference that there was originally a Mannlicher L61R is in error. I don't believe that any L61R Mannlichers were produced until the early Garcia era around 1972 or so, whereas the sporter and the deluxe rifles had been around for nearly a decade at that time. If I'm mistaken someone please set me straight.

Regarding the "Sako" name, it is ironic that regardless of how it might be pronounced, "S-A-K-O" is the English spelling of a fairly common Japanese name! If you haven't googled "S-A-K-O", just give it a try and you'll get back more than watches that are Japanese. It is doubly ironic that the Japanese manufacturer Howa made and marketed the Howa "Golden Bear" which was an almost exact duplicate of the Finnbear.
 

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