Sako L579 "Foreser" .243 & .308 Detachable Magazines

Hello Sako Friends,
Can any one tell me if they have an exploded-view or brochure of the L579 "Forester" in .243 Win or .308 Win calibre rifle with the detachable-box magazine? These L579 rifles were offered with a detachable box magazine during the 1970's & 1980's.
I wrote to Sako Finland who informed me that they had the detachable box magazine parts in their store, but I would have to order through my importer GMK. When I telephoned GMK they said that Sako did not have any of the above parts in store. So I hit a brick wall once again!
If any one out there has one of these L579's with the detachable box magazines, can you please post some photographs. In my 1970's Sako brochure, the d.b m. were only offered in .243 Win & ,308 Win calibres. My brochure has not got a photograph of rifles with the d.b.m. Also did any gun smith in the U.S.A. ever offer this option?
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}

 

Hey Blackjack

I attached a PDF file for the L579 and it shows both types of magazines.

Let me know if this works

 

Hey Mike,
My 1987 Shooter's Bible, lists the L579 (AII) Hunter in .243, 7mm-08 and .308, with detachable magazine were available as a special order only. I have never seen one. I have two, new in the plastic bag, aftermarket magazines that I have no idea what they will fit. The printed adhesive tag on the bag reads, "NUMBER 1589F, Make - Sako/Tikka, 22/250/243/308, 3 RD, Single Stack". Bar code on the bottom. Looking at the exploded view provided by Woodman, my magazines look very similar to the one depicted.
Will

 

Hey Will- We could use a picture or two of those. I wondered many times if model 75 bottom metal could be readily adapted to an A2 or l579- The other mike-Misako

 

Hey Misako (Mike),
Your wish is my command!
Will

 

Great pics- Now we just need to wake someone up that knows something about these. Preferably an owner of the right rifle that can help. Seems odd that one "Lip" is higher than the other. It looks like it would keep the round more to the inboard side for chambering? I would have to go to Scheel's sporting goods to try to compare it to anything.-Mike

 

Hey mike the 75 models won't interchange without a lot of wood removal length & width. The short mag I compared it to is the same length brass. All my trg series are double stack single feed.

 

Hello Boys,
Thanks for the great response to my post regarding the D.B.M. for the L579 "Forester". I phoned our importers GMK and had a long conversation with a bloke who was a long time employee. He said that during the 1970's & 1980's the D.B.M. was offered as an option, he then went on to say that there was no difference to the stock, and that the stocks were identical for either the D.B.M. or the standard drop plate.
The bottom metal for the D.B.M. {detachable box magazine} consisted of a housing for the box magazine, a trigger-guard, and the box magazine. I know by talking and writing to a long time lady employee at Sako Finland that these D.B.M. kits are in their stores. The lady in question sent me a photocopy of the box magazine but not the housing or trigger-guard.
If any one can give me a lead on purchasing one of these D.B.M. kits It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks once again for the great response.
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}
P.S. My Sako brochure states that the D.B.M.were only available for the .243 Win & .308 Win. There was no mention of the .22-250 Rem calibre.

 

Mike- The 22-250 would work, also. They are just a bit shorter of course so the worst you would have to do is put a spacer in the rear of the clip and shorten the follower. You probably wouldn't have to do that. Before I decided on a 7-08 for my Finnwolf custom project, I tried a few rounds of 22-250 in the rifle to see how that system (clip or DBM) would cycle them. It was no problem, unaltered.-Misako

 

Hello Woodman,
Thanks for posting the exploded view of the Sako L579. I noticed the box magazine, but no housing or trigger-guard. Did Sako utilize the existing housing to except the box magazine or what? The information is so limited regarding these D.B.M. for the L579. I think one would get more information out of the Kremlin than you would out of Sako Finland!
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}

 

I'm not sure Blackjack,

I dont own one with a DBM, sorry, I wish I could be of more help.

 

Hello Boys,
It seems that no one has ever owned a L579 with a D.B.M. When you think that the L579 D.B.M. was a genuine Sako factory option, it seems amazing that in Gt Britain & the U.S.A. these D.B.M. L579's are unknown. Perhaps they were just not fashionable. I think Misako50 said some time ago that a company in Canada once made an after market D.B.M. for the L579. Any one Know who?
Thank you all for your input and patience. One day I just hope something will turn up.
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}

 

Mike- It may very well have been a Canadian that had a factory option DBM and not an aftermarket one. I wish I would have wanted to defile my #1 gun at the time, and bought it. I didn't think it would make it thru customs then and I am sure it wouldn't now. Hell, a stock is getting to be iffy at present. More I think about it, the more I remember. It (the DBM) didn't require new bottom metal.--Misako

 

blackjack- I just finished reading the descriptions and looking at the pictures of the collection of firearms posted yesterday by Jim (L61R) . There are three mannlicher rifles featured that have the DBM. I would post a picture but there isn't much to look at since the images are too dark.The subject rifles are in the last photo sequence.-Misako

 

Hello Misako50,
Thank you for your input. Great news that the D.B.M. for the L579 Do,s not require bottom metal. I would so like a decent picture of one of these rifles, It is just not knowing.
Regards Blackjack AKA Mike {The Limey}

 

Hello from the UK.The above mentioned/pictured magazines are for the TIKKA M55 / LSA-55, the mag well on these actions is offset slightly, hence the feed lips.
I own several of these and they truly are great bits of kit.

 

Jimbull- Welcome to the Sako Forums. I owned a LSA-55 (Ithaca) and the clip was just similar but not like the one shown. I don't remember the lips being offset and the front open like that. The biggest thing that gives me pause is the Sako-Tikka classification. Sako had nothing to do with Tikka during the LSA era. Hope I am wrong because those clips are hard to find like the Finnwolf clips -Misako

 

Thanks for the welcome, and i totally agree, i should have wrote 'look like' instead of 'are', my mistake. :smile1:
The lips on my .223 M55 mags are offset like the ones above, have yet to check the ones on my .243/.308 mags but will do.
It's the cut out as you say that throws me though., and also the base plate.
My M55 mags have a solid machined base plate, the ones above look thinner with rolled edges.
I'm wondering if the mags pictured above are of aftermarket origin, only say that because i don't recognise the labels stuck to the bags, do they look original to anybody?
Ill try post some pics if i can.
Regards,
JB

 

JB- I was ready to waste my whole opinion until I realized that was not a fishbelly, but a shadow on the base plate set. When you shake the spiders off those old LSAs let us know what you find. I am not too proud to be wrong. I do being wrong a lot. -Misako