Sako Model 72 - 22 WMR

[mungomunn]

I am looking at purchasing a Sako Model 72 in 22 WMR. It has a rear sight missing. What can anyone tell me about this firearm? It is in pretty good condition apart from the missing rear sight. The ramp is still there for the rear sight. Its Ser No is 702265. Can anyone tell me when it was manufactured?
I already have a L61R in 270 Win but its Serial Number seems to be higher than the produced number according to Sako records at 90990. Can anyone tell me when it was manufactured?
Cheers,
Mungomunn

 

[stonecreek]

The Sako P-72 in .22 WMR is super hard to come by. I searched for one for years and only found one within the last few months. If it is priced within reach, by all means buy it. My P-72 .22 WMR is 707XXX, which looks like a spread of about 5,000 guns between them. Sako must have mixed the LR and Hornet numbers in because I sincerely doubt there being 5,000 P-72 WMRs in the entire world.

The P-72, P-75, and M-78 series are all virtually identical and were introduced in the respective years of their designations. This would cause you to believe that a P-72 would have been made between 1972 and 1975, but 'tain't the case: My P-72 WMR is marked as a Stoeger import, which places it somewhere 1978 or later. Your lower serial number could be a Garcia, but check the underside of the barrel for the import mark.

The rear sight is a Williams, which is a very common American-made sight, so it should be little problem to replace. However, I completely removed the rear sight from mine and put it in a drawer in order to get it out of the way of scope mounting. The P-72 should be as accurate as any WMR can be made. Don't lose the magazine, however

!

Your .270 would be a Garcia produced just before they jumped the serial numbers to the 500,000's. That would put it around 1975, give or take a year. As you'll soon find, Sako hasn't kept records for squat through the years -- just one of the things that adds to their charm and mystique.

 

[mungomunn]

Stonecreek (love the monnika),
thanks for the update. I live in Australia and I guess the firearm would have been imported by someone else other than Garcia. I will check to see what Australian firearm distributors handled the import of Sako's during the time (70's). The guy told me it is a pretty rare bird and it looks like he was on the money. I think I saw that Model 72 you were talking about on the web also. Where do you hail from? I am from Queensland, Australia.
Cheers,
Mungomunn

 

[stonecreek]

Mungomunn,

Pardon the America-centric assumption in my post that you were in the U.S! Obviously, you would not have either a Garcia or a Stoeger import mark, assuming your rifle was imported directly to Australia and not through the U.S. But the late 1970s (or very early 80s) is still a good estimate of its age. Does AU still have trouble with a Giga-jillion imported rabbits? If so, the WMR is a great round for bunnies. It strikes with quite a bit more authority than a .22 LR, but of course buying ammunition for it hits you in the pants pocket with a lot more "authority" , also.

Your L61R with a number in the high 90,000's may be unique to Sako exports to countries other than the U.S. Garcia's seem to jump from around the 80,000's (maybe someone knows exactly) to 500,000. It is possible that production other than that going to Garcia may have continued to use the 5-digit SN for a while longer. At any rate, I would think your .270 to be of mid to late 1970's vintage.

 

[mungomunn]

Stonecreek,
thanks again. As far a the rabbits go they are making a bit of a comeback at the moment due to the fact that most firearms enthusiasts have been driven to feel like criminals and it is no longer the norm to see young people going out to have a bit of sport shooting feral animals that destroy the environment. As soon as a firearm is mentioned the usual knee-jerk reaction occurs and the authorities descend to make life unpleasant. They are just doing their job but it sure takes away the pleasure factor. I am in the SSAA and we promote responsible shooting and hopefully we can turn the titanic and get some balance into the argument in years to come. In the meantime we do what we can to keep the ferals at bay (both types).
Do you get out to shoot at all?
I feel really lucky to get the P72. It has the scope base missing as well but it is on consignment and I will ask if the owner has it. The reason I bought the l61R initially was because of the beautiful stock of tiger striped walnut.
Thanks again,
Mungomunn

 

[stonecreek]

Mungo:

If the scope bases can't be located (they are the rimfire-style tip-off bases) you can replace them with a couple of Weaver-style bases and use cross loc rings. I can't tell you the proper base numbers, but it isn't too hard to find ones that will do with the right hole spacing and bottom contour if you have access to a dealer who stocks a full line of Weaver bases. You can also use a couple of blank bases and drill the screw holes to match the receiver, which is not too much of a trick in the soft aluminum base material.

And yes, I get out to shoot fairly regularly. Both hunting and target shooting.

 

[mungomunn]

Thanks again stone creek. I will check it out. Mungomunn

 

[dappa]

How does it shoot

 

[dappa]

Was the rear sight made by williams or by sako

 

[dhv]

Mate, check it out thoroughly before you buy it. If it needs repair, and with all those bits missing who knows what else has been tampered with, it will be nigh on impossible to get sorted from Oz.

I have all 3 (22LR, 22WMR and Hornet) and my WMR has had the trigger played with. It markedly different to the other two (worse).