Vixen HB in .243

[martiniman]

I have an L579 HB in .243. The barrel is marked "Vixen" . I thought all Vixens were .22 calibers only.

Anyone else seen this?

Martiniman

 

[Anonymous]

Martiniman,
Good handle. Welcome to the forum. Yes - I have seen this before. How common is it? I don't know. One of our L57X guru's can respond better.
Glad to have you on board.
S-A

 

[misako50]

Martiniman- All vixens may have been 22 cal (at least the ones marked vixen) but I haven't seen or heard of a Forester marked vixen. Do you have some pictures you can post?-Misako

 

[Anonymous]

Ed, Did you look through he Show Us All Your Beautiful SAKO section? I thought there was something in previous posts - but I will defer to Misako since I don't actually have one.
Sorry,
S-A

 

[stonecreek]

Your L579 .243 HB would be a factory mismark. This happens. For example, I've seen a number of S&W handguns mismarked, but I've never actually seen a Sako mismarked. There's even a kind of collector's market for mismarked S&W's.

The barrel markings are put on with a roll stamp, and probably all barrels run through the same roll stamping machine. My best guess is that someone failed to change the die when they switched from Vixen barrels to Forester barrels and this one (or several like it) got by inspection.

Congratulations on owning a true Sako oddity. While I personally find such anachronisms highly interesting, I can't say that makes it worth a big bunch more. All I can guarantee is that when put with a $5 bill it will buy you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

 

[emmerth]

Let see some pics... This sounds really cool.

 

[martiniman]

Here are some photos of the L579 Forester .243 with a Vixen marked barrel.

Martiniman

 

[misako50]

That looks like a great piece of hunting equipment. Mismarked or not. what is the finish called?-Misako

 

[martiniman]

Hello:
The stock is finished with Brownell's wrinkle finish. Extremely durable and waterproof and very good grip - even when wet. The receiver, barrel, and scope rings are finished with a mil-spec zinc phosphate coating, the same finish used on the Canadian C7 military rifle.

Martiniman

 

[bloorooster]

Martiniman...I like the finish as well, almost looks like a Wilson Combat Sako! It goes very well with the composite stock. I have a .243 HB as well and it is a Magnificent Shooter, I imagine yours does just as well....a Very Nice Piece!-Bloo

 

[sakotex]

mm-
Is that finish applied to a composite or wood stock? I ask because I acquired an L46 Benchrest 222 that has the same or very similar finish, but it was applied to a wood stock.

 

[bloorooster]

I did say composite but I could be dead wrong, it could very well be applied to wood, concidering the stock contours on the forearm and cheekpiece are very close to Sako's Style-Bloo

 

[martiniman]

Correct. The stock is the original wood stock. I had given in to a gunsmith to "freshen up" but he ended up sanding it (across the grain in some spots!!!) and then put on a clear epoxy finish, almost filling the cut checkering. My wife wouldn't let me take out a contract on him so I filled in the checkering with some 2-part epoxy and then sanded it off smooth with the rest of the stock and then applied the wrinkle finish. It looks very "industrial" and that led to wanting an equally industrial look to the metal and hence the zinc phosphate.

Martiniman