stevespencer
Member
Hello, all.
For me, I felt it best to be a Sako owner before joining the Club. In the weeks before even making
moves to get a .308 Finnwolf, I resolved to locate, at least, one...'back-up' mag. Many days and hours
later with no luck getting an extra mag, I went ahead with getting a Finnwolf, serial # 104XX.
When my FFL pulled it from the shipping box, he said, "Gawd, it's not been fired". Indeed, the mag was
pristine, w/o any of the scratches,rub marks that appeared on a Feb. '10 GunBrokers auctioned mag
[$315, F.O.B.]! Now what to do, for an extra mag..or five.
I knew I didn't need-or wish-to copy Sako's fine finish of the mag bottom side. Coming up with a
field-grade mag for shooting, without damage to the rifle, would keep costs down, perhaps encouraging
others to join my little project. I did have some questions to answer:
1) Would a 3 round mag copy of a '73-'74 Finnwolf fit w/ease & be useable in an earlier made
Finnwolf? This question I'd ask of you, the Club readers.
2) Would Sako or the Feds or State enforcement folks care at all what I proposed doing? Am
fairly sure Sako doesn't care, as long as I'm not coping an original mag for sale as an "original mag".
My off-the-record chat with an enforcement-type retiree yielded a comment that "3 rd mags in a 35 yr +
lever-action rifle, from Finland, wouldn't warrant time or scarce resources".
With mag in hand, I made the rounds of local machinist shops. If made by a sheet metal
stamping process, there'd 4 separate pieces to this box mag: the case; the bottom plate that is spot
welded to the case; the 'leaf' spring; the plate that rides the spring, lifting the rounds. Though
expensive, I found a shop doing high-end bicycle parts that can machine the case and bottom
plate as one piece from a single block of steel. Or stainless steel or titanium! With a combined
case/bottom plate; spring and the lifting plate...you're down to just three pieces. No real assembly
issues in three pieces that fit together, but unattached or unwelded to each other.
For you folks that are still reading this stuff...What are your thoughts?
I'm in position to front machining start up costs. I don't wish to profit...and would really rather
have someone else - a Finnwolf C.P.A- handle TRANSPARENTLY any monies. One thought of mine,
is that although we club members are apart in miles, we could 'bundle' mag buying interest together...
possibly having a minimum order....2 or 4 or 10? I'm in for five, or so. How about pledges to buy X
number of mags? And if we get pledges reaching a 100 or 200 total...pull the trigger and go for it.
As to cost per mag, what would you pay....will you buy 3, if they're $100 each..5, if they're $75
each...10 mags, if they're $50? We need to gauge the combined interest.....
Regards,
stevespencer
For me, I felt it best to be a Sako owner before joining the Club. In the weeks before even making
moves to get a .308 Finnwolf, I resolved to locate, at least, one...'back-up' mag. Many days and hours
later with no luck getting an extra mag
When my FFL pulled it from the shipping box, he said, "Gawd, it's not been fired". Indeed, the mag was
pristine, w/o any of the scratches,rub marks that appeared on a Feb. '10 GunBrokers auctioned mag
[$315, F.O.B.]! Now what to do, for an extra mag..or five.
I knew I didn't need-or wish-to copy Sako's fine finish of the mag bottom side. Coming up with a
field-grade mag for shooting, without damage to the rifle, would keep costs down, perhaps encouraging
others to join my little project. I did have some questions to answer:
1) Would a 3 round mag copy of a '73-'74 Finnwolf fit w/ease & be useable in an earlier made
Finnwolf? This question I'd ask of you, the Club readers.
2) Would Sako or the Feds or State enforcement folks care at all what I proposed doing? Am
fairly sure Sako doesn't care, as long as I'm not coping an original mag for sale as an "original mag".
My off-the-record chat with an enforcement-type retiree yielded a comment that "3 rd mags in a 35 yr +
lever-action rifle, from Finland, wouldn't warrant time or scarce resources".
With mag in hand, I made the rounds of local machinist shops. If made by a sheet metal
stamping process, there'd 4 separate pieces to this box mag: the case; the bottom plate that is spot
welded to the case; the 'leaf' spring; the plate that rides the spring, lifting the rounds. Though
expensive, I found a shop doing high-end bicycle parts that can machine the case and bottom
plate as one piece from a single block of steel. Or stainless steel or titanium! With a combined
case/bottom plate; spring and the lifting plate...you're down to just three pieces. No real assembly
issues in three pieces that fit together, but unattached or unwelded to each other.
For you folks that are still reading this stuff...What are your thoughts?
I'm in position to front machining start up costs. I don't wish to profit...and would really rather
have someone else - a Finnwolf C.P.A- handle TRANSPARENTLY any monies. One thought of mine,
is that although we club members are apart in miles, we could 'bundle' mag buying interest together...
possibly having a minimum order....2 or 4 or 10? I'm in for five, or so. How about pledges to buy X
number of mags? And if we get pledges reaching a 100 or 200 total...pull the trigger and go for it.
As to cost per mag, what would you pay....will you buy 3, if they're $100 each..5, if they're $75
each...10 mags, if they're $50? We need to gauge the combined interest.....
Regards,
stevespencer