I saw a Sako L461 in 222 in a shop last weekend. Has a heavy varmint barrel measuing 21.5" (Blue Book of Gun Values says it should be 23", if it has been cut was very professionally done and refinished). Stock is excellent, bluing excellent. Only other drawback was that 2 set of holes had been drilled in the barrel; 1 set @ 1/2 way down the barrel (Unertil scope mount???) Has the Sako dovetail mounts on the top for the Sako style rings (no rings included). Magazine fed. Older style of rocker safety, kind of stiff to work, not like on the new AIII style rifles. I don't know if pre Garcia or not or how to tell... Asking price is $475. Is this a fair price??? What else should I look for??? Thanks...

Ernie---

That's a Rhimakii Sako and a GREAT rifle. If you don't want it let me at it. I don't care if it HAS a barrel.

Yeah, uh, Ernie, whoever is trying to sell you this rifle is obviously trying to rip you off. At $475.00, this vintage Sako is way over-priced. I'll help you out. Tell me how to contact the seller and I'll take the gun off your hands so you won't be victimized by this unscrupulous seller.

Jordan

I've been interested in a Sako 222 to customize, what 'should' one expect to pay for an L-461 or Riihimaki? I've heard of them from about $550 to over $900, depending on condition and dealer.

Is it 'bad form' to rebarrel one of these?

I do agree, $475 sounds like a great deal on one.

Thanks in advance.

Small Cal---

You're right on the prices. Mannlichers and scarce calibers are higher.

My two favorite rifles are Rhimakiis I've rebarrelled. One to Fireball and the other a Cheapshot. I tell them apart by the carrying strap and grain of the wood.

Arguably the best push feed action ever made.

Thank you Mr. Belk. Your insight is always appreciated.

I did end up picking up the rifle, and for slightly less than the sticker price. Barrel is marked Sako Rhimaki 39606 (ser #). Any idea when this was made??? May be quite the keeper!
Don't know how to tell if it was shotened from the chamber end. (someone suggested that's how some barrels are shortened if the chamber has been "shot out") Don't see any marks saying Borfos Steel (which I have seen on some old Sako's) Thanks...

Ernie--

Good buy!! The caliber should be on top of the barrel, radially, just ahead of the receiver ring. If there's clearance between the marking an the ring it hasn't been set back.

One of mine is 37xxx and the other 41xxx but I don't know when either was made.

It does have the calibre marked so it wasn't set back Thanks for that tip!

Ernie -- that serial number is certainly low enough to be pre-1972 and have a Bofors stamp, but not all did. Nomally, the Bofors stamp would appear on the right side of the barrel above the forearm.

The Garcia-imported models (post-1972)will have a very faint stamp with the importer's name (Garcia Corp.) on the underside of the barrel just forward of the forend.

stonecreek---

It's a Rhimakii action.

They were made between 1951 and 1963 and that's all. That was long before Garcia got into it.

Barrel has been cut if it is 21.5"........

bobcash---

The three barrels I have from Rhimakiis are all 21.5 inches. None have been cut. I've seen a 22 inch heavy barrel, too.

2 updates:
1. I was in a shop Sat. & saw a Sako that was the twin sister of the one I just bought EXCEPT it had a 23" barrel & a price tag twice what I had just paid ($975 vs. $470).
2. I was in a shop Mon & offhand asked if they had any Sako rings for an old Rhimakki style action. the clerk said "Gee, I think so..." turns out he had a set on the shelf for the exeact action, perfect blue, good price... Can't wait till the weather breaks and I can try her out. Thanks for all the wonderful help, guys!!!

One further update: took it out Sat. to sight it in. Had thrown an older Weaver 4-12 on it. (30+ years old). With Federal factory ammo got a 3/4" group. I'm not a great shooter so needless to say I was overjoyed! Looks like a keeper!!! Can't wait to get some Redding dies and brass.

A fellow shooter here has two of the Sako Brownings in 222...and won't part with either of them. Anyway, this looks like a good place to ask about another Sako that I recently acquired.An L61R Finnbear in 7 Rem Mag. Serial #19XXX,marked Bofors Steel on the barrel.Has a front site but no rear sight on the barrel so I assume it was shipped with the aperature site that slides onto the rear dovetail.It has an "old" Kahles 2.5-7X scope on it in Sako rings. This is the fourth Sako I've owned and makes three that I still have.I'm interested in knowing more about the history of this one.

JBelk,
You can also add 25in. barrel length to the list.
About 3yrs. about I picked up a L46 single shot in 222 (factory barreled) . These single shots came only as a barreled action. I have since rebarreled to 17Rem. but still have the 222 barrel. Call en in close____Pete

Rembo;
I just happen to have one of those Sako Brownings withh the pencil barrel, NIB, in .308 - complete with the spectacular wood that those guns seemed to come with. This one has a bit of a story behind it, and it's been in my cache for 25 years or so. I also have one of those aperture sights you're talking about... ..and I think I know where there's another one! You're close enough that we might just be onto a totally knock-down-drag-out swap session here!..

Tumbleweed---

You'd do well in checking under the stock line on that rifle......a lot of the really good wood was salt wood in that time frame.

JBelk;

You know better than to give an old man a heart attack like that! I scrambled down to the gun room and ex-wooded my Sako/Browning..and found that it's fine.. ..no evidence of salt.

Found the bill, where I'd picked it up in '82, and paid too much.. ..serial # is 15xxxZ74. Can't help wondering if the '74 might be the year of manufacture? I weighed it, while I was at it - 6lbs 9 oz. No Sako markings at all, oddly enough, but it sure looks like a L579 to me. It's a drilled & tapped round top; no grooves on the receiver. Hooded front & folding rear sights. I don't doubt bases might be tough to find!

Tumbleweed---

GOOD DEAL!!! I hate it when nice rifles are damaged.

The Z74 means medium Sako action made in 1974. They found the salt wood in about 1971, so your's should be good to go.

That takes an odd base. Redfield made them for Browning and I used to have a handful of them but sold them (and a couple hundred more) to one dealer at a gunshow in Boise.

I have a dim memory of those rifles taking two Weaver bases the same number.......#46 maybe.. Measure the front ring. If it's 1.300 the #46 bases will fit, if the holes are the right spacing.

Tumbleweed, what kind of trading did you have in mind? I'd like one of those Sako's but the cartridge(.308)isn't a real "gotta have" with me.I have an AII Varmint in 22-250 and an L579 in 7-08AI.Now a 22-250 or a 243 in the Sako/Browning sporter would be an easy sell with me.

..Anything Mauser-ish with a big hole in the end always gets me drooling...

Tumbleweed: A dealer named Jeffery Tyler, I believe in Kansas City, deals in Brownings and usually has bases for the Browning-Sakos. Check his ads in Gun List. The Weaver front and rear bases as I recall are both used for other applications on other guns (separately, not as a pair), so anyone with a good stock of Weaver bases might be able to piece you together a proper set.

Stonecreek: You know, it's a funny thing. I've had that gun 21 years now, and somebody else had it 8 years before that. It's still new in the box, and unfired. I'm not sure why, but I don't think I WANT to scope it, or fire it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the 'oldest brand new' Sako Browning on the planet... ...and it would be sorta cool if it stayed that way! The trouble is, I'm always left wondering how WELL it might shoot! Damn - what's a man to do? p.s. I also have a NIB-unfired FN Browning in '06...same dilemma..