I've been looking at a Sako Forrester model and was hoping someone on this board could help me narrow down the age of the rifle. The action is the L579, has a 5 digit serial number and the bottom of the barrel is marked Firearms Int'l Corp, Wash., D.C. Any help on dating this rifle would eb appreciated. Thanks in advance. Ed

It was made between 1959 and 1972.

Not that he needs any validation, but Harry's pretty much on the money on the date range. The change-over to Garcia importation came some time in 1972, and I'm not sure how many, if any, FI's were actually made in 1972. Anyway, you've got what we Sako admirers call a "pre-Garcia" Sako. It's stock and barrel contours will be trimmer and more graceful than the Garcia imports, and in the Standard grade the bluing will have a bit higher polish. The barrel will probably be marked "Bofors Steel", but not always. I'm not at all sure how to correlate serial numbers to date of production (maybe Harry can tell you), but if the magazine floor plate release is a "plunger" rather than a little lever contoured into the trigger guard, then the rifle is later during this period rather than earlier.

[This message has been edited by Stonecreek (edited 04-22-2002).]