How does one go about finding the date of manufacture of a Sako Finnbear? It has a serial 52xxx, just curious if it is pre-Garcia. Thanks-Karl

A lot of the Garcia guns (I don't know about ALL)have a tiny "Garcia" etched or printed on the bottom of barrel just forward of the forearm.

Go to Sako's website and email customer service with the serial number. They will tell you exactly when the rifle was built-at least that is what they did for me.

John

Follow this link to the Sako Collectors Club chat site. Click on Documents and open the PDF file for some reference serial numbers by cartridge and frame style. You need both to get a fix on the dating. You are looking for pre-72.



http://groups.msn.com/SakoCollectorsClub/

It does have the Garcia marking. Is this a negative thing? I am a bit confused as on the top of the barrel is says "Made In Finland" but to my understanding Garcia means made in spain. Am I correct? Thanks-Karl

Garcia is an American sporting goods conglomerate. All of the rifles are built in Finland, just different corporate parents. There is a thread you can search for about the fact that some of the later Garcia era rifles were not as well finished as the earlier models. This is a little controverial in some places but bottom line is pre-Garcia guns bring a slight premium on the used gun market. My own experience has been that the actual difference is more legend than fact but I might have just been lucky.