Sears Sako

18 December 2015, 05:18

cooksey

Sears Sako

My Dad bought a L579 Sears Sako in 1955 or there about, the barrel is toast, it is currently in.243, will a 7mm08 work ok in this action? It is really a "slick' little action.

18 December 2015, 05:43

Fjold

Should be a drop in replacement, they have the same headspace and parent case.

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

18 December 2015, 05:48

ramrod340

The 260. Greedmore etc would work as well. Basically anything based on the 308 case

18 December 2015, 07:14

cooksey

Thanks guys, I was pretty sure it would, but wanted a second opinion.

21 December 2015, 19:16

Snellstrom

Send it out for a rebore or have a new barrel installed.

23 December 2015, 06:54

Stonecreek

I'll bet your Sako is not a Sears, but rather a Montgomery Ward model. The only Sears on a Sako action that I'm aware of was a .222 on the L46 action called the Model 52. However, Montgomery Ward marketed an L57 in .243 and .308 (750EIN and 760EIN). Both rifles were barreled and stocked either by High Standard or in the old High Standard facility by a contractor called the Jefferson Rifle Company.

But regardless of whether Sears or MW, the L57 magazine will accept any of the cartridges based on the .308 Win or .300 Savage. It will also accommodate the .244 Rem, but larger calibers on the 57mm Mauser case have longer bullets and are very crowded in the 2.8" magazine. The L57 is a fine old action and deserves a good barrel in the caliber of your choice.

23 December 2015, 14:11

cooksey

Thank you Sir, I will get it out of the safe and check for sure what it is, I was 13 when he got it and only know in that time frame in rural Texas everybody had an account with Sears and "Monkey wards" so it is entirely possible it is a Wards.

23 December 2015, 21:44

cooksey

I stand corrected, it is a Wards Westernfield EJN. 750, Sako L57 no.369, made in Finland. Still one of the slickest actions I own. I don't own a 7MM or a .25 so I'm torn between .257 Roberts or 7mm/08. Suggestions?

23 December 2015, 22:45

Big Wonderful Wyoming

A 257 Roberts may not fit, a 257 is usually built on a full length action. As the parent case is the 8x57/7mm Mauser.

Here are some factory options: 6mm XC, 243, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47 Lapua, 6mm Swiss Match, 6mm Creedmoor, 6x47 Lapua, 7mm-08, 7mm BR, 6mm BR.

The BR's may not feed.

24 December 2015, 00:40

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by cooksey:
I stand corrected, it is a Wards Westernfield EJN. 750, Sako L57 no.369, made in Finland. Still one of the slickest actions I own. I don't own a 7MM or a .25 so I'm torn between .257 Roberts or 7mm/08. Suggestions?

7mm-08 is one of the finest medium game cartridges there is.

It is a modernized version of the 7X57.

24 December 2015, 02:19

Stonecreek

quote:
Originally posted by cooksey:
I stand corrected, it is a Wards Westernfield EJN. 750, Sako L57 no.369, made in Finland. Still one of the slickest actions I own. I don't own a 7MM or a .25 so I'm torn between .257 Roberts or 7mm/08. Suggestions?

The .257 Roberts will -- just barely -- fit in the L57, but you won't be happy with seating the bullets as deep as will be necessary. In a .25 caliber I'd recommend a .250 Savage -- the classic light big game caliber. Otherwise, you might look at the 7mm-08, or if you have larger things to tend to there is the .338 Federal.

You might consider reboring your current barrel. That way you could keep the band-mounted rear sight and not have a gap in your stock inletting that a new barrel without the sight would leave.

24 December 2015, 03:13

jerrymontgomery

Another cartridge to consider would be the .260 Rem; still on the 308 case. If you reload and don't mind a wildcat, the 25 Souper, which is simply a 243 necked up, would work. I have a buddy with a Souper that claims it can walk on water.

24 December 2015, 03:25

cooksey

Thanks Guys, It has no rear site band, It came originally with a peep site (have no idea what Pop did with it) It now has Leopold Rings with a Nikon scope and the original stock, Pretty sorry, that I reworked some time in the 70's. The barrel isn't a Sako. I think after further study and listening to you guys a Douglas or Shilen in 7mm08 is in order and a new piece of wood too.

24 December 2015, 06:30

Kevin Gullette

I think Stone was on the right track.......except make it a 250AI.

But....that's just me....and one of my future projects.

Kevin

24 December 2015, 08:29

Snellstrom

Send it out for a rebore.
250/3000, 260, the Creedmore or Grendel I forget which one will work, 7mm/08, .308, .338 Fed, .358 Win to name a few.
I happen to like .243's so a rebarrel to that would be considered if it were mine but if a rebore is interesting the .260 or 7-08 would be high on the list.

24 December 2015, 21:18

Jerry Eden

I have one of those "odd" branded Sako's also. Mine is a 222 by Harrington and Richardson. If you like the barrel that is attached now, you could re-bore and reline back to 243, otherwise for a rebarrel, consider Pac-Nor also.

Jerry

25 December 2015, 00:04

cooksey

I will, However the work will likely be done in Stevenville, Texas and Shilen us just up the road in Dallas. I'll see what the Smiths says also.

25 December 2015, 03:49

cooksey

Anyone have any dealings with Macon gun stocks? Looks like a spin off of the old E.C.Bishop Co...

28 December 2015, 00:03

MileHighShooter

quote:
Originally posted by Snellstrom:
Send it out for a rebore.
250/3000, 260, the Creedmore or Grendel I forget which one will work, 7mm/08, .308, .338 Fed, .358 Win to name a few.
I happen to like .243's so a rebarrel to that would be considered if it were mine but if a rebore is interesting the .260 or 7-08 would be high on the list.

One of the companies that does rebores, lists Sako as one of the barrels that may not come out. Something about the specific metal they use does not re-cut right. But I know CRW (I think that is Pederson??) will give a deal on a re-barrel if the re-bore fails.

McGowen had a bunch of random barrels on sale, still might. I got one for 125$.

28 December 2015, 20:12

Stonecreek

quote:
One of the companies that does rebores, lists Sako as one of the barrels that may not come out. Something about the specific metal they use does not re-cut right.

'Taint a Sako barrel -- it is an aftermarket barrel mounted by High Standard on the Sako action and most likely a button-rifled barrel.

I've never heard that some Sako barrels were not adaptable to reboring, but if that is true it might have something to do with hammer forging as opposed to cut rifling or button rifling.

28 December 2015, 21:26

tiggertate

I think you're right about that in general. Cliff LaBounty had a warning about that and SAKO barrels, among others but it had to do with alloy too. I sent him a Sauer 200 barrel which is also hammer forged which he accepted only because the bore was already trashed. Turned out that one "cut like butter" according to Cliff.

10 January 2016, 01:11

Atkinson

I like the Sears and a few others that Sako farmed out..The were all or mostly roundtops and came in all the L-Series, which were the best of the best..My custom 6x45 is a sears round top as I recall, but they had no sears markings on the action. I think Marlin also sold some of those early on???

If it were me I would have High Plains Reboring rebore that one to a .257 Roberts or maybe a 7-08, 250-3000 would be a neat one for sure.

A rebore is about half the cost of a new barrel installation, and they have always shot great for me from High plains.

10 January 2016, 10:13

cooksey

It's at the gunsmiths having a new Douglas BBL installed and getting the barrel and (RED) bottom metal re blued. Got a nice piece of wood coming from a guy in Minnesota. All is well... BTW 7mm/08

23 January 2016, 15:10

DRS

quote:
Originally posted by Stonecreek:
I'll bet your Sako is not a Sears, but rather a Montgomery Ward model. The only Sears on a Sako action that I'm aware of was a .222 on the L46 action called the Model 52. However, Montgomery Ward marketed an L57 in .243 and .308 (750EIN and 760EIN). Both rifles were barreled and stocked either by High Standard or in the old High Standard facility by a contractor called the Jefferson Rifle Company.

But regardless of whether Sears or MW, the L57 magazine will accept any of the cartridges based on the .308 Win or .300 Savage. It will also accommodate the .244 Rem, but larger calibers on the 57mm Mauser case have longer bullets and are very crowded in the 2.8" magazine. The L57 is a fine old action and deserves a good barrel in the caliber of your choice.

Marlin also produced a rifle based on Sakos' L46 in .222 Remington.

23 January 2016, 22:55

N E 450 No2

Several years ago Shilen rebarreled a 223 SAKO for me.
They did an excellent job. It was more accurate than the factory barrel.

As to your choice of calibres I would go with the 308, but the 7mm08 would be my second choice.

24 January 2016, 06:32

tjroberts

I am a .308 fan, but i love the Roberts too.
Those would be my choices. I am not sure the Roberts is a good fit on that action.
But the .308 is.
After shooting both a whole bunch , i can't see 2 cents difference between the 7mm08 and the .308.
I might like a .260 or a .243 real well though...tj3006

24 January 2016, 08:23

cooksey

I have several .243's and .308's I don't have any 7mm or .25 cal rifles. This is more a "Labor of Love" from my Dad to my Grandson. I plan on this being a first class rifle any one could be proud of. I have a nice VZ24 action that I will make a .257 Bob or 25/06 out of later on God willing. I also have a nice 09 Argentine any suggestions?? Bill

28 January 2016, 21:06

Atkinson

7-08 is perfect in that action..Any short cartridge can be modified to work in the L series...BTW I think Stonecreek is right, my gun was a Monkey Wards, not Sears?? not sure its been too many years..My gun however was an L-461 222 and I converted it to a 6x45 some 30 plus years ago.

28 January 2016, 21:22

cooksey

As I understand it Sears did sell some in.222. That would be the action smaller than the L57. Go to Mauser Central and look at my wood listed under Fester, supplied by "in the 10 ring"on the ask the experts forum...