Hi all, this is a project that I've been working on for a while and it's nearly ready to be stocked. It has Weibe B/M, LaPour 3pos. and Roger Vardy wood, new bolt etc by me.
After reading the other thread about DSB short actions I thought I would run this by you all to see what you thought about my take on it.
Now these little Sako actions are pretty sweet, except for the tapered dovetail idea. Nice looking rings to suit just don't exist as far as I know, so I machined up these bases to accept Talleys.
Just wanted a few more sets of eyes and some opinions on whether they look alright or not.
Feel free to critique.
Cheers,
Metal

Very nice!
Warne used to make handsome Maxima rings for the Sako bases. I think I have an extra pair. Talley now makes base adaptors for their rings. I don't particularly care for them. It adds more pieces and complexity.

Re: the whole project... WOW!

That will be a great little rifle. I like it.

Very nice, I like the bolt handle, safety, bottom metal and the choice of stock blank. I've wondered if it might be possible to machine the Sako bridges to fit another slide on scope ring, maybe 11 mm Brno or Weaver, eliminating need for bases?

My thought exactly, but no recoil lug for the rings. However, one could always pin the rings to the action

How necessary would a recoil lug for the rings be on something like this? I'm sure it's a light rifle, but even at that, the recoil impulse for nearly anything it's chambered in (and it very well might still be 222 or 223) isn't exactly overpowering.

If there is enough meat there, I'd much prefer no adapter. But, don't let this seem like I don't like it, because even with your adapter, it's going to be a sweetheart!

Two thumbs up from this kitchen-table guy.

I've got one done as original metal (from years/decades ago) but have another action on which to build and I love the add-ons, stock style and scope mounts.

Thanks for the ideas.

Zeke

metal,
Please show how you modified the tang.

****I stand corrected****.

Beautiful rifle and an inspiration to us all.

Zeke

fla3006 & Jim, you could machine the dovetails on the rear bridge but you would run into the barrel threads on the front.
Dave, I've taken some photos of the slimmed down tang, photobucket is down so I'll post them later.
Thirdbite, I made the pattern then got the stock turned, left the cheekpeice oversize for freedom.

quote:

Originally posted by Brice:
Very nice!
Warne used to make handsome Maxima rings for the Sako bases. I think I have an extra pair. Talley now makes base adaptors for their rings. I don't particularly care for them. It adds more pieces and complexity.

Thanks Brice, I have been on the lookout for those Warne rings but haven't come across any.
Not sure if they still make them. Those Maximas can look a bit chunky though.
Cheers.

Sweet looking little rifle.

Stock pattern and your metal work are pure class!


I built a L461 for my youngest boy in 6x45 with a McMillan stock and a Broughton 5C barrel and Conetrol rings with a teflon finish. Accurate indestructible kid rifle. Now I'm building one for my self similar to yours.

Post pics with game once you have it complete.

That's really trick and I think that will be really nice put together and all blued up to look close to original on the bases....nice work!

Fine looking work there sir. The rings themselves look fine. If I had your talents, and a milling machine of course, I'd be tempted to blend your bases to meet at the front and back of the scope rings. Seems like the rings will have plenty of clamping force that you could machine away the lugs (maybe using a 3/4" ball mill?) to smooth out/blend that area a bit in the shape of a quarter circle sort of as viewed from the side. Sorry for the layman terms. The sharp edges there seem to distract from the overall look.

Yes, a bigger radius there would be better.
Good idea, thanks CB.

I'm curious why you didn't machine the Talley mount right into the existing dovetail on the action? Was it not tall enough?

Lovely wood, though I do like a lighter color than this. Going to be a beauty once you're done. Hope to see it when it is.

George

Nice looking looking work on the rifle. It should turn out very nicely. I'm a bit confused on the scope ring ring comment though. What do you consider good looking rings? I think a big advantage of these actions is the integral dovetails. It wouldn't be much harder to make direct mount rings of the shape you like. I've got four L461's and have used original Sako rings, Talley, Leopold, Weaver, and Burris rings/bases at various times. My favorite are the Leupold and Sako because there is no need for a base that unnecessarily raises the scope and adds more screws that could loosen at some time. The Leupold rings could be a little slimmer, but they are pretty smooth and simple.

Thanks for the ideas, I'm still looking at all options. As mentioned earlier if you machine the front dovetails you will run into the barrel, refer photo.
Cheers.

Not a fan of the scope mount, but the rifle is wonderful.

I just can't see building another system when the Sako one is there.

At least your mount system uses the integrals. Most I have seen do not.

I saw a Sako AV that someone had machined off the Sako integrals to put a Redfield mount on it. He wanted top dollar for it, and I told him it was completely worthless to me.

quote:

Originally posted by metal:
As mentioned earlier if you machine the front dovetails you will run into the barrel, refer photo.
Cheers.

Yep, see it now.

any progress pics I like the build. Your wood and metal work are great.
I have an 6x45 in a MPI stock Im wanting to restock. Who did your panograph work?

The late and great Tony Barnes of Twin Falls Idaon built me a mod. 70 3 pos safety out of a chunk of 30 caliber bull barrel in 1982, for my L-461 Sako..Its a 6x45, bench rest chamber, 5 lbs with scope walk around varmint gun that Ive mostly used for Deer and Antelope..I stocked the gun in a piece of blood red claro that Tony had stored away, and contrary to the wood, its harder than woodpecker lips and took 30LPI checkering on one of his guns and 24 on mine, unusual at best...BTW it shoots in the .200 to .300 group category every time with 5 shots or 10..an exceptional gun.

I would like to get some info about that safety.
Where on earth did you find it?

Ed LaPour offers it

Nice

Very nice and what a piece of wood! Kudos for changing the bolt handle. Why does Sako use such a spindly bolt knob in the first place?

Love the bolt handle. Nice job!

NIce chunk of walnut, hard to find them that dark anymore..

I have one. its almost black with lighter black stripes and marble cake, rare as hens teeth, that's been in my shop for 25 years, been saving it for something special, getting so old I had to make a move so its being transformed to a 7x57 on a G-3340 action, the metal is about done, mostly by Jack Belk, and I'll do the wood have someone rust blue it fwt. It will be stocked in English/Africer stying, short forend with Ebony cap, egg cheek piece, fairly low combed for irons, but I can still use a scope, custom bases by Belk that look like square bridges, Talley rings, Talley bolt, talley barrel swivel and barrel band front sight with a 3/32 bead. mod. 70 3-pos safety. 22 inch barrel, a real fwt. rifle..This one is for me, not for sale and will go to one of my kids or grandkids.

This was one heavy blank, originally was lined up to be a 404 but a large inclusion was uncovered at the tip.
Turned out to be perfect length for the L461 wlth a 9" forearm with ebony tip. I will be hollowing out the butt to balance it out though.

Pretty easy to machine off MOST of the dovetail, then make custom bases wide enough to cover the little bit of dovetail you have left on the ring..On the bridge all the dovetail can be removed.

Thanks for the input Duane, I'll channel my thinking down that road....

any update on the build?

It's in the finishing stages, we're thinking of getting some scratching done too so it could take a while...
Cheers