Sako serial numbers 1949-? in progress

sakorick · January 29, 2010, 01:42:46 PM

Background and history of the Sako commercial rifle:

The first civilian rifle bearing the Sako name was the L42 Luodikko rifle model 1942, chambered for the 7x33mm Sako cartridge, prototyped in 1942, and commercial production started after WWII as model number L46. Sako developed the 7x33 cartridge based on the 9x19 pistol cartridge, by making a longer case and "necking" the case down to 7mm calibre (7.21mm bullet diameter). This cartridge was designed for and well suited to Capercaille and black grouse hunting, a popular sport in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Sako model L46 chambered in 7x33 is considered extremely rare in the United States although more common in Europe.

The L46 was later re-designated the L461 Vixen. The L461 has been very popular in Finland and Sweden, especially chambered for the .222 Remington cartridge. Many countries used the L461 in winter biathlon Olympic competition and it has an almost mythical status among aficionados.

In 1957, Sako developed a longer action, the L57, subsequently renamed L579 Forester in 1959. This is a "medium action" was designed for the .308 and .243 Winchester cartridges.

In 1961, Sako introduced the L61R Finnbear for the long cartridges like the .30-06, .270 and similar.

For a short while, Sako produced a clip fed lever-action gun, the Sako Finnwolf chambered in .243 and .308 Winchester. There were 3 versions of the L61R and L579 models, the sporter, a deluxe model and a full stock Mannlicher version.

This list has been compiled from the original MSN Sako Collector's Club(now defunct) owners provided original hangtags or similar documentation. The list starts with L46, 22 Hornet, SN 5074 and ends with several Garcia imports in the 70's and a few Stoeger imports to the early 80's.

Sako production list of January 2010

caliber   action   date      SN

22 Hornet

    L46    11/24/49      5074
    L46      08/11/50      6190
    L46      10/05/54      16194
    L46      03/19/57      34367
    L46      05/08/58      39207

218 Bee

L46      01/18/50      5317
    L46      04/12/50      5554
    L46      04/17/50      5575
    L46      11/26/49      5724
    L46      11/26/49      5845
    L46      01/28/50      6985

222 Rem

L46      08/13/49      4621
    L46      11/29/51      7939
    L46      05/20/52      8342
    L46      08/27/52      9783
    L46      10/31/55      10760
    L46      12/12/52      10966
    L46      01/07/53      11216
    L46      04/23/54      11374
    L46      04/09/53      11823
    L46      08/27/54      16313
    L46      11/15/54      16757
    L46      06/21/55      23724
    L46      06/15/55      24377
    L46      10/31/55      29135
    L46      04/25/58      38765
    L46      08/26/57      38864
    L46      07/15/59      44245
    L46      06/10/60      46395
    L46      11/16/60      46618
    L46      11/16/60      46920
    L46      12/09/60      47204
    L46      02/20/61      49504
    L461   03/30/62      57869
    L461   04/10/63      61526
    L461   05/29/63      63688
    L461   05/29/63      64352
    L461   05/29/63      65558
    L461   05/29/63      66314
    L461   04/18/64      66447
    L461   03/03/64      66784
    L461   04/18/64      68390
    L461   03/17/65      75349
    L461   10/29/65      75713
    L461   04/11/65      75874
    L461   03/17/65      84340
    L461   10/26/65      88058
    L461   01/12/66      88692
    L461   08/08/66      97589
    L461   04/18/70      98465
    L461   08/08/66      98981
    L461   01/10/69      101753
    L461   09/26/68      101780
    L461   10/16/68      102341
    L461   03/10/71      103855
    L461   01/10/71      120073
    L461   07/27/74      129273
    L461   09/18/78      152027
    A1      11/12/81      172031

222Mag

L469   05/09/60      44987
    L469   08/15/60      45167
    L46      03/10/61      49139
    L46      09/08/61      49838
    L469   04/28/61      50513
    L46      10/20/61      54545
    L461   05/20/63      62819
    L461   04/17/63      64222
    L461   11/21/63      65255
    L461   06/12/63      65949
    L461   07/06/63      61157
    L461   02/27/64      66282
    L461   02/15/64      67997
    L461   09/11/64      71435
    L461   12/29/67      72748
    L461   01/19/64      78999
    L461   02/13/65      83126
    L461 02/26/66      89670
    L461   03/06/69      93651
    L461   10/06/66      94910
    L461   02/26/66      95678
    L461   03/10/66      100448
    L461   03/10/66      100977
    L461   06/23/70      101553
    L461   10/20/70      101780
    A1      06/05/80      160022

223

L461      03/13/68      76123
    L461      01/25/68      76507
    L461      11/05/70      94010
    L461      11/05/70      97166
    L461      12/31/66      99633
    L461      05/04/70      101749
    L461      10/16/69      103907
    L461      04/21/71      105143
    L461      01/03/70      113140
    L461      03/10/72      126789
    L461      09/05/75      130158
    L461      06/23/77      148284
    L461      09/14/79      165255

22-250

L579      08/09/67      56517
    L579      12/02/69      73132
    L579      04/02/69      74107
    L579      02/13/69      76029
    L579      04/06/71      91302
    L579      01/03/71      91751
    L579      04/15/71      92006
    L579      06/28/71      92542
    L579      05/27/71      92803
    L579      08/18/71      104930
    L579      05/22/71      104984
    L579      02/17/72      106899

243

VL63      01/30/68      1079
    L579      02/05/58      1741
    VL63      02/06/69      2420
    VL63      01/10/72      3386
    L579      08/29/59      5519
    VL63      12/01/71      6565
    VL63      11/13/72      7145
    VL63      01/21/75      8652
    L579      02/17/60      11569
    L579      03/25/60      11601
    L579      05/16/60      11915
    L579      02/18/60      12035
    L579      17/10/61      19890
    L579      03/11/64      32898
    L579      03/11/64      35965
    L579      08/06/64      38229
    L579      02/18/65      43906
    L579      04/30/65      45151
    L579      05/06/65      46488
    L579      10/06/66      46675
    L579      02/08/66      52377
    L579      01/24/66      53725
    L579      03/24/66      54459
    L579      06/27/66      62498
    L579      04/15/67      65452
    L579      10/01/69      73727
    L579      12/02/68      76222
    L579      08/14/68      76612
    L579      04/12/69      82064
    L579      10/01/69      84409
    L579      10/27/69      84665
    L579      11/07/69      85925
    L579      10/11/70      90150
    L579      09/30/70      99471
    L579      04/11/71      101617
    L579      06/15/71      102011
    L579      08/24/71      105863
    L579      01/24/72      106676
    L579      01/24/72      107494

6MM

L57      07/08/59      4925
    L57      12/08/58      5442
    L57      05/14/59      9362
    L57      02/17/60      10622
    L57      12/19/59      11185
    L57      12/19/59      11344
    L597   12/21/59      11353*
    L579   02/17/60      11530
    L579   06/29/60      14413
    L579   06/29/60      14414
    L579   04/19/61      14840

25-'06

L61R   11/27/74      47937
    L61R   05/14/71      61097
    L61R   01/21/72      61836
    L61R 01/07/72      61984
    L61R   02/25/72      62611
    L61R   11/17/71      62903

.264 WM

L61R   12/03/62      2921
    L61R   01/09/63      3556
    L61R   05/29/68      36836
    L61R   05/29/70      56532

.270 Win

L61R   06/27/63      6422
    L61R   11/13/68      33160
    L61R   12/19/68      35150
    L61R   06/11/69      41090
    L61R   06/29/71      61365
    L61R   08/13/71      61666
    L61R   07/05/71      62475
    L61R   08/31/71      63084
    L61R   12/30/71      63287
    L61R   07/05/71      62531

7 MAG
L61R      09/04/63      24288
    L61R      06/13/68      36106
    L61R      09/02/68      36289
    L61R      01/21/69      37517
    L61R      02/22/70      53707
    L61R      11/14/74      59306
    L61R      12/30/71      59837
    L61R      12/10/71      64776
    L61R      05/28/71      65813
    L61R      09/21/72      70894
    L61R      02/18/70      C182****
    L61R      12/30/71      C339****
    L61R      08/04/72      C780****
    L61R      02/24/72      C798****

308

VL63      03/06/69      1900
    VL63      05/10/72      5406
    VL63      02/05/75      6227
    VL63      72       8060
    VL63      06/15/72      8204
    L57      05/09/59      8872
    VL63      12/29/72      9294
    VL63      04/19/74      10658
    L579      03/29/60      11309
    L579      04/04/60      11504*
    L579      12/18/73      12027
    L579      08/30/63      32105
    L579      06/05/65      45409
    L579      04/12/66      52708
    L579      01/23/68      75090
    L579      10/30/69      84750
    L579      04/29/71      97958
    L579      04/01/71      101861
    L579      08/14/72      112067

30-'06

L61R      12/18/67      28165
    L61R      10/13/67      29022
    L61R      08/11/68      35042***
    L61R      09/04/69      40237
    L61R      08/12/71      55315
    L61R      11/15/71      61435
    L61R      11/15/71      62140
    L61R      11/01/72      74547
    L61R      10/12/73      85025
    M74     00/12/75      512715**
    A3      10/10/80      609265
    A V      11/21/81      643953

300H&H

L61R      06/17/64      5115
    L61R      12/14/64      8433
    L61R      09/01/64      9140
    L61R      04/17/69      43616

300WM

L61R      09/03/69      43021
    L61R      05/12/69      43343
    L61R      10/24/69      45428
    L61R      08/13/71      58935
    L61R      08/13/71      60187

338WM

L61R      02/04/69      38644
    L61R      02/18/70      45401
    L61R      11/26/70      60337
    L61R      08/13/71      64765

375H&H

L61R      04/29/69      42329
    L61R      06/04/71      65376
    L61R      03/23/72      69677

22    M78      06/06/79      711283


L579* ACTIONS WITH MANY LEFT OVER L57 PARTS
M74** SUPER MADE 1974 ONLY
L61R*** SN 35042 LAST KNOWN BOFORS BARREL
7Mag**** Anniversary limited edition

gitano · February 01, 2010, 11:13:33 AM

This is a great start! I'll get on the formatting 'psot haste'. I've just been swamped this weekend.

Paul

sakorick · February 01, 2010, 02:47:27 PM

Quote from: gitano;102660This is a great start! I'll get on the formatting 'psot haste'. I've just been swamped this weekend.

Paul

It would be much much easier to just post the spreadsheet as an attachment in both Excel and Adobe reader. Regards, Rick.

gitano · February 02, 2010, 07:42:17 AM

Rick,

I have a question about the numbers. In example, look at the first entry. For the Serial Number, is 5074 the starting number in the series or the ending number in the series? Ditto for the date.

Here's what I'm thinking the format should look like. I don't particularly care for acronyms, abbreviations, and "secret codes" in reference material, even when they are pre-defined. Also, in the "Reference Library" we need to distinguish correctly between "caliber" (the diameter of a bullet), and "cartridge" (the name of the chambering).

If you are OK with this format, I'll make all the changes.

Paul

sakorick · February 02, 2010, 10:13:40 AM

Excellent.....please make the changes.....perfect. Regards, Rick.

Quote from: gitano;102701Rick,

I have a question about the numbers. In example, look at the first entry. For the Serial Number, is 5074 the starting number in the series or the ending number in the series? Ditto for the date.

Here's what I'm thinking the format should look like. I don't particularly care for acronyms, abbreviations, and "secret codes" in reference material, even when they are pre-defined. Also, in the "Reference Library" we need to distinguish correctly between "caliber" (the diameter of a bullet), and "cartridge" (the name of the chambering).

If you are OK with this format, I'll make all the changes.

Paul

gitano · February 02, 2010, 12:09:34 PM

Rick,

I need to know if those are starting serial numbers and starting dates, or ending ones. It looks like they're ending ones. Right?

Paul

sakorick · February 02, 2010, 01:37:50 PM

Paul. Actually neither! Now that I look at the spread sheet, I think just listing the SN would be appropriate. Sako had a very hap-hazard serial numbering system that didn't conform to anything. I have found serial numbers that should conform to a specific year only to find the rifle was shipped 3 or 4 years later. Rick.

gitano · February 02, 2010, 02:00:49 PM

OK. So if I understand correctly, these are specific rifles with their serial number and a known manufacture date. Right?

Paul

sakorick · February 03, 2010, 05:12:24 AM

Exactly.

Quote from: gitano;102722OK. So if I understand correctly, these are specific rifles with their serial number and a known manufacture date. Right?

Paul

gitano · February 15, 2010, 09:30:36 AM

I tried to upload the table, but it is too large in any of the formats offered by the THL editor. Therefore, I am going to parse it into smaller pieces and see how that works.

Paul

gitano · February 15, 2010, 11:40:50 AM

It was necessary to break the table up and then make each piece a "picture" IF... We don't want to try to format it right in the thread.

Here's what a couple look like:

Lemme hear some feedback on how "you" want to do this.

Paul

recoil junky · February 15, 2010, 01:23:48 PM

Whilst I'm no Sako officianado I find the whole thing very interesting. Very easy to pick out where your rifle "came from"

The onliest thing I had trubblems with is getting it to load in the present format. It did load, just took awhile, even at 256k.

Might just be Windows7 or whatever this new 'puter came with.

RJ

sakorick · February 16, 2010, 03:11:05 AM

Looks good to me. How easy are they to edit? One of the footnotes is ? I used the save as and saved them to my computer. Very easy if someone is only interested in a particular model or caliber. The footnote on the M74 super says made in 74 only which is incorrect. They were made from 1974 to 1977. Regards, Rick.

gitano · February 16, 2010, 07:46:39 AM

QuoteHow easy are they to edit?

[/SIZE]

They're not. Here's the process:

Go to the MSWord text file and edit the table.
Use a screen-capture program to create an image of the MSWord file.
Store the image file somewhere on your computer
Load the image into photobucket
Replace the old photobucket url with the new photobucket url.

If each cartridge got it's own post, then the THL editor could be used instead of photobucket, because it will store one image and not make the reader load the image from a link. However, some cartridges, like the .222 Rem above, are made up of 3 separate images.

The alternative is to do all of the editing within the THL editor. In other words, create the table in the editor just like I am creating this text. The problem with that is that the THL editor is really 'unfriendly' to any form of tablature. It would be a real pain to create the first large table. However, once it was done, it would be easy to edit (add an entry).

Here's what it might look like:

Cartridge . . . . .Action Type . . . . . Date . . . . . . . Serial #
.222 Rem . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 11/19/1951 . . . . . 7939

The "." and " " are needed because the editor "hates" blank spaces more than two characters long. Neither does it recognize tabs.

Whadyathink?

Paul

sakorick · February 16, 2010, 12:38:34 PM

I'm not too sure just what to think but I think it's good. I don't think I have a screen capture program??? Regards, Rick.

gitano · February 16, 2010, 02:44:05 PM

There are free screen capture programs "out there", but I sprung for the $5 to get one I could count on to work or I could actually "yell" at somebody if it didn't. It's called "Quick Screen Capture". Have a look here: http://www.etrusoft.com/

I wonder if the best way to eat this elephant isn't a bite at a time. In other words, each of us - as we see fit - take a cartridge and make a table in the THL editor. After each one is created, it can be pasted into the thread with the total table in it. That way no one person will have to slog through editing/creating all the entries. My suggestion - but I'm certainly not married to it - would be to use the format I started above.

Cartridge . . . . .Action Type . . . . . Date . . . . . . . Serial #
.222 Rem . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 11/19/1951 . . . . . 7939

If that "works" for you guys, I'll start with the 218 Bee. Here 'tis...

Cartridge . . . . .Action Type . . . . Date . . . . . . . Serial #

.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 11/26/1949 . . . . 5724
.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 11/26/1949 . . . . 5845
.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 1/18/1950 . . . . . 5317
.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 4/12/1950 . . . . . 5554
.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 4/17/1950 . . . . . 5575
.218 Bee . . . . . . . L46 . . . . . . 1/28/1950 . . . . . 6985

Paul

gitano · March 02, 2015, 06:10:11 PM

Rick - Is there anything in this thread that needs to be preserved? I'm cleaning the Reference Library up and want to delete threads/topics that have moved to "sticky" status. If everything in this thread is found in this thread: http://www.thehunterslife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14777 then I can delete THIS thread.

Paul