• Hey All! Lately there has been more and more scammers on the forum board. They register and replies to members requests for guns and/or parts or other things. The reply contains a gmail or hotmail address or similar ”anonymous” email addresses which they want you to reply to. DO NOT ANSWER ANY STRANGE MESSAGES! They often state something like this: ”Hello! Saw your post about purchasing a stock for a Safari. KnuckleheadBob has one. Email him at: [email protected]” If you receive any strange messages: Check the status of whoever message you. If they have no posts and signed up the same day or very recently, stay away. Same goes for other members they might refer to. Check them too and if they are long standing members, PM them and ask if the message is legit. Most likely it’s not. Then use the report function in each message or post so I can kick them out! Beware of anything that might seem fishy! And again, for all of you who registered your personal name as username, please contact me so I can change it to a more anonymous username. You’d be surprised of how much one can find out about a person from just a username on a forum such ad our! All the best! And be safe! Jim

Sako L61R Finnbear Hunter 30-06

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

My uncle passed away a few years ago and left my brothers and me some rifles. The one left to me is a Sako L 61 R Finnbear 30-06 Hunter. One side of the rifle next to the bolt is stamped Sako AV, and the underside of the barrel, just forward of the end of the stock, it's stamped Imported by Stoeger. I guess I'm just looking for more information. The rifle is in really good condition, there is a mark in the blueing on the barrel after it was dropped many years ago before it was given to me. Serial number is 6xxxxx. Is this an older rifle or newer? There is also a Leupold Vari-x III 3.5x10x40 scope mounted on it.
 
Your rifle is a Model AV (A-five) version of the L61R Sako action which has the bolt shroud & longer rear tang, otherwise it is identical to all L61R's. "Finnbear" is the marketing name for the long action (Vixen (AI)=short action, Forester (AII)=medium action). The "Hunter" designation indicates it has the Hunter stock style (Classic & Deluxe were the other stocks) which was introduced later in the "A" series production period. The 600,000 serial number range started around 1988 & ended in 1991 when the A series was discontinued. Beretta has since purchased Sako & is the current importer. You have been fortunate to have inherited a very fine hunting rifle to use & enjoy. Welcome & thanks for not asking, "What's it worth"? like most first time posters do.
 
Thanks for the information and prompt reply. Honestly, I've been torn about selling it or keeping it. I am not a hunter, in fact I am vegan. Though, counter-intuitively, I love firearms, and have been referred to as a gun-toting vegan. Anyways, this rifle has been to the range once in the last 7 years, and have thought about selling/trading and building an AR style rifle. I just want to get as much information on this Sako as I can, maybe it will help in my decision making process. It has a great deal of sentimental value coming from my uncle, though I feel that he would want me to have a rifle I would use much more.
 
If you don't hunt & your shooting taste are more toward target, competition or recreational shooting then a 30-06 sporting rifle is probably not well suited for you. Your rifle is quite common & has no special collector appeal & would sell as a shooter. The various gun sale/auction sites will give you some comparisons to establish a sale price, but condition, location, caliber etc. all contribute to a rifles value. Most standard AV's in 30-06 sell in the $700 to $1000 range "depending" on a host of factors. Since most quality AR platform weapons go in the $1500-$2000 range you'll be a little short no matter what you get for your rifle.
 
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