• 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

AIII restoration finally done

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Register Log in
sakorick

sakorick

Well-Known Member
Seems like I started this project last Christmas. The weather was cold and wet in NC Missouri but we finally got a break and I have been spraying like crazy. This is a AIII in 7MM Rem Mag whose stock finish had shattered. I gave 600 bucks for the gun and feel it is worth double that now. The pad is great, the metal is about 97% and the stock and checkering have been reborn. Actually, the checkering was not too bad and it pointed up nicely. Finished with 10 coats of tru oil. What do you think? I say the shooting begins soon. Regards, Rick.

sako1.jpg sako3.jpg sako2.jpg


 

Attachments

  • sako4.jpg
    sako4.jpg
    65.3 KB · Views: 121
Last edited:
Rick - CONGRATS - you did a great job - I agree on your valuation - hope it shoots as good as it looks.
 
That looks great! I really like the satin finish. What part of NC MO? Every Nov for the past 10 years, I travel to Putnam Co. for rifle season.
 
deerhunter said:
That looks great! I really like the satin finish. What part of NC MO? Every Nov for the past 10 years, I travel to Putnam Co. for rifle season.
Click to expand...

Hello Deerhunter. I live on my farm in Linn County between Linneus and Purdin on Hwy 5. Regards, Rick.
 
Looks prettier than it did from the factory, I'll bet. Looks like you found the "secret sauce"!-Misako
 
My farm is 49 miles South of Unionville on Hwy 5.

I may get a chance to do some plinking tomorrow after spreading fertilizer. Thanks for the kudos, regards, Rick.
 
When I started on this project, there was also a problem with the Sako high mounts. They were mounted with the Right side large set rings completely tightened to the full left with vice grips. The small set screws on the left were loc-tight in place and rusted/frozen, essentially unmovable. I spent over a month on all these parts soaking in Kroil day after day until the little springs and plungers finally came loose. How the former owner zeroed his scope is a mystery to me. Some strange things were done to early Sakos but this was the worst I have ever seen. The rifle also came with a very nice one inch brown leather basket weave 1907 style sling The range is on for today as it's in my backyard and open 24/7. Regards, Rick.
 
sakorick,

I often thought that Sako put to much stain in their finish and often hid the beauty of the wood (even on the deluxes). And, you have proved my theory. Awesome wood and super nice job.
 
Nice work!

Isn't it amazing what some people can manage to do to fine rifle? I've seen original Sako rings with the bottom flanges bowed upward from overtightening. You would think the screws would break before this would happen. They had to have put a cheater pipe on those visegrips! But the most common abuse is when a neophyte removes the metal from the stock then tries to reassemble the bottom metal without seating the magazine box properly. The result is a bow in the bottom metal of about an eighth of an inch.
 
sakorick,absolutely perfect job & looks very professional...Nice Sako in awesome caliber.
I tackled into a stock couple of years a go to restore it....but this one wasn`t a Sako.
(Husqvarna 8x 57 mauser stock)
The project turned out to be lot of work which required intense diligence & concentration.
But I finished it - finally... took about three months! I was soo pleased with final result I`m still
walking around with the petrified smile on my face....when holding this rifle!!
Good shooting,
RANE
(
 
Well here is the range report. The gun shoots great. First, I cleaned the barrel with Montana Extreme, then with Butch's Bore shine then Hoppes to remove all the other chemicals. Guess what....no copper. I then loaded up some 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips at 25 thou off the lands then 50 thou off. Both groups were sub MOA. Then I loaded some 120 gr BT's and those shot MOA too. I chronied the 150's at around 2950 and the 120's at 3310. I will probably stick with the 150's and would like to get them up to 3000'/sec with Reloader 22. You always take a chance with a used rifle especially one so abused. This will be my deer gun this November and possibly for many years. I need to get my hands on some 140 grain Accubonds but bullets are still tough to find. Regards, Rick.


 

Attachments

  • rr1.jpg
    rr1.jpg
    106.3 KB · Views: 50
  • rr2.jpg
    rr2.jpg
    67.9 KB · Views: 49
Good shooting Rick,I`am curious what kind of powder you used with 150 gr bullets?
We had so many Sako`s in our family over the long period of time...different calibers&
models And I don`t recall ANY of them ever being a lousy shooters !
Good Job!!
RANE
 
I used Reloader 22 for all testing. I love RL22 in Magnum cartridges. I will continue to work up various loads but for now, this gun does not seem to be fussy. Regards, Rick.
 
I`m going to give it try...never used reloader 22 only reloader 7 loading my .222 Rem`s.
Thanks for the info and good luck loading...for your pet Sako`s
Regards,
RANE
 
RANE said:
I`m going to give it try...never used reloader 22 only reloader 7 loading my .222 Rem`s.
Thanks for the info and good luck loading...for your pet Sako`s
Regards,
RANE
Click to expand...
Hello RANE. I would stay away from RL22 when loading a 222 remmy.... It's too slow. RL7 is a classic 222 powder for lighter bullets. My favorite powder with heavier bullets....60 gr and up is IMR4064 . Regards, Rick.
 
Hi Rick...I appreciate your advise of not using LR22 powder for .222 Remington.In fact I have never used
LR22 for anything...I have used LR7 as per my previous post...which wasn't all that clear,sorry about that.
Now, I have some 69 GR HPBT Lapua bullets..do you think those bullets will stabilize properly
off my Sako L461..with maximum load?
Thanks
RANE
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top