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Weaver mounts on a L61R

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Soren001

Member
Do the L61R's have tapped dovetails to screw down Weaver mounts from the factory or is that something that a smith would have done? I saw a picture where the rail section had a screw in the top....is that a "jam/set screw"?
 
The factory does not make holes in their dovetails. The dovetails are there so there won't have to be any holes.

I've seen Weaver-type bases (and others) screwed on top of the dovetails via holes drilled by a gunsmith, however, Weaver produced a base for the Sako which slid onto the tapered dovetails. Weaver provided a set screw to keep these bases in place. Since the bases are aluminum the set screw may be necessary, but it certainly isn't with Redfield/Burris type bases which should simply be smartly tapped as far forward as they will go where they will stay until purposefully removed with a mallet and block.
 
Thank you for the info and reply. I have seen a video of the Near mfg. pic rail that will slide over the dovetails and was surprised that they were tapped in will a mallet and a block of wood and that's it.
 
I did install Burris Xtreme Tactical 2 piece dovetail to weaver adapter set on my 30-06 L61R. Pretty straight forward job, did add some thread locking glue (Loctite) on surfaces and has not had any problems. On my next L61R project (300 win mag) I am planning to use one piece adapter from Roedale made from stainless steel to get 20MOA tilt for long distance setup.
 
Thank you for the info and reply. I have seen a video of the Near mfg. pic rail that will slide over the dovetails and was surprised that they were tapped in will a mallet and a block of wood and that's it.
Since the dovetails are tapered the mount/base gets tighter with the recoil of each shot. Steel bases like those from Redfield or Burris need nothing to hold them in place other than the friction from tapping smartly forward with a block of wood and a mallet -- and that's the only way they can be removed, by tapping rearward with a block and mallet.
 
Stonecreek is correct. I just removed a set of Redfield mounts from a rifle I'd bought by whacking them with a hammer and a brass-tipped punch. They were on too tight to do the job with a block of wood or a plastic-tipped punch.

There are a number of older mounts for Sako, including Weaver adapters, that use set screws. These also include Stith mounts, Bausch & Lomb external adjusting mounts, and one version of the Redfield style bases. If you are going to use them, toss the steel set screws and replace them with brass. The steel set screw will make a permanent mark on the top of the action, radically dropping the collector value of the gun. I won't even look at a common Sako with set screw marks on the top. If it's a rare item, I might consider it, but I'm not going to pay what I would without the marks. Brass is soft enough that any mark it makes can quickly be eradicated with a bronze or stainless brush.

Conetrol mounts also use a set screw, but in that case you are most likely mounting them on a custom (i.e. non-original) rifle and they are going to be there forever and ever, amen, so the collector value is less of an issue. The value of a custom does not depend on originality. I have one custom Sako that has the Conetrol mounts and they are beautiful. I didn't bother fabricating brass set screws because the Conetrol screws are weird and those mounts are never, ever coming off that gun. I wouldn't do the same on an original, collectible rifle.
 
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