• 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

VL63 Help with my VL63

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Hi Guys!

Long time lurker, love my Sakos.

Need some help here. Got this VL63 a year or two back. Had a very professional stock repair done, can't even see the mark. Now I need to take off the old varnish that some idiot slathered on it a couple of decades ago..

In any case, I would love to know if it came with a ramp or a peep originally? I need to replace the rear since it is missing. Also, any possibility of finding a hood for the front? I assume it was slid off long ago when it was first scoped.

Last question... Is the butt pad original?


It's serial number is 15XX, should put it at 1967-68. It is a Bofors barrel.

Thanks to all!
 

Attachments

  • VL63 whole.jpg
    VL63 whole.jpg
    109.5 KB · Views: 43
  • VL63 Front sight.jpg
    VL63 Front sight.jpg
    38.2 KB · Views: 34
  • VL63 butt.jpg
    VL63 butt.jpg
    119.2 KB · Views: 34
  • VL63 close.jpg
    VL63 close.jpg
    56.9 KB · Views: 38
Nice looking rifle. Is that a left-hand stock, or ambidextrous? A lefty would be rare indeed.

Most Finnwolfs came with a ramp type rear sight, and most have been removed. Look for the mounting holes on the barrel. Those sights are very, very hard to find. The Finnwolf can also be used with the Sako peep sight, but only if the rifle has the screw-on Sako dovetails. I assume the Weaver rail on your rifle is screwed directly to the receiver and the Sako mounts are not present.

Repro hoods are available for 30 bucks on eBay and Gunbroker from a vendor in Montana. They look like the originals but there have been reports that the metal is not properly tempered and they don't have enough spring tension to keep them in place if they get knocked against something during a hunt. Original sight hoods can very occasionally be found on eBay or at gun shows.

The buttplate appears to be original. Repros are available, but they often don't fit properly. Yours does, so it's most likely the real thing.
 
I haven't found many with the rear sight. I always thought those were the European models that were bring backs or managed to find their way to the USA from various importers. The butt plate is original to at least Sako models. (could be an L579 plate but that is not a problem.) The front sight looks a bit high for a factory hood but I will have to take a trip to the gun room to check that out. As for the scope and it's mount. That is a matter of personal preference. My choice would be the Sako dovetail plates and low Sako vintage rings to give you a better cheek weld. If and or when you want to refinish the stock , try to go with more elbow grease and less hot stripper to remove finish around the old "wound". I hope you are a lefty to fully utilize that stock. Now....with all that "IMO", If you are shooting it well and comfortably, leave it alone. They can be extremely accurate. Seal the interior of the stock (a couple thinned coats of finish) when you remove it from the action and support it very well when you take it off.
 
Here are a couple pictures of the most common seen rear sight and also the scope base plates Mike spoke of. If yourbarrel is not drilled and tapped then it did not come with a rear sight, but if you added at least a rear scope base plate you could use a Sako 100/200 yard peep.. Your stock is a Monte Carlo lefty one. P1220803.JPG
 

Attachments

  • P1210849.JPG
    P1210849.JPG
    239.3 KB · Views: 13
Thanks, you guys are quick with good advice.!

No I'm not lefty, but the stock is. The great beauty of a lever action is that it still works fine for a right handed shooter.
I believe the stock is factory, the checkering looks spot on to the factory work . Maybe I'll trade with a lefty shooter for a right hand model in the future, stranger things have happened.

I do not have the Sako dovetail bases, I assume I''ll need to buy bases and then a peep.
The barrel is not drilled.

Thanks again. Anyone have a pair of bases to spare,
 
Here's another alternative if you want to shoot the Finnwolf with iron sights. From the photos it appears that your rifle has two holes drilled and tapped at the left rear of the receiver. These holes are found on many Finnwolfs (not sure if all of them) and are intended for a rear aperture sight. I believe Williams makes a sight that will fit. I do not know if there was ever a factory sight to fit these holes. Sako has used a lot of Williams sights on its rifles, so it's possible that the holes were intended for a Williams sight.

Another point is that the scope mounting holes on a Finnwolf are identical to those on a Winchester 88 lever action (as well as the 100 semiauto). So, scope mounts for the Winchesters will fit a Finnwolf. The receiver sight mounting holes may be the same as well, but I don't know for sure.
 
All good news. I have seen Finnwolfs with the side mounting screws as well, I was glad to see that the holes were factory, not some blasphemous hack job.

I bought the rail for a Winchester 88, that's how I found one to fit.

I did not consider that the peep sight set up would come out to be close to the right height for the factory front sight. I'll guess I'll try a Winchester two-piece base and a Sako peep and see what happens.

If not, I have a Winchester 94 carbine with a Williams sight and I like it, that's a good fallback position. I'm getting more excited to take this sweetie out with peep sights than I am with a scope.

Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
 
This eBay listing MIGHT fit a Finnwolf. It mounts with two screws on the side of the receiver and the base is marked 88. The listing shows the hole spacing with a ruler; no screws are included. As I said in my previous post, I do not know whether the spacing for the side holes is the same for an 88 and a Finnwolf. Shows what's out there, anyway. All kinds of sights and other stuff show up on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/114965085289?hash=item1ac473fc69:g:2icAAOSwN6JhL5~f

By the way, I also have a Williams peep sight on my Winchester 94. I replaced the front sight blade with a Firesight for better visibility. I like it.
 
Yes, your stock is certainly factory. I own one with the identical cheekpiece on the RH side for a LH shooter. It is entirely possible that a left-handed owner of a RH Finnwolf might very well swap stocks with you if the two of you can find each other.

If the "rail" you have for your Finnwolf has the slots for Weaver-type crossloc rings then I'd recommend some Burris Z rings which are all steel and work well.
 
Hi,

It is interesting to read about scoping issues on the Sako lever action.

Icebear noted that “Another point is that the scope mounting holes on a Finnwolf are identical to those on a Winchester 88 lever action (as well as the 100 semiauto). So, scope mounts for the Winchesters will fit a Finnwolf.”

The only items I own relevant to this forum are a couple of old Sako bolt actions (with special thanks to Misako50 and others for advice on the first one) and a couple of Valmet combination guns.

However, maybe there is a fifth.

I picked up a few months ago, for no good reason at all, a Balfor 4 power scope and the sister scope mount for a Winchester 88/100. I do not own such a rifle.

Would these in fact fit a Sako lever action ?

Just curious.

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • bl1.jpg
    bl1.jpg
    123.4 KB · Views: 22
  • bl2.jpg
    bl2.jpg
    105.9 KB · Views: 18
Hi,

It is interesting to read about scoping issues on the Sako lever action.

Icebear noted that “Another point is that the scope mounting holes on a Finnwolf are identical to those on a Winchester 88 lever action (as well as the 100 semiauto). So, scope mounts for the Winchesters will fit a Finnwolf.”

The only items I own relevant to this forum are a couple of old Sako bolt actions (with special thanks to Misako50 and others for advice on the first one) and a couple of Valmet combination guns.

However, maybe there is a fifth.

I picked up a few months ago, for no good reason at all, a Balfor 4 power scope and the sister scope mount for a Winchester 88/100. I do not own such a rifle.

Would these in fact fit a Sako lever action ?

Just curious.

Thanks
Most likely, but I've never seen it done. It would be interesting to find out for sure. The old B&L scopes are excellent - I have one on an L579.
 
Hi,

It is interesting to read about scoping issues on the Sako lever action.

Icebear noted that “Another point is that the scope mounting holes on a Finnwolf are identical to those on a Winchester 88 lever action (as well as the 100 semiauto). So, scope mounts for the Winchesters will fit a Finnwolf.”

The only items I own relevant to this forum are a couple of old Sako bolt actions (with special thanks to Misako50 and others for advice on the first one) and a couple of Valmet combination guns.

However, maybe there is a fifth.

I picked up a few months ago, for no good reason at all, a Balfor 4 power scope and the sister scope mount for a Winchester 88/100. I do not own such a rifle.

Would these in fact fit a Sako lever action ?

Just curious.

Thanks
 
Those holes on those mounts don't look like a "Finnwolf fit". Give us a reasonably close measurement from hole center to hole center, if you would be so kind, Cat.
 
Hi,

It is interesting to read about scoping issues on the Sako lever action.

Icebear noted that “Another point is that the scope mounting holes on a Finnwolf are identical to those on a Winchester 88 lever action (as well as the 100 semiauto). So, scope mounts for the Winchesters will fit a Finnwolf.”

I picked up a few months ago, for no good reason at all, a Balfor 4 power scope and the sister scope mount for a Winchester 88/100. I do not own such a rifle.

Would these in fact fit a Sako lever action ?

Just curious.

Thanks

Yes. Look at the Weaver factory chart of bases and rails. You will see the Finnwolf listed as a #53, Weaver part 48053, and then scroll all the way down to Winchester and it is the same.
I used a weaver style rail from a different manufacturer, labelled for a Winchester 88, and it's exactly right.
 
Yes. Look at the Weaver factory chart of bases and rails. You will see the Finnwolf listed as a #53, Weaver part 48053, and then scroll all the way down to Winchester and it is the same.
I used a weaver style rail from a different manufacturer, labelled for a Winchester 88, and it's exactly right.
Lib- I have two sets of steel mounts (2 Part) that came on Winkchesters. One set is Redfield and one set is Leupold. The Redfield set has a flip up peepsite on the back of the rear mount. I have had them on Finnwolfs but went to Sako bases when I could find them. The sako bases with the low vintage rings seemed to always place the scopes exactly where they needed to be. All scopes were 38 to 40MM bell variables. FWIW.
 
This may be a double message (like my Simson over/under double fires) because I am having trouble with the website and this is try two.
I think you guys have this sorted out ... thanks.
I measured the hole centers as 62 and 22 mm apart respectively.
I took a photo, which I cannot attach for some reason.
The degree of distortion in the photo is interesting, because in the photo the ruler is not flush with the surface of the mount, but an eighth of an inch above (back to British measure where I am more at home).
Cheers.
 
This may be a double message (like my Simson over/under double fires) because I am having trouble with the website and this is try two.
I think you guys have this sorted out ... thanks.
I measured the hole centers as 62 and 22 mm apart respectively.
I took a photo, which I cannot attach for some reason.
The degree of distortion in the photo is interesting, because in the photo the ruler is not flush with the surface of the mount, but an eighth of an inch above (back to British measure where I am more at home).
Cheers.
Dammit, Cat- Now I have to find something more worldly than my tape measure. I will find something and I will return. Today.-Mike
 
OK found a nice measure stick. I get a freckle over 22MM Center of screw hole to center of screw hole. (about 7/8 inch) Or about 22.225? MM. Some of my FWs have three holes for the rear scope mt. That is found very frequently in the FW (pre-Garcias)
 
Back
Top