L579 Bolt Finish

[Real Forester]

Hello all. I was looking at a used L579 and noticed the bolt handle wasn't blued. I've since been looking here and on other sites and it looks like the handles and rear of the assemblies are always blued. I think the rifle is an early '70s model. Should I be concerned that the bolt is not original? Other concerns? Thanks for the help.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

Just because the handle is no longer blued doesn't mean the bolt is not original to your rifle. The SN or the last 4 digits of the SN will be hand etched on the underside of the handle near where it joins the bolt body. If it doesn't match your rifle's SN then it is a replacement bolt from another L579. If it has no SN etched in it, then it is from one of the action only shipments from Sako. Either way, as long as it was properly headspaced to your rifle it doesn't matter. Sako hand etched the bolts only after the barrel was fitted & the chamber cut to the proper headspace. That way the bolt stayed with that action throughout the rest of the production process.

 

[Real Forester]

Just because the handle is no longer blued doesn't mean the bolt is not original to your rifle. The SN or the last 4 digits of the SN will be hand etched on the underside of the handle near where it joins the bolt body. If it doesn't match your rifle's SN then it is a replacement bolt from another L579. If it has no SN etched in it, then it is from one of the action only shipments from Sako. Either way, as long as it was properly headspaced to your rifle it doesn't matter. Sako hand etched the bolts only after the barrel was fitted & the chamber cut to the proper headspace. That way the bolt stayed with that action throughout the rest of the production process.

Thanks for the reply. Numbers matched. I bought it.

 

[stonecreek]

The bolt handles on the Sako actions used by Browning were polished bright. I'm not aware of any others, but I've seen a lot of Sako handles changed from blue to bright.

 

[bigcountry4me]

This is one I did a while ago. The blue had been rubbed pretty bad but the rest of the action was really good. Was trying to stick to a strict budget purposely, as this was an at home custom. This is how it turned out.

 

[Real Forester]

This is one I did a while ago. The blue had been rubbed pretty bad but the rest of the action was really good. Was trying to stick to a strict budget purposely, as this was an at home custom. This is how it turned out.

That's kind of what I have, except nice looking.

 

[16b410]

The bolt handles on the Sako actions used by Browning were polished bright. I'm not aware of any others, but I've seen a lot of Sako handles changed from blue to bright.

Always liked that polished bolt handle on the Sako-actioned Brownings. Here is my only Browning built on a Sako action. It is in .284 Winchester with the pencil barrel. You can't see it in the picture, but the bolt handle shines like a chrome car bumper.

 

[douglastwo]

Based on what I've seen, my guess is that 5% or less of the early Sako action Browning Safari rifles made in 63 and 64 were produced with blue bolts and handles. Rifles with the chrome bolt and handle far outnumbered the blued ones. The opinion of Browning collectors was that Browning was testing the market for chrome vs blued when they first started production of the Sako actioned rifles. True or not, I've never seen a Blued finish bolt and handle that I thought was original on a rifle made after 64. This market test of blue finish applies to Safari grade rifles only, because the Medallion and Olympian both had the chrome finish.