I came by this Sako-Mauser in 8x60 over a year ago and am just now finding all of the components I need to shoot it. It was shipped to a European outlet in 1953 and has the old military-style swing-over bolt safety which sticks straight left on "fire", straight up on safe, and straight to the right on safe with bolt locked. The trigger is on the heavy side, but breaks cleanly. The barrel measures the typical 24.4" for Sako barrels for long calibers. The receiver is NOT tapped for scope bases.
For those who are unfamiliar, the 8x60 was invented as a stretched version of the 8x57 when the 8x57 production was banned in Germany by post WW-I treaties. Building an 8x57 sporter was unlawful, but not so the 8x60. For many years France also prohibited "military" cartridges like the 8x57 and .30-06 for sporting uses, so the 8x60 and 8x60S were somewhat popular there as alternatives.
I was unsure for a while if it was really an 8x60 with a .318" groove, or an 8x60S with the much more common .323" groove. My luck had it that it is the smaller and much less common "I" (or "J") groove of .318, so I had to look a while for bullets. I had picked up a box of brand new Norma 8x60S brass a number of years ago at a gun show, so I had twenty rounds to work with when I finally found some Woodleigh .318" diameter 200 grain RN's. I won't go into the patchwork of dies of various calibers that I cobbled together to get the necks the right diameter and the bullets properly seated, but it finally worked. After consulting several loading data sources and doing some interpolation according to the slightly increased case capacity over its parent, the 8x57, I loaded 50 grains of CFE223 under the Woodleighs. I didn't bother to chronograph them since they would be used at short ranges, but expect the velocity to be in the 2400-2500 fps range.
Here is the rifle and some (poorly focused) photos of its minimal markings:
I was pleased with the results of firing three shots at 100 yards, particularly with iron sights viewed foggily through 71 year-old eyes. They grouped within 2 inches and I'll adjust to center them on the target. The rear sight is adjustable for windage, so I moved it just a tad to the left, and while it is not adjustable for elevation, using a 6-o'clock hold rather than the bead dead on the target will put the formidable slugs right where they should go.
It's an interesting old Sako that I feel lucky to own. I need to take a few does off of my place, so may go out before the Texas season ends and give this fine old classic rifle a run in the field.
For those who are unfamiliar, the 8x60 was invented as a stretched version of the 8x57 when the 8x57 production was banned in Germany by post WW-I treaties. Building an 8x57 sporter was unlawful, but not so the 8x60. For many years France also prohibited "military" cartridges like the 8x57 and .30-06 for sporting uses, so the 8x60 and 8x60S were somewhat popular there as alternatives.
I was unsure for a while if it was really an 8x60 with a .318" groove, or an 8x60S with the much more common .323" groove. My luck had it that it is the smaller and much less common "I" (or "J") groove of .318, so I had to look a while for bullets. I had picked up a box of brand new Norma 8x60S brass a number of years ago at a gun show, so I had twenty rounds to work with when I finally found some Woodleigh .318" diameter 200 grain RN's. I won't go into the patchwork of dies of various calibers that I cobbled together to get the necks the right diameter and the bullets properly seated, but it finally worked. After consulting several loading data sources and doing some interpolation according to the slightly increased case capacity over its parent, the 8x57, I loaded 50 grains of CFE223 under the Woodleighs. I didn't bother to chronograph them since they would be used at short ranges, but expect the velocity to be in the 2400-2500 fps range.
Here is the rifle and some (poorly focused) photos of its minimal markings:
I was pleased with the results of firing three shots at 100 yards, particularly with iron sights viewed foggily through 71 year-old eyes. They grouped within 2 inches and I'll adjust to center them on the target. The rear sight is adjustable for windage, so I moved it just a tad to the left, and while it is not adjustable for elevation, using a 6-o'clock hold rather than the bead dead on the target will put the formidable slugs right where they should go.
It's an interesting old Sako that I feel lucky to own. I need to take a few does off of my place, so may go out before the Texas season ends and give this fine old classic rifle a run in the field.