SAKO Pre-Garcia Model Finnbear Deluxe .270 Winchester Sporter, L61R Action Blue 22 INCH Bolt Action Rifle & Scope, MFD ca. 1964 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,705
LSB#: 161215TO06
Make: Sako
Model: Finnbear Sporter Deluxe (Perhaps a special order?)
Serial Number: 27614
Year of Manufacture: Circa. 1964 (There were 90954 L61R actioned rifles made between Jan. 1962 and Sept. 1973. http://www.sako.fi/sites/default/files/SakoOldmodelsNumbering.pdf)
Caliber: .270 Winchester
Action Type: Bolt Action with Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked “L61R No. 27614” and with 2 proofs. The left side of the barrel is marked with two proofs and “FINNBEAR MADE IN FINLAND”. The top of the barrel’s chamber is marked “SAKO / Cal. 270”. The underside of the bolt handle is scribed with “27614”. The right side of the barrel is marked “BOFORS STEEL”.
Barrel Length: The barrel is 22” in length.
Sights / Optics: There are no provisions for iron sights. There is a Leupold M8 6X fixed power scope mounted to the top of the receiver with two-piece Conetrol mounts. The reticle is a full duplex and the lenses are clear and free of distortion. There is a scratch at the upper left of the objective and another in the top of the body just in front of the turrets. There are a few light marks scattered over the rest of the scope. The scope is in about Excellent condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a one-piece high gloss finished fancy walnut with a pistol grip and cheekpiece. There is a solid black rubber recoil pad mounted on the buttstock marked “Pachmayr”, with a basketweave pattern on its rear face. The grip has an ebony grip cap and the forend has an ebony tip. There are sling swivel studs mounted in the belly and on the underside of the forend. The stock has a beautiful fiddleback pattern running through it, and is just gorgeous, so please see our pictures. There is a scratch in the underside of the forend from a sling and several tiny dings and small drag lines along the sides of the forend. There is a tiny nick out of the finish in the back edge of the cheekpiece, a few tiny marks in the grip cap and a few light handling marks on both sides of the buttstock. The LOP measures 13 7/16” from the front of the trigger to the back of the recoil pad. The pad is still pliable on its edges and shows negligible wear. The pad is in Excellent condition. The stock rates in about Fine Plus overall condition.
Type of Finish: The finish is blued. There is a pewter colored bust of a deer mounted on the magazine floorplate.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 99% of its metal finish. There are several tiny marks in the front half of the barrel and a small mark through the finish in the floorplate. The tang screws are sharp and the markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a sliding safety mounted on the right rear of the receiver. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The scope is included.
Our Assessment: Sako first started making rifles with FN Mauser actions in 1946, and finally settled on 3 different length actions that changed designations over the years. The L61R long action was introduced in 1961 and was replaced in 1978 by the AIII. This rifle is a vintage L61R Finnbear in .270 Winchester. Not only is it pre-Garcia, it was made circa 1964, which makes it C&R eligible. This rifle was made without provision for iron sights, with a 22-inch Bofors steel barrel chambered in .270 Win. We are not sure if this was a deluxe model or if it was special ordered, but it is the nicest looking Finnbear we have seen. The wood is a dark walnut, not the light-colored walnut usually seen, and with fiddleback patterns running the length of the stock. The smooth pistol grip has an ebony grip cap which matches the ebony tipped forend. There is also a pewter colored bust of a deer mounted on the magazine floorplate. Please see our pictures!! The rifle is mounted with a vintage Leupold M8 scope in 6X power. Normally, we would extoll the virtues of the .270 Win. cartridge, and what a flat shooting caliber it was, perfect for long range shots on antelope and deer. Or, we could talk about how Sako rifles are known for their out-of-the-box accuracy. However, given the excellent condition of this rifle and simply gorgeous stock, we think the collectors are going to be very interested. Pre-Garcia rifles in nice condition almost always find themselves priced beyond the reach of the shooters, and as we said, this is the best looking one we have ever seen.
