Anybody familar with a Sako Forester?

[257 Wby Mag]

Picked me up a dandy little Sako Forester in 243 Win the other day in a trade. Any of you guys familar with em'? The action is a L57, on the barrel is stamped Bofors Steel. The action is tight, as is the floor plate assembly, made from steel as well. Stock has nice wood and fits pretty gd'ed good.Any of you guys ever own one? Thanks.

Later

[KillBilly]

The first civilian rifle bearing the Sako name was the L42 (Luodikko [rifle] model 1942) chambered for the 7x33 Sako cartridge, prototyped in 1942, and commercial production started after WWII. Sako developed the 7x33 Sako cartridge based on the 9x19 pistol cartridge, by making a longer case and "necking" the case down to 7mm calibre (7.21mm bullet diameter). This cartridge was designed for and well suited to capercaille and black grouse hunting, a popular sport in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The L46 was later denoted L461 "Vixen". The L461 has been very popular in Finland and Sweden, especially chambered for the .222 Remington cartridge and has an almost mythical status among aficionados.


In 1957, Sako launched a longer action, the L57, subsequently renamed L579 "Forester". This is a "medium action" intended for the .308 Winchester and similar cartridges.
L579 Forester .22-250, .243 Win, .308 Win Fixed magazine
SAKO, Limited (Suojeluskuntain Ase- ja Konepaja Oy, Civil Guard Gun- and Machiningworks Ltd) is a Finnish firearm manufacturer located in Riihimäki.
The Post War, (Commercial )Production models were in 7mm & .222 until 1957.

[Sagedawg]

 Nice gun. My youngest brother broke some horses for a guy when we were in high school, as payment he got a  mint Sako Finnwolf in .243. Nice weapon and Ive tried to buy ,trade, borrow and beg him to sell it to me but he wont. That one has killed tons of deer,and coyotes and for being a lever action is very accurate. Ive seen them upwards of 1300 bucks. So if it was me Id hold on to the Forester.


   Sage

[257 Wby Mag]

Hey Billy, so the 57 was the "original" if you will, forester? Mine has a 4 digit serial #5XXX. I just loaded up some pics, think it'll be a good little buck hammer, have to break er in this year. Here's some pics...

[257 Wby Mag]

Here's the other side, she's got good wood..

[KillBilly]

Nice pics, very nice weapon.

[257 Wby Mag]

Thanks. I wonder if there's any way to figure out what year it was made? Might have to take her over to Montana and Idaho this year...

[KillBilly]

is the serial number just 5XXX?

[bankwalker]

thats a sweet little rifle right there.

[HarborHunter3]

Awesome gun 2fiddy!

That does have some beautiful wood on her. I like the vertical grain on the fore end.

[bucklucky]

Nice score!

[KillBilly]

SN 5XXX would make it a very early L579.  Early serial number stamps were set by hand and sometimes were imperfect.  The 9 in L579 has also been added by a separate stamp as it's size and alignment may be off.
 
If it is an early one, it should have a floorplate release that is a serrated half-moon inside the trigger guard, or if a little later, an S-shaped lever in the front of the trigger guard.  Late model L579s used a round plunger as the floorplate release.  It should also have fixed sling swivels (unless replaced with quick-tach studs), and "Bofors Steel" on the right hand side of the barrel a couple of inches forward of the receiver.  If it has the serrated half-moon magazine release, then it will also likely have a magazine floorplate that has a square end on the forward floorplate hinge extension, and the bolt handle will curve outward a bit more than later models.
Correction to my first post, The L57 came out in 1957 and remodeled to the L579 in 1959. If the ser. no. is actually 5XXX then you more than likely have the fifth L579 produced

[Wacenturion]

Yep.......got one of those for my 12 year old daughter for her first deer hunt when she was 12.....that was 13 years ago.  Bought it in a gun shop, was just taken in...qouted $550...and bought it on the spot as it was the deluxe version with beautiful french walnut, rosewood caps, antelope scene on the hinged floorplate, beautiful checkering etc......and mint!  Same caliber .243.  She killed an nice 4x4 whitetail that year in the Blues with it one shot at 90 yards....that buck never knew he was dead.  Just like someone dropping a dead deer out of a helicopter.  Never even wiggled...just dropped...dead before hitting ground.  Never had seen that before.

You're going to love that gun....nice find.

My personal favorite deer rifle is also a sako.......a mannlicher in .308 caliber (older one...bofors steel)....just over 6 lbs and has a Burris 2X8 posi-lok signature scope going along for the ride.

[257 Wby Mag]

Thanks again Billy. I just ordered a 3200 Elite for her, if she shoots, I'm keeping her. Don't think I've ever had a shootin iron fit me like this one. I have to laugh when people question the lethality of a 243, I just grin. Anways, It'll kill bucks, thanks for the imput and coments guys. Later

[257 Wby Mag]

It shoots as good as she looks. Dug around and found some Federal 100 grain SP's, mounted a New Bushnell 3200 Elite 3X9 with the firefly retical on it, shot a 3/4'' group with it, after a little tweakin. Might be scary with handloads. Think I'll hang onto it. Later