Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire anyone know anything about a browning sako rifle?

I have a chance at trading into a browning rifle, but was made by sako. caliber is 22-250
I'm waiting on pics tonight from the guy.
the wood is supposed to be exquisite, pics would speak wonders, and I'll post them when I get em.
does anyone know anything about these rifles?

It's a Browning Hi-Power rifle.They made them in three grades-Safari,Medallion,Olympian.

Probably the best mass production sporting rifle ever made,period.I have a bunch of them.They are SCARY accurate,out of the box.

Just watch out for salt cured wood,and the occasional crack in the tang,and your golden.For salt wood,just pull the barreled action out of the stock and look for rust.If there is rust,run!!!!!!!

Brian.

Many Browning Safari's were made at Fabrique (FN) in Belgium. Later the smaller calibers were made in Sweden. They were marked Sako because that is who made them (Browning really never made anything themselves.) They are great rifles, they don't have the mauser extractors, but who cares, especially in the smaller calibers. If it is less than 1000 bucks, you will make money. They are great rifles.

They were made in Finland,not Sweden.Early Sako action guns were actually made in Belgium-Sako shipped actions there,then FN barreled them and stocked them.Later,it became cheaper to send barreled actions,and they were marked made in Finland.

And lots of the Mauser actioned guns have long extractors (Mauser extractors,CRF,whatever).All 270s and 30/06s do,and every Mauser action caliber made before mid-1967.

Brian.

what would the value be if it isn't rusty under the stock, has really nice wood and is in overall 95% or better condition?
where do you suppose this one is made?
is there a way to look up the SN?

sorry wcb...Finland not Sweden...guess I was thinking of Tiger....

The small calibers had Sako actions. Whic would be the one you are looking at. The larger ones had FN actions.

It's got salt wood if it has rust under the barrel. This was a problem from 70-74 I believe. Not all had it, but alot of them did.

It should knock 15% or so off the value, but alot of folks pass these to unknowing buyers for full price.

JM

I wouldn't argue against that.

Those are real Brownings not cheap jap knock off clones that we have today.

If it's a Safari Grade,a realisitc price for today's marked would be around $1150.They've been more in the past,but right now,they just don't move like they used to.If it's a light barreled model (22 inches),which is rarer,bump it up to around $1350-ish.Of course,most people want $1500 for their's,but hey never sell either,FWIW.

If it's a Medallion Grade,$4000.

If it's an Olympian,$10,000.

Brian.

Salt wood was 1968 until 1975,with the real problem years being 1969 through 1971.

And knock off more like 50% off the price.Ask me how I know......

Brian.

She does have nice bolt knobs....

Brian.

I sold one that had it and got a grand (30-06 Safari grade).

The gun was in excellent shape besides that.

JM.

Must have been awhile ago?

Hard pressed to get $800 for an '06 Safari these days,unless it's NIB,or goregous.

Talking online sales,of course.Local,or gunshow,is different.

Brian.

It was in 98. The guy was a shooting buddy of mine. Hell, he shot it with me for 2 or 3 years before he offered to buy it. It had very little rust, but it was there.

He approached me about the sale and I called Thad Scott's in Indianola, Ms. and asked what I should get for it, salt wood and all.

I went ahead and sold it to him because I had my dad's in the same caliber and it was a 66' Date of Mfg.

Go look on Cabelas fine guns...They are a pretty whacked out. Asking anywhere from 1299 to 1990 for HighPowers. They have a few old beaters for around 800-900. GunsAmerica isn't much better.

Best,

JM

I have one made in the early 1960s. I bought it NIB in the middle 1990s from a guy who had just inherited it from his father. The bolt hadn't been in the receiver since it left the factory, and metal parts were still covered with the original factory preservative, which had become pretty sticky by then. I paid $900.00 for it. Cleaned it up, bought some factory Remington .243 100 grainers, and headed for the range. It regularly grouped right around .6 MOA. Haven't shot it much (actually, just that one time). Sort of a safe queen.

Those early 60's .243 cal. have been known to blow off folks heads shooting them.

I can fix it. Send it to me asap.

Sure thing.

You can also test for salt wood by unscrewing one of the butt plate screws and checking for rust on the screw. I don't believe, though, that any of the Sako action Brownings had the salt wood problem.

Hawk,

I think they used that wood on everything, shotguns and rifles. I may be wrong though.

I'll pm you my address for that rifle. I'm glad you weren't killed. You should thank me.

JM

so if you were looking at one, what are some questions you would ask the guy who had it?
year it was made?, type of wood?
is there a way to check by serial number?
my plan is to sell it because I have no need for a 22-250, and I could use the money