Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Found and Ultra Rare Harrington & Richardson Ultra Rifle made by Sako

Gen., After lookin at your post I went out took my (STAMPED REMINGTON).300RUM to club to check sightin for bear season for rifle opens tomorrow. Between shots as lookin at my SS 700 Rem. I thought of your rifle and how happy you seem over your find. I had some time so looked again at your thred? Why is it guys can't share in your found joy?? Why do guys like to rip down your excitement? You have a real nice gun, weather from Finland or Belgum most real gun guys would love to have it, and that's where the problem stems. You are the proud owner of a fine H&R/Sako, good shootin....later

Yes it is a very desirable rifle that most of us would like to own. As stated we are all pretty sure that is an FN action and the trigger and trigger guard is Sako. Were they assembled in Finland or were the assembled elswhere, that is what I would like to know? Since I have no clue as to the history of H&R bolt actions.

I have no doubt as well that the General's H&R expert knows what he is talking about. However, I don't believe the expert had all the information he needed to tell the full story of the production of this rifle. I really feel that the General should send the pictures to his expert.

General, I would sure like to see a good close up of the markings on the receiver. I took the photo below:



I then blew it up as large as I thought I could and not distort the image too bad.



I know you said it is and H&R logo but it sure appears to look very similar to the FN logo.



I'm anxiously awaiting more pictures on how well this rifle shoots.

You got it wrong. We are into rifles, and a new case study is more data, more knowledge. We are all into the find! Ever watch history detectives on PBS? We are passionate about guns!

I don't dought you all have intrest in guns just seems alittle of pushin some buttons. I once bought an Ithica/Sako in .243 and did hunt and take a buck with it. I didn't want the gun much to fancy for me, it had a rose wood forarm tip palm swell lots of checkerin. The action was an L somethin sweet, smooth as silk. I got the gun in a trade in deal and knew I'ed unload it to get what I really wanted. I'm a Remington guy in my heart. Anyways you get some guns stuck in your head and you just gotta get it... I like the Gens. gun and glad he found it. I know how it is when your eyes catch itBAM that's the one, like a woman, or a good dog. No like a good dog!!! Maybe the H&R logo is unclear to us in picture but it sure sounds like Gen. knows what he has and that's good enough for me....later

The trigger on your FN action was a Sako made in Finland.

The Ithica rifle was a Tikka from Finland though -very high quality .

Glenn

This is pretty silly. Arguing about an obvious and plainly marked FN action. It is what it is. The guy can be joyful as all getout, but no matter how badly he wants it to be a Sako and regardless of what some "expert" (?!) might have said.....it isn't. The Ithaca LSA55 wasn't a Sako either.....a Tikka, made before they ever became part of Sako.

I have owned two H&R Ultra Rifles, one was a bull barrel
22-250, the other a sporter weight in 270.

Your post is in itself a case in point... Likely to you a gun is merely a tool... As SakoLuvr said; to many of us a guns is a study.

Now like your post, you stated you had an Ithica/Sako . Now if Ithaca ever had a marketing agreement with SAKO, it's sure news to me. Now just because a rifle is stamped "Made in Finland" does not mean it's a SAKO! If you had bothered to research, you'd have found that Ithaca did indeed import a rifle from Finland made by Oy Tikkakoski of Tikkakoski, Finland (Commonly called just: TIKKA). It was called the model: LSA-55 for the short action and LSA-65 for the long action. They were imported from 1969 to 1977. It was NOT a Sako because OY Tikkakoski did not sell out to SAKO until 1989 (According to the Blue Book of Gun Valuse.) (BTW, from your description it would seem that yours was a LSA-55 Deluxe; which is/was fairly rare. I've never seen but one.)

Now to a lot of folks the above is a minor point. But to folks like Sakoluvr, myself and others... It is important! Because we care about facts, and we care about history! And we really DO NOT like to see folks putting forth false information.

I am very happy for General Stuart. I have a rifle that is very similar to his but slightly different. I care about the differences and I want to KNOW why! I know it is minutia, but many of rifle loonies just really CARE. I contacted the General by PM today, and we discussed it. We are both confused, but trust me, those of us who really care, will likely keep digging until we KNOW!

Meaning to offense to you, but it just eats at some of us until we find out.

GH

General,
it is a fine rifle, may I inquire what you "stole" it for? It sounds like the shop you bought it at did not know its value and uniqness.

i like that rifle.

nice looking, and a great shooter.

enjoy it.

Ok G h, maybe my rifle was as you say. All I know or can remember is the gunshop said it was made by Sako and the action sure looked like it and like I said a very fine action it was. Gun's are not just a tool to me for sure. I do lean towards Rems. , Ruger's. and Mod.70's. As we speak I'm havein a build goin on on a 700 short action made in 1981. I'm a sucker for a fine gun, but bottom line is it's a tool to hunt with. I loved the varis 1903 and 03a3's that have been built on to become beautiful, I've also had a beautiful Mouser Belgum built in 25.06 and with this new 6.5 Cmoor/Remington I'm waitin on that I'll post pictures. If I were to worry about history of a guys gun I think I would have my facts all in a row then post my doubt's and correct the misunderstandings. I'm not taken this much further lot's of jumpin the gun so far in this thred.....later

"In response to 1-7: Firearms Int'l was not the only one to furnish rifles in .308 Norma and .358 Norms. I have seen Browning FN Safari's so chambered, and also the Voere 2165. I once owned a Voere 2165 in .308 Norma and also a Firearms Int'l "Muscateer" in .308 Norma."

The Firearms Int'l Muscateer is the one I was thinking about. I could not remember the name of it.

I never knew anyone else made rifles in .308 Norma and .358 Norma. Learn something every day.

I do not understand the controversity concerning this action. With it stamped "FN" and stamped "Made in Belgium," I fail to see how it could be anything else, regardless of who sold it, made it, barreled it and stocked it.

To me, this is lke arguing that a rifle is a 'Remington' when it has 'Winchester' stamped on it in large, plain to read letters.

With that said, my opinion is that it is a fine rifle, built on possibly the best action ever made. I have one almost identical to it, with the barrel stamped "G.R. Douglass" (I think the initials are G.R.) The caliber, 7 MM Weatherby Magnum, is also stamped on the barrel, but, of course, it is not a Weatherby rifle. It is a custom built in 1963. It is a custom, using an FN action.

I would not turn down a similiar rifle stamped 'Sako' "Made in Finland," but I would not refer to it as an FN and made in Belgium.

It's amazing to me how many folks think just because a rifle says: .243 Win , that the gun is a Winchester. Many folks confuse cartridge nomenclature with rifle manufacturer...

GH

General Stuart,

I've been anxiously awaiting pics of tasty animals and said rifle... Any luck?

GH

Dude that there is a beautifully done rifle from the days when makers really took the time and craftsmanship to make 'em right. I love it.

I, along w/ Ed, am anxious to hear about the game you've taken w/ it this fall.

Hello Grasshopper
Nothing Yet all have been Bald like me, Just Does. I am onto a Fresh scrape though and heard him grunt last weekend. Tomorrow may be his Last Grunt... TheGeneral.

They are cool pieces IMO. A sign of the times with that style stock, old schoolish. Here's one similar.

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=45752

The FN action is probably better than anything you own. They are one of my favorites. I ran a gunshop in the late 70's early 80;s and the H&R rifles were available then.

I have always admired those rifles and darn I wish H&R would make them again.
generalstuart, I am very jealous. Very nice find.

Everybody knows damn well that's a JC Higgins trademark

Actually an FN receiver that probably journeyed thru Sako's factory for a trigger and was then exported to H&R where the H&R stamped barrel and stock was added.. There, clear as mud.
I darned fine rifle gun, no matter how you look at it.

g