Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tell me about Sako Riihimaki

I purchased a Sako-barreled rifle here on the 'fire and it shoots like a house afire. I've never had a .22 cal centerfire and have been looking around at different rifle/cartirdge combinations. I've kinda settled upon the .222 Rem because of its reputation for extreme accuracy, and found several specimens of the above-named rifles in different places but wondering what the story is on them.

I know the Vixen has a repuation as a shootin' fool, but what about this Riihimaki? What would be a reasonable price to pay for a well maintained Riihimaki?

Any insights/experience would be welcomed.

Thanks all,

efw

Spent a little time behind one that was in a McMillan stock, it didn't suck.

They do too suck...

If you end up with one of those POSs..I'll be a bud, and bail you out of it for 30 cents on the dollar.......

I dont make this offer to just anyone.....



Ingwe

Is that to say that a wood-stocked specimen WOULD suck?

No, I think not. I'd pick one up if I should ever stumble across one.

Ignore Ingwe's offer. He's a cheap bastid looking to take advantage of you. I, on the other hand, being the gentleman that I am, would take it off your hands for 32 cents on the dollar.

I have one and it is a sure fire keeper. Shoots moly'ed 50gr TNT's into under 1/2 inch all day every day. They are a predecessor to the L-461 which I have one of also but in a benchrest heavy configuration. You will not find a better walkin 'round / callin varmint rig anywhere ever. My pastors 12 year old daughter hs used mine to make some 200-250 yard shots on ground sqiurrels. It is the gun I loan to newbies when I take them varmint shooting. Lord willing, it will be passed to an hier in my will someday. Did I mention that I like them???

I like the Riihimaki, but I find the AI/L461/ Vixen better merely from a parts availability and the fact they do not have magazines, which I personally don't care for.

As far as an all-blued steel and wood gun goes for price: what does anything like it new cost?

They are a steal for under a grand in decent shape considering what little is offered now that even remotely compares....

Great. That is what I wanted to hear, gentlemen. Thanks a lot! Based upon all of your comments, I think one is in my future...

Get one if you can, but WATCH the GENTLEMAN stuff if you want any more input. Pretty offensive language toward some guys who tried to be of help...

I believe that Riihimaki is used to refer to the early Sako rifles. Riihimaki is the town where Sakos are made, and was stamped onto the left side of the receiver - my L-46 in .222 was built in 1951 and is so marked.

The earliest model imported here was built on the L-46 action, designed for small cartridges such as the .22 Hornet but quickly adapted to the then new .222. It has a distinctive rectangular block-shaped bolt shroud with the safety on the R side of the shroud that blocks the firing pin, stamped trigger guard, detachable single stack magazine, and a beech wood classic style stock which was stained to resemble walnut. Its trigger was a copy of the Winchester M70 trigger. It has excellent workmanship and gained a reputation for accuracy - mine will put 3 shots into less than 1/2" at 100 yards. Not bad for a rifle made in 1951 that weighs less than 6 lbs without scope!

Later during its run the L-46 gained a milled trigger guard and a more squarish, "modern" design walnut stock with Monte Carlo. in the late-'50s the L-46 was joined by the L-57, which was designed for .308-size cartridges. The L-57 had a different trigger design with a sliding sear, and a fixed, staggered column magazine with hinged floorplate. Both models were succeeded by the L-461 and L-579, respectively, which featured a cylindrical bolt shroud and moved the safety to the right side next to the shroud. Both the L-461 and L-579 had fixed, staggered column magazines and hinged floorplates.

Up until 1960, Sakos with L-46 actions were simply called the Sako Varmint Rifle in my editions of Gun Digest, but beginning in 1961 it was called the Sako Vixen, and the name was continued for the L-461 actioned rifles.

I prefer the round contours of the early Sako's stock to the more squarish contours and Monte Carlo buttstock of later models, and also like the L-46's trigger design and bolt shroud safety better than the later models, but they are all fine guns.

Bringing this back from the dead


Just picked up my very own Riihimaki .222, been wanting one of these or a Vixen for some time. Spoke with Shrapnel a year or so back and recently with Safari.

Stumbled/lucked onto this one recently on auction for about a 1/3 less than most go for. It's been used, but doesn't appear to have been abused. I'll get some pics up later, but to say I'm thrilled is an understatement and I can't wait to get it out.

Any references to see when it was born? #3417*

They DO suck, unless you're into shooting thumb tacks at 100 yards.

Congratulations! You win!

Those restocked ones Shrapnel has posted before have had me searching for my very own several times. No luck so far, but sometime.

I had one for a short time years ago in .222. Bought a couple of boxes of ammo. I was amazed at the accuracy (no internet B S). A dime did not have a chance at 100, so I ordered a case of that same lot number. Then as my luck sometimes goes, my dealer called and said that he had to have the rifle back. He had bought a few guns from a guy from about 150 miles away, and they had all been stolen. Tears, but I know that the original owner wanted his stuff back. (dealer made restitution and even took the ammo back.) I haven't ran into one since then. jack

I friend of mine has one in pristine condition in .222. It's a very, very sweet shooter.

The Riihimaki and Vixens are Top Drawer in accuracy, weight, and function! IMO


ddj

Man you suck... I let the one I'd had my eye on slip away ...

I have a Riihimaki heavy barreled .222 and I wouldn't take anything for it. Mine has a real walnut stock. It spent it's early life in Alaska as a seal gun.