Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Refinish Pre-Garcia Sako at Hill Country Rifles or not?

I have an old (40-50 year old) Pre-Garcia Sako L61R Finnbear 270 that I hunt with and never plan on selling as it has a high sentimental factor because my dad gave it to me. I'm considering having Hill Country Rifles in New Braunfels do some work on it and wanted to know if you think it's worth it.

Things being considered:

Changing out the original fixed sling mounts for quick detach sling swivel mounts
New recoil pad
Refinish the stock with an oil finish
Black cerakoting the metal parts/barrel
Polish bolt to look new
Jewel bolt
Sharpen checkering

Essentially, I'm thinking I want the rifle to look new but also be very usable in the field as I hunt with it. I have attached a couple pictures and would appreciate your thoughts.





Best Regards,
MJS

I think it's usable as is. If it shoots good, leave it alone.

I wouldn't do anything with a classic piece like that.

One thing I'll have to do regardless is get new sling stud swivels. The top one pulled out last night when I got home from a hunt. I could have the original put back in by a good smith but it would be nice to have quick detach for taking the sling off to put in the safe.

-MJS

Oh yeah...one more thing I really need to do is replace the recoil pad is the original is cracked and crushed though it doesn't really show in the pics. So I need a new recoil pad (pachmyr red?) and quick detach sling swivels. The wood would probably look really good with an oil finish but I like the way it looks now too with all the character marks.


-MJS

HCR does good work. I've used them mostly to accurize rifles and have had great results. How well does it shoot? If there are no issues there the rest should be a piece of cake. I personally would just get the sling mounts and recoil pad fixed, and leave the rest if it shoots well.

Eric

She shoots beautifully already....just took a nice buck and a bobcat over the last couple weeks.

HCR can certainly do a good job for you. I you live near Dallas, I would take it to Patrick at Willoughby and McCabe. They are doing some really nice refinishing work with a fairly quick turn around.

HCR has done several builds for me and all have exceeded my expectations. If you decide to do the work, you can't choose a better shop.

It's a pet hunting rifle, not a museum piece. Refinish it, and continue to use it sir.

Leave it as is !

Sounds like a great plan to me. I would proceed.

I would check with Kevin Weaver,I think his webbsite is weaverrifles.com.His webbsite shows some EXCELLANT WORK ON wooden rifle stocks.He has buit a couple of rifles for me and is EXCELLANT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. Skeeter

Why not Drop it in a mcwoody and go hunt with it? That way you can still keep he original stock with all the character and have no regrets later.

Yep.

I'm no expert on Sakos, but I own quite a few. A sentimental rifle is hard to alter, I'd just replace the recoil pad "with original style" and put the best scope you can afford atop. Leave the rest as is until you burn the barrel out.

If the rifle is not used as is, it loses most of its sentimental value anyway.

Hunt the thing hard, and it'll still be going when you die. That's probably what your dad actually hoped for.

I vote for putting on detachable sling studs, a new pad, and continuing to enjoy your rifle.

If you want to rebuild something, get a Remington. Leave that rifle alone. Use and wear is not a bad thing. The gun isn't in the kind of condition that it would need to be treated so poorly.

You can rebuild a gun a thousand times, but it is only original once...

The Sako studs are larger than standard, so the holes will have to be filled and re-drilled. Keep the old studs for posterity (and Shrapnel). They can always be re-installed.

If you check out one of the Sako collector sites, you may be able to come up with a like-new original pad, if the old one has gotten too hard to use. Even if it's cracked, if it's still soft, I'd just ride. The Forester I bought recently looks worse than yours and I'm just huntin' it.

Just got a harvester plus from HCR. Their work is outstanding, and I can't say enough about how well they do. But that being said, if my kid ever refinishes it after I'm gone I'll be haunting his a$$

Great idea. Why throw money away.

I usually regret doing things like that. I would leave it alone other than the pad if you need it.

Yes, unless for LOP that particular brand and model in caliber listed does not need recoil pad, wonderful.

If something bugs you and you want to change it, then go ahead and change it if you want. I've modified brand new rifles right out of the box, even before shooting them.

If shrapnel sees this thread, we're gonna have problems.




Travis

There were some original pads available awhile ago on the sakocollectors site. Other than the pad and swivel repair, I would leave the rifle alone.

My Forester has an aftermarket pad fitted by a previous owner. It's a .243, so likely it had a hard buttplate when new. All I did to it was remove the white spacers and take it apart to clean it up good.

Really nice rifles; well worth seeking out as shooters. This one will probably go to my grandson when he comes of age or I go under.

You gotta be $hittin' me.

Leave that rifle alone. Or give it to someone who appreciates it. I like a rifle with a little character......

In that case, I'd dial it in to suit me.

Been surfin GB a lot lately looking for price comparisons and ran across a listing in BA's & SAKO that had original SAKO styled butt pads, but would need to be ground down for an exact fit. Don't remember the prices, but didn't seem too bad to put on the tired A III 270 I was looking at & had the typical crushed pad from being stored in a closet or vertical gun rack on the butt.
Ron

The OP has no choice on the sling swivel, if he wants to keep and use the stock. Those and the recoil pad are easy to replace and keep the originals for resale, if it comes to that. Not a big deal.

If it was my rig, I'd do what Hamrick suggested. Buy a stock to fit and mess with it to fit your needs and keep the original in the way back of the safe. That's what I've done with old rifles of sentimental value to preserve the original equipment. Also helps if plans change in the future and you or somebody else needs to sell it.

The old Finnbears that I've had the privilege to fondle had great fit, feel and balance. It is a beauty!

Only you can make the choice. Everybody has their own take on it. Go with what you want to do with your rifle.

I found a used McMillan Sako Classic for my L61R. Stuck the wood in the closet.

I'd look for a good smith that would do a nice custom stock for it to go along with the McMillan. Keep the original.

+2 ...

My Dad left me his 1950's model Colt Huntsman. He introduced me and my sons to shooting with that 22. Before he gave it to me, he had it refinished. I am proud to have it, but I wish he had left it alone. That finish wear was evidence of his life and times--my time with him--and his grandsons.
Fix the sling stud. Replace the recoil pad if you must. If the bolt is starting to rust--polish it. Don't make it something it is not. It is a 50 year old hunting rife from you Dad. You can't improve on that.

If it was mine I'd fix the swivel, replace the pad and hunt it a bunch more. Looks to be in very nice shape, from the pics.

Poor guy...by the end of this thread, he will have locked it away in the back of the safe, afraid to take it out and 'damage' the collector value.

I'm with Rick and Pat....fix the stuff that needs fixing, refinish what you like and keep on hunting.

One of my fav rifles is one of those in 30/06 and also have one in 270 I wouldn't recomend a refinish as they are light wood with a stain. I tried it on a 579 and just couldn't get the stain to take..my 06 had a really bad pad so I changed it out for a little thicker one to get som more length.
If your rifle is well used keep using it.. My 270 is in a McMillan stock and is a dream to shoot and hunt with but I still use the wood stocked 06 much more.

When put that way......you are probably right. There's a lot of great suggestions on here and I'm thinking the ones along this line might be best. After this deer season I will replace the recoil pad and put on detach sling studs (or the originals as one poster said new ones won't fit without being filled) and keep hunting it hard. Now....which recoil pad? Pachmyr?

I really don't care for plastic stocks, even the nice ones, and I'm not afraid to scratch the wood. I've been hunting with the rifle since I was a very young kid and it's been knocked on bunches of trees when being climbed and doors when getting into blinds. I like the way it looks and enjoy the character so I think everyone who said leave it alone is probably right. It's a great rifle I hope to pass on someday.

My question now is really what to do about the sling studs (keep original and have the wood filled or put new quick detach studs on) and what recoil pad to use. I like the original Sako pads and found some online as mentioned but they will just get crushed again as it will be standing up on its butt in my safe.

...post edited for typos.

Fix the sling swivel, fix the pad.
I would use the original swivel and whatever pad you like.

Then keep hunting the crap out of it.

Exactly, it's your rifle you're never selling it ... Make it yours.

Post pics when done.

no law says you have to stand them up. store it muzzle down.
you can fit more in the safe that way also..
pachmayer will hold up for years and there re lots of options.

Well, the OP certainly got his money's worth in opinions.

Sako sling swivels - you can use a pair of pliers and pull the loop off of it. It will then fit any detachable you use.

In reference to the pad - the ones that are being sold by Custom Shop are from the Sako factory (not sure who actually makes them). These are current production and do not crush (or at least the ones that I have are not showing any signs of crushing in the last 1.5 years of using them). You can save yourself a few dollars and order them directly from Brownells. I think they want $98 each for them. My local gunsmith charged me $35 to remove the old one, install and grind to fit the stock. Make sure who ever you take it to can grind the pad on the stock. You do not want those goofy holes in the pad.

I would not spend $100 on pad for mass produced rifle. We are not talking Westley Richards or Holland so Pachmayr Old English should be good enough. These are very heavy rifles so no fancy goofy recoil reducing pads are needed.
I would not waste time replacing sling swivels. NECG carries Recknagel ones that should fit old Sako. I'm pretty sure when I bought Browning Safari at LGS they pulled couple off used Sako for me. These were ERA Recknagel make.

I saw the pads at Custom Shop and thought they were expensive and looked a bit rough in the pictures. I didn't realize they were still making them. I searched Brownells and cannot find them, what is the item description to search for on their site?

Thanks,
MJS

Since you have decided to keep it forever, I would get it fixed exactly like you want it.

While I would normally say its a Sako, leave it alone...
Its a 270, so hack away!

I don't have a problem with oil finishing a pre-Garcia Sako if your are not preserving it as a collector. That said, know that if you strip the stock, you're going to be left with a colorless, cheap piece of timber. These Sakos we're sprayed with a "tinting lacquer" containing "stain" and finish all in one. To oil re-finish, you will need to find someone who understands how to "dye" with water or alcohol based aniline dye (not pigment stain) and then do a soft oil finish on top. Demand to see a sample of this kind of work--it is not commonly understood.

I always hated the cheap perforated pad on my '63 Finnbear--a solid Pachmayr or Silver's style is the ticket. Detachable sling swivels
would be highly desireable.

I'd also stay with blued steel on this rifle--coating would be totally out of character--you can tell I'm not a "factory worshiper"
on the subject of refinishing--but I do like the idea of preserving the original style of these wonderful old rifles--you know--"walnut and blue steel." I'm currently doing the same to a '63 Vixen.

I still have a sticky stock on a Finnbear, appears to be unfired, probably 30-35 years old and the finish is still sticky to the touch. Wish there was a simple way to remove the sticky.

I understand it was a problem with some Sakos of that period.

You have one of the best rifles ever made but nothing there to prevent you from giving her a face lift.

g

Define "worth it"

Excellent post Kifaru, I thought there was possibly some nice wood under all that lacquer but it sounds like leaving it alone is the way to go. I've decided to leave it wood and blue, I love the character anyways.

What type of pachmayr would you recommend? I'm thinking the brown old english type with a black spacer would look nice and keep the original look since that's the color combo Sako used. Do you have pictures of the one you had put on?

I'm planning to have HCR do the work since they are close to Austin and everyone raves about the quality but they are not cheap (I'm sure it's worth it though). McBride's in Austin is less than half the price for a recoil pad install but they did some work for me on a pistol I wasn't happy with (put some trijicon sights on poorly, front sight is crooked). I'd rather buy once, cry once.

McMillan makes a nice feeling classic stock for Sakos.

Yes, either the Pachmayr Old English or same solid design in the Decelerator compound. I like the red 1" (comes Med. Only)on a really classic kicking rifle but have used the brown also. For some odd reason, red only looks good to me if it is in the 3/4-1" thick range. I use the black if I stay at 1/2".
New England Custom Guns is offering pads in all three colors , sm, med, lg. Check them out.

HCR does nice work (I am in San Antonio) and I'm kind of a crank about pad fitting (on rifles, I do my own)--I think you're right to find someone who will produce a superior job.

If It were me, every scratch and ding would make me think of my Dad Hunting it. I would leave it as is.

Have you ever pulled the loop off the fixed swivels before? It sounds (and looks) like it's possible but I just tried and could not do it. Any tips or tricks to getting the job done?

Thanks,
MJS

Fix what NEEDS fixed. Not one to worship original but, why does a rifle have to look new if you are going to hunt it. When you are done peckering with it probably will NOT look NEW. It just wont have any character. You are thinking about turning a 38 year old beautiful woman into a 19 year old silicone and plastic slut with a pretty face and no soul, or brains.

Thank you all for your posts. The rifle is going to be dropped off next week. I am getting quick detach studs installed and a new recoil pad.

I now just need to decide on which Pachmayr....red, brown, or black....and .80 or 1 inch. Any thoughts? The rifle is 9.5 lbs and a 270 so pad thickness isn't needed, I just want it to look right.

I'm really leaning towards red...

What he said^^^

Because mcwoody's are an abomination! ....I'd rather have a beat to hell walnut stock.

Red would be good! But--Brownells lists the red only in the D752, Medium, 1". You'll need to measure your butt to see which size will fit. Remember, the Pachmayrs have a steel insert that can suddenly appear while you are grinding away if you haven't calculated accurately. NEGC might be your only other alternative. Closest to the original look would be a .80 Brown, but of course without the godawful slots. A black pad, except for maybe .50, is too modern looking to my eye for the Finnbear

Beretta made a limited run of Sako 'classic' pads a few years ago while they were already tooled up to make the 50th Anniversary Cabelas's rifles that also used the original style pad. You might be able to find one on the Sako Collectors forum. If I had a pre-Garcia Sako, I might change out a crushed pad out but that's it. Go much further and you risk ruining what you have. No need to tinker with vintage Sako's that just have some character marks.

I had a similar issue with a pre64 300 huh. I had it put into better than new condition and then discovered I didn't want to use it..just to pretty. Then came a sako I had used a great deal and it was pretty worn and scratched up. But this time I steamed out the dents, gave it and the barrel a good cleaning and covered in Renaissance wax. Looks like a hunters best friend now

Got one of those Finnbears. 270 and it has taken many deer. Bought it new in 1962 from Al Beisen. Bill Vowels, his metal work man jeweled the bolt and mounted a 2 1/2 x 7 Redfield in lo rings. It will put 5 of its' favorites under a dime at 100 yards if I don't mess up. Load, 150 gr spire point at 3.326 OAL. 51.8 grains IMR 4350 and a CCI magnum primer. WW brass. (I use the magnum primers cause I hunt in some cold condx. -15F one successful day)
The only thing I would do to it is replace the butt pad one day.

Nothing wrong with your idea at all. I love the looks of the Cabelas Special run of Sako Finnbears. It's pretty much what you described.