Sako Finn M39 Rifle - beautiful tiger stripe stock

[awpk03s]

Picked this up in my local shop a week or so ago. A Sako Finn M39 Mosin Nagant (7.62x54R). The rifle is dated 1942, SA marked, and utilizes a 1914 Izhevsk hex receiver. It has a war-time stock with the pistol grip. Serial numbers on the barrel, bolt, and receiver all match. The magazine is non-matching. Bluing is in excellent condition, except the magazine and trigger guard, which has more wear than the rest of the rifle. The bore is amazingly clean with strong rifling, the bullet test appears it is not worn hardly at all at the muzzle end. The Finnish two stage trigger is amazingly nice as well. The stock is just a beautiful piece of curly/burl wood. It had a very smooth feel, and a bit of a shine to it when I picked it up. It may appear more shiny in these pictures - only due to the fact that when I cleaned it, I wiped excess gun lube/oil from my hands and the metal on the wood when I was finished. Interestingly noted when I broke it down to clean it... the barrel and action was bedded in the stock with what seemed like axle grease, not cosmoline. It cleaned off easily enough though. Enough talk... on to the pictures! The best part, this rifle only cost me $259, which I think is a pretty good deal given my limited research on Finns thus far.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03593.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03600.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03601.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03598.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03599.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/mba656/guns/DSC03596.jpg

I got it out and shot it this past week, and off a bench was able to get ~1" 3 shot groups using surplus ammo at 80-90 yards (shooting a target down over the hill in the woods, yardage wasn't precise). So it's definitely a shooter, as well as a looker! It did hit about 12" high at that range, but when I employed a 6:00 hold (which I usually do with open sights) it was right on the money, so I'm not concerned at all with that. If I were to fire it at a groundhog, pig, deer, coyote or other predator, I am more than confident in the rifles ability to hit the target.

[Decguns]

Looks like someone got happy with the blow torch on that stock. I've got some Savage Enfields where they really went to town with the zebra striping of the wood too. They do look good.

That one picture of the muzzle is a great example of what copper fouling looks like.

[427]

That's nice! For some reason, tiger striped/flamed birch seem to be more common in wartime stocks.

The grease you found was there to help prevent corrosion under the wood. As most people clean the grease the first thing, the grease tells me that it came from the straight from arsenal (distributor) and/or someone bought it and it sat in a collection. I bought a number of Finns like that. Either way, it's good!

Heavy ball seems to shoot really well in my Finns.

[RYNOCG201]

That's beautiful congrats

[The_Gun_Guru]

VERY NICE!!! CONGRATS!:wavey:


I have a VKT/Valmet that I bought on consignment at a local shop for $145!:wow: The guy selling it didn't know how to price it so he just threw that number out when he brought it in for the shop to sell. Needless to say I whipped out one of my C&R FFL copies and bought it on the spot!

It's worth almost twice that price.....which I knew as soon as I saw it.


TGG

[4949shooter]

Very nice. :thumbsup:

I might suggest some copper remover, like Sweets 7.62, or Shooters Choice, on the bore.

[raven11]

is that rust in the barrel? or is that just a trick of the camera angle and light?

[nastytrigger]

Beautiful tiger stripe stock. Sounds like a real shooter too. Gotta love Mosin's, especially Finn :)

[Adjuster]

Whats up with the front sight? All my Mosins have the shrouded post sight.



/

[427]

Whats up with the front sight? All my Mosins have the shrouded post sight.



/

Not Finn M27s, M28s, M28/30, or M39s.

[kf4zra]

i bet it shoots better than it looks too.

all my finns are wonderful shooters.
the heavier stocks on the m27, m28 and m39 cut down on the recoil.

it would be a shame if you didnt take this gun to the range. it will out shoot you.

[fnfalman]

$250 for a Sako (any Sako) is a hell of a deal.

[hogship]

That is a very nice looking stock......very unique looking!

ooc

[m2hmghb]

is that rust in the barrel? or is that just a trick of the camera angle and light?

That's copper fouling raven.

[bac1023]

Very nice indeed

Congrats! :cool:

[pennlineman]

That is a very cool looking stock. Congrats on your new rifle, enjoy!

[zippyhuntin]

That's a beautiful M39! I'll trade ya 3 91/30's for it.:supergrin:

[motorcyclist]

Really like my M39. Lots of fun at the range for cheap. The stock is probably not burl. Looks like somebody took a torch to it and than wax or tru-oil. The stocks on M39's are some kind of artic birch that were left unfinnished as anything on the wood would just freeze and crack the stock. Check out 7.62x54r.com. Lots of good info there.

[zippyhuntin]

The stock shown in the OP is figured arctic birch. Not torched. M39 stocks were not left unfinished.

[awpk03s]

Thanks all! Yes, it is a bit of copper in the barrel, and just the way the picture turned out, no rust. I will try some Sweets next time I shoot and clean it.

The stock looks shiny/etc because I wiped in excess gun oil that I had on my hands and rag from cleaning it before the pictures. To the best of what I can tell the wood is completely original.

I have gotten to shoot it one outing so far, and it really is a shooter. Can't wait to put some more rounds through it.

[E-2-E]

That is one sweet looking rifle