1970/1894 M39 (Sako)

[Cosmoline]

I decided it was time to get another Finn. It's been a few years since I had an M39 around, and this one was going for under $300 so I snagged it. It's an oddball, one of the so-called "sneaks" built out of parts most likely by Sako.

That SN is of some potential significance, as it is substantially lower than the "306,135" listed as the lowest SN for 1970 by Brent:

1969 saw a low known serial number of 303,920 and continues to the high of 304,166. The final year of 1970 was thought to be the last in this series of small production runs but a few 1973 and 1972 dated guns have surfaced. The low known number of 1970 is 306,135 and the high of that year being 306,420.

http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/finnish_mosin_nagantm39.asp


It's also unusual for the breed in having a wartime stock and a bore that's seen some use. Someone was shooting this thing quite a bit, though it's impossible to tell whether that was in Finland or stateside. The pattern of ware with zero indication of rust makes me suspect whoever shot it wasn't using corrosive primed, which suggests its use in Finnish training exercises in the 1970's.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Cool! Who made the receiver?

 

[Cosmoline]

Not sure at this point. There's no maker mark that I can see.