Sako Model AIII A-III 7mm Remington Magnum 26″ Bolt Action Rifle, 1978-1981
SOLD FOR: $1527
LSB#: 210909BW29
Make: Sako
Model: AIII
Serial Number: 555137
Year of Manufacture: 1978-1981
Caliber: 7mm Remington Magnum
Action Type: Bolt Action Rifle with Hinged Floorplate Magazine
Markings: The left of the shank is marked “7MM REM MAG”. The left of the receiver is marked “AIII 555137” and with two proof/inspection marks. The bottom of the bolt handle is hand-scribed “137”. The floor plate shows an elk’s head with foliate motifs surrounding it. The trigger guard also has foliate motifs.
Barrel Length: The aftermarket stainless barrel is 26?
Sights / Optics: There are no provisions for iron sights. The top of the receiver is equipped with a Leupold Vari-X II with 4-12x magnification and a duplex reticle. The scope shows light wear and the lenses are clear. The scope rates in about Fine overall condition.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is one-piece walnut with skip-line checkering, rosewood capped forend and pistol grip, fluted monte carlo comb with cheekpiece, brown Sako ventilated recoil pad, and sling studs front and rear. There is a white inlay in the grip cap in the shape of a bear’s head. There are some scuffs around the grip and cap. There are marks through the finish along the top left edge of the forend. There are a few light scratches on the right side of the buttstock. The checkering is sharp and uninterrupted. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/4? & 12 7/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the recoil pad and wood, respectively. The pad is supple and shows light wear. Overall, the stock is in about Very Good-Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue receiver with stainless barrel.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its metal finish. There are some faint scratches on the barrel. The front ring shows some light oxidation and marks. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine-Plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is light and crisp. We did not fire this rifle. There is a bolt release on the left side of the receiver and a safety on the right side that locks the bolt handle as well as the trigger. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The previously mentioned scope is included.
Our Assessment: Sako first started making rifles with FN Mauser actions in 1951. By 1961 they had settled on 3 different length actions. The AIII was the original long action and equivalent of the L61R. The tang of the AIII was slightly lengthened after just a couple of years of production and it was renamed the A-V. The rifle is in about Fine condition with 96% of its blue finish remaining and light wear in its stock. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no erosion. The 7mm Remington Magnum offers ballistics better than the .30-06 Springfield with all available bullet weights, one of the more popular loads being a 160 grain spitzer loaded to 3,000 ft/s (910 m/s). This is due both to the higher muzzle velocity of the magnum compared to the Springfield and that .284 diameter bullets tend to have better ballistic coefficients than .308 diameter bullets of comparable mass. This rifle ought to make for a great hunting rifle for the lucky winner and won’t do too bad on the target range, either. Please see our photos and good luck!