Some years ago I was asked to give a deceased family members wife some guidance concerning the value of her husbands gun collection. The items were pretty easy to assess, although I stumbled with one. I told her that it was a Sako but the stock made it special, that it "is pretty, don't let it go cheap". Some years later my parents pulled in the drive and handed me the gun. They indicated that The relative held onto the gun because she thought I should have it, and that they had reached and agreement with her for me to have it.
I reloaded a few rounds to see if this pretty thing would shoot. Much to my dismay the bullets were key holing. I felt the barrel had been shot out. Lucky my friend pointed out that the sako has a slower twist and may not stabilize the bullets that I had success with in a .22-250. I picked up some 40 gr. bullets found a powder that didn't give me a compressed load, and now this pretty rifle prints 1/2" all day long.
I'm now retired and have time to look at things a little closer. That is the reason that I've sought out this forum. The workmanship in this stock is as good as I've ever seen,
I'm interested to see if anyone may be able to help me determine what I have and if it has more than simple rifle value.
The stock is heavy laminated walnut with schlaub forend and Monte-Carlo cheek piece, the checkering is as good as I've seen the skeleton butt plate executed perfectly,the die in the stock on the wood where the recoil block makes contact indicates that great pains where taken to insure that full contact was attained,as good as glass bedding. The stock is marked with OWEN and the number 1954 stamped into the wood under the barrel. Brass medallion bottom of stock behind pistol grip.
The rifle is a Sako .222 rem. heavy barreled removable magazine,,,stith mount for Sako and Lyman wolverine 1100 10 power scope.
I'm interested to know if the Owen marking could be R G Owen of Saquoit NY as that's not to far from home, and if there is added value here, because of the stock.
It of course it means more to me because it's a gift from my now decreases parents and a family member that I believe put it together in the 1950's as his initials are in the brass medallion.
Thank you Steve miller
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