Garcia-F.I.

by JOHN T. AMBER

images

The two rifles on our back covers are from Firearms International, an organization well and favorably known, that was recently acquired by Garcia.

       The smaller rifle seen is the Sako Vixen, called by F.I. the “most accurate production rifle in the world.” Well, that’s a claim that takes in anawful lot of territory, but it is true that a Sako rifle, a 222 right off the shelf and without tuning, once set a world records at 100 yards in a National Bench Rest Rifle Assn. shoot—10 shots in the Light  Varmint class making a target only .209" center-to-center.

      Will they all do that well, sans tuning and whatever? I doubt it. Yet no one can deny that’s a mighty nice performance, and it is indicative of what the Sako L-461 actioned rifle can do, and it is equally true that the L-461 action—with or without Sako barrel—has been a much-sought-after item for many years—when it could be bought! They were a scarce unit for a long time, but the supply seems to be in better shape nowadays. The Sako Vixen rifles are made in only three calibers—222,222 Magnum and 223. The rifles come in three styles; a standard Sporter, a Heavy Barreled version, and in Carbine form, with full length or Mannlicher stock and a 20" barrel. The others use a 23 1/2" barrel.

  SakoFinnbearrightview

     The other Sako pictured on our back cover is the Finnbear (L-61), made only as a half-stocked sporter and in such bigger calibers as 270,30-06 and most of the belted magnum calibers, including the newly added 375 H&H. A rugged and well-built action, the Finnbear, and very well suited to the more potent big game loads.

       The rest of the Garcia F.I. line continues pretty much intact, though there have been some product  changers since a year ago. The Sako Forester bolt acion and the Finnwolf lever action rifles show no change, nor does the F.N. Supreme bolt action rifle line.

     The AYA shotgun line—a sidelock double and three boxlock side-by-sides-has been dropped, it appears, and the Lasalle auto and pump shotguns are no longer listed. The Musketeer rifles, Mauser-actioned, have been retained, and a new line of doublebarreled shothuns—with outside hammers—has been added to the list. The "Overland" arms are made by Rossi in Brazil, suppliers also of the Regent Gallery Model 22 slide-action rifle and Presentation revolvers (22 LR and 38 Special), new on the F.I. list

      F.I. still carries the Gaucho, Star, Astra Cadix, Regent, Taurus and Unique handguns—revolvers and autos—but not in quite as full an array as before, thanks doubtless to the stringencies of the GCA 1968 in good part.

picture by: common.wikimedia.org,shooterforum.com