[glenwolde]

I was sorting 1,000 .38 cases I bought and found a head stamp I've never seen before in my 30 years of reloading. I wonder what it's story is. Their website doesn't list .38. Must be old.

 

[CompOSS9mm]

Ask and you shall receive!!!

SAKO Finland : Company

 

[MOONDAWG]

Yep...SAKO of Finland.

They make quality stuff.

Never seen them import .38 special ammo, so I bet it would have a story to tell.

 

[Josh45]

I have a bit of that Sako brass in .38 spcl as well. It seems to be good brass. I use it when I'm shooting 38 out of my 357

 

[guesser]

It could be from the sixties, prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968 there was a lot of Sako loaded ammunition brought into this country as well as DWM, Kynoch and Norma had a very complete line of hand gun ammunition. The rules changed in 1968 and again in 1986 so there has been a lot of changes to import regs over the years.

 

[scywin]

For those who are not aware of Finland, every male Finn between 18 and 50 is in the active reserves, . . . and keeps a personal assault weapon at home.

 

[Ingvarg]

Those are available here in Iceland from time to time, and I bought a couple of boxes when I had the 38. I had lost count on how many times I had reloaded in those cases when I sold the gun. Still have the brass somewhere I think.
Certainly a high quality ammo and brass.

 

[glenwolde]

Those are available here in Iceland from time to time, and I bought a couple of boxes when I had the 38. I had lost count on how many times I had reloaded in those cases when I sold the gun. Still have the brass somewhere I think.
Certainly a high quality ammo and brass.

I'm sure it's quality stuff. I used to have one of their rifles many years ago. A nice piece of work that. I've just never seen their name on pistol ammo. This lot of brass was like the United Nations. AP (Philippines), CBC (Brazil), the single Sako, S&B (German) plus just about every American brand. A bit more diverse than I prefer but it will work.

 

[Ingvarg]

I'm sure it's quality stuff. I used to have one of their rifles. A nice piece of work that. I've just never seen their name on pistol ammo.

Yes the Finns sure know how to build firearms and ammo. But the ammo price is quite high, at least here, compared to other manufacturers, so I guess that has something to do with how rear the Sako handgun ammo seems to be in the US.
I guess it could never be competitive to US made ammo in prices.

 

[Ingvarg]

I'm sure it's quality stuff. I used to have one of their rifles many years ago. A nice piece of work that. I've just never seen their name on pistol ammo. This lot of brass was like the United Nations. AP (Philippines), CBC (Brazil), the single Sako, S&B (German) plus just about every American brand. A bit more diverse than I prefer but it will work.

I always sorted the 38 brass. I found out that the wall thickness was different between brands so the volume was not the same which can result in different pressure.
Not that great difference to be concerned about safety, but sure caused different characteristics in the reloaded ammo.

 

[JLarsson]

Wow! That's sure a flat primer!

 

[glenwolde]

Wow! That's sure a flat primer!

The Finns must like their ammo hot, keeps them warm.

 

[JLarsson]

I'd say so. It would be interesting to know the particulars of that load.

Could have been the firearm, I guess. I had a Mossberg .243 that would flatten primers and flow brass into the ejector hole in the bolt with factory ammo. Must have been a tight bore/chamber/throat/something. It sure was accurate until I bulged the barrel while hunting in a snowstorm one day. We cut it back about 4 inches to get rid of the bulge, but it never shot quite as well after that.