Sako Celebrates 100th Anniversary

by
posted on April 13, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
sako.jpg

Sako—part of Beretta Holding Group for the past 21 years—is celebrating its 100th birthday and the impact the company and its products have made in the rifle and cartridge marketplaces around the world. Founded on April 1, 1921, the prestigious firearm manufacturer has a rich history of producing renowned high-quality products from skilled master craftsmen.

The original Sako factory was named Suojeluskuntain Ase-ja Konepaja Osakeyhtiö (Civil Guard Firearm and Engineering Co Ltd), and established as part of the Finnish Civil Guard to meet its gun repair needs. The workshop became an independent financial unit on April 1, 1921, and in 1927, it abbreviated its name to the acronym Sako and became a limited company.

During this time, the firm moved from Helsinki to a factory site in Riihimäki, where it continues to operate to this day. It was here where it designed a new M28 rifle that proved to be of better quality than similar firearms in use by Finnish defense forces. The company also began to manufacture cartridges.

Sako entered the U.S. market in the 1950s with the stateside introduction of a Sako L46. Its performance caught the attention of enthusiasts and exports of Sako products to the United States have steadily increased since. In 1996 Sako saw a huge success in its Sako 75 product line, launching the company to a stage where demand was quickly outpacing its production capacity. In 1999, Beretta Holding Group expressed an interest in Sako and acquired all the company’s shares.

“At Beretta USA, we are proud to partner with the highly skilled and experienced men and women of Sako as they continue to innovate and deliver top-quality, high-performing, precise, and reliable rifles to our demanding American customers,” said Francesco Valente, general manager and COO of Beretta USA.

In 2020, Sako manufactured and sold the one-millionth Tikka T3. The year it also launched the revamped Sako S20 hybrid rifle, a platform that allows the user to switch between hunting or precision shooting by simply exchanging the fore-end and stock.

Latest

Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1
Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1

Rifleman Review: Taurus Expedition

Taurus entered the bolt-action rifle market with its Expedition, a Remington 700-pattern design that's built to be versatile and affordable.

New For 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II

Charter Arms updated one of the oldest models in its lineup with the new Pathfinder II, which features a lightweight 7075 aluminum frame, making it more well-balanced and easier to carry.

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.