Suojeluskuntain Ase- ja Konepaja Osakeyhtiö
(Firearms and Machine workshop of the Civil Guard)
Established in 1921
- to build and service firearms for the Civil Guard in Finland
- 1921 Separate company established in Helsinki
- 1929 Manufacturing of ammunition begins
- 1932 Manufacturing of rifle barrels begins
- 1938 Manufacturing of rifle stocks begins
- 1939-1944 275 mil. machine gun rounds
- 1945 new owner Finnish Red Cross
- 1962 New owner: Suomen Kaapelitehdas Oy
- 1967 New owner: Oy Nokia Ab
- 1993 rifle production is concentrated in Riihimäki
– Tourula manufactures ammunition - 1994 acquires a majority stake in Stoeger Inc
– operates in the USA and Canada - 1995 entire ammunition production line was sold
– to Vammas Oy - 2000 New owner: Beretta
- 2006 85 anniversary
Sako
P.O. BOX 149
FI-11101 RIIHIMÄKI
FINLAND
(+358) 10 830 5200
sako.fi
About Sako
Sako is Finland’s best-known rifle maker. It began in 1919, two years after Finnish independence, as the Civil Guard’s gun works in a former Helsinki brewery, and its repair shop became financially independent of the Civil Guard in 1921. On June 1, 1927, the works moved to an ammunition factory in Riihimaki, which is still the company’s home. In the 1930s it reorganized as SAKO and began exporting pistol cartridges, and it kept making cartridges through World War II.
The first civilian rifle bearing the Sako name, the L42, was prototyped in 1942, beginning the line of bolt-action hunting and precision rifles the brand is known for today. Tikkakoski merged into Sako in 1983, bringing the Tikka brand with it, and Valmet’s arms division joined in 1986. In 2000 Beretta Holding bought the company, placing Sako alongside Beretta, Benelli and Stoeger. Recent models include the Sako 85 (2006), the S20 (2020) and the TRG precision rifles used by military and law enforcement marksmen.
Key Facts
- 1919: Civil Guard gun works opened in Helsinki
- 1921: Repair shop became financially independent of the Civil Guard
- June 1, 1927: Moved to Riihimaki, Finland
- 1983: Tikkakoski merged into Sako, adding the Tikka brand
- 2000: Acquired by Beretta Holding
- 2020: S20 rifle released
Learn More
Sources
Profiles on Minuteman University.com are editorial content compiled from public sources. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of, sponsorship by, or affiliation with this site or the Gun Websites Firearms Network. Corrections and removal requests are welcome through Contact Us.