Fn-49
- Thread starter Wally
- Start date
those are argentine conversions of the original 7.65x54 to 7.62, for the argentine navy IIRC.
they are available in the US, questar could probably get one for you, magazine would have to be pinned.
i am assuming it would cost $1200+ to get into your hands.
they are available in the US, questar could probably get one for you, magazine would have to be pinned.
i am assuming it would cost $1200+ to get into your hands.
Wow, $1200 would make it by far the most expensive piece in my collection. Makes me wonder how hard it would be to convert an existing FN-49...... The mag well and catch assembly are most likely secured to the stock eh? So could one aquire the guts, swap the bbl and get an existing stock and mag from the US?i am guessing about the $1200, i think they sell in the $800 and $900 range in the US, plus currency fees, shipping, questars fees, etc.
anything can be done with enough $$$, there was a 308 conversion for sale a while back on the EE, i believe the fellow wanted $700, it did not have a detachable mag though.
anything can be done with enough $$$, there was a 308 conversion for sale a while back on the EE, i believe the fellow wanted $700, it did not have a detachable mag though.
No, it's not nearly that easy. Significant amounts of metal are removed from the receiver in the conversion process. The integral feed lips are removed and the magazine port is lengthened, amongst many other change.
Unless you're a machinist, it would be cheaper to import a full rifle. I wouldn't expect to find the conversion parts laying around cheap either.
Wally:
FYI, there was an article in one of the gunzines back in the eighties, where someone took a BAR magazine and fitted it to the FN-49. The conversion was very easy.
Since the 49 has the feed lips in the receiver and not the magazine, you couldn't use detachable magazines and had to load through the top.
Back then the surplus rifles were pretty cheap and 8 mm ammo was cheap as dirt. Also, back then Sarco was selling complete FN-49 full auto trigger groups.
FYI, there was an article in one of the gunzines back in the eighties, where someone took a BAR magazine and fitted it to the FN-49. The conversion was very easy.
Since the 49 has the feed lips in the receiver and not the magazine, you couldn't use detachable magazines and had to load through the top.
Back then the surplus rifles were pretty cheap and 8 mm ammo was cheap as dirt. Also, back then Sarco was selling complete FN-49 full auto trigger groups.
If you are contemplating buying, or own, a Belgian issue FN49 in .30-06, have a good look at the left side of the trigger guard. If there are detents fore and aft on the upper portion of the trigger guard, and an "A", the rifle is a CA. The stock will also be relieved slightly where the selector hung down. A percentage of Belgian rifles were selective fire. If the rifle is one of these, and isn't registered as a 12(3), it could be a problem down the road.
Naw, the government decided a bunch of CAs weren't "real" CAs back in the day. All it takes is the stroke of a pen. I have an FN they did that way, still have all the paperwork from various stages of it's life, from selct fire, to CA, to "more CA", to semi-auto prohib, to doorstop. I love my government, and they love me. - dan
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WARNIN
FN-49 8mm Egyptian Using Igman ammo
My beloved FN-49 8mm exploded using Igman 8 x 57 mm IS – 170 Gr/11 g SP ammo
The exact same incident happened to another FN-49 shooter using ammo from the batch from the same batch.
Here is the chain of events.
Being new ammo, I set the gas port to minimum pressure (that is port wide open). I have fed this baby virtually all kinds of ammo (both surplus and factory) over the 25 years or so that I have owned it. Never had an issue until now.
Fired first shot with one round in mag. Checked to see ejection of case and sure enough it went to the optimal point (8 feet in front and to the right)
Fired second round still with one in mag. Same results. All looked GOOD.
Inserted three rounds in mag to test in semi auto mode. Fired and BANG.
This is what me and other experienced shooters think happened.
First round fired as normal (in fact I hit the bulls eye dead on with it). Later found that spend brass and it went to the optimal area and was not marked.
As the bolt came forward and stripped the next round, the round detonated UNSUPPORTED blowing the third round down into mag bulging mag and cracking stock.
The blot flew back and bent the return spring guide in the bolt cover.
On the bolt, the extractor holder is bent.
The detonated case was mangled and landed to my rear and left
Previous to this the other shooter had thought his FN49 had gone full auto. His damage is very similar to mine
Others and I are theorizing that the igman ammo primers are too soft and detonated when picked up by the bolt.
The other shooter has communicated with Igman via their web site.
I will assess the damaged and see if it is recoverable.
HAS anyone else had a incident similar to this
THIS WAS one of my favorites rifles and sad that it is damaged BUT I am sure glad I was not injured in any way
FN-49 8mm Egyptian Using Igman ammoMy beloved FN-49 8mm exploded using Igman 8 x 57 mm IS – 170 Gr/11 g SP ammo
The exact same incident happened to another FN-49 shooter using ammo from the batch from the same batch.
Here is the chain of events.
Being new ammo, I set the gas port to minimum pressure (that is port wide open). I have fed this baby virtually all kinds of ammo (both surplus and factory) over the 25 years or so that I have owned it. Never had an issue until now.
Fired first shot with one round in mag. Checked to see ejection of case and sure enough it went to the optimal point (8 feet in front and to the right)
Fired second round still with one in mag. Same results. All looked GOOD.
Inserted three rounds in mag to test in semi auto mode. Fired and BANG.
This is what me and other experienced shooters think happened.
First round fired as normal (in fact I hit the bulls eye dead on with it). Later found that spend brass and it went to the optimal area and was not marked.
As the bolt came forward and stripped the next round, the round detonated UNSUPPORTED blowing the third round down into mag bulging mag and cracking stock.
The blot flew back and bent the return spring guide in the bolt cover.
On the bolt, the extractor holder is bent.
The detonated case was mangled and landed to my rear and left
Previous to this the other shooter had thought his FN49 had gone full auto. His damage is very similar to mine
Others and I are theorizing that the igman ammo primers are too soft and detonated when picked up by the bolt.
The other shooter has communicated with Igman via their web site.
I will assess the damaged and see if it is recoverable.
HAS anyone else had a incident similar to this
THIS WAS one of my favorites rifles and sad that it is damaged BUT I am sure glad I was not injured in any way
Wow campo_one, glad you weren't hurt.
I love my FN49, but haven't shot it much due to ammo availability. Luckily, I suppose, when I tried the Igman ammo I had some feed issues due to the soft point bullets and quit firing it when I had a failure to feed and the bolt stuffed the bullet half way into the case.
I would LOVE some milsurp FMJ.
I love my FN49, but haven't shot it much due to ammo availability. Luckily, I suppose, when I tried the Igman ammo I had some feed issues due to the soft point bullets and quit firing it when I had a failure to feed and the bolt stuffed the bullet half way into the case.
I would LOVE some milsurp FMJ.
One major problem is the SAFN has firing pin issues...the one-piece design was prone to break, or bend and jam forward. I have seen 3 this way, and my Venny issue was also bent and jammed forward. Just a caution on shooting this old warhorse!
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