What am I looking at here? FN Military Mauser

iroc22

iroc22

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I bought this rifle a few years back under the premise it was "just a sporterized 8mm Mauser" and bought it quite cheap for that reason. However I had never tried to fire it but recently I pulled it out of the back of the dusty safe and I tried to chamber an 8x57 round and it would not fully chamber the 8x57 round (seems to get hung up on the bullet, not case, about halfway up based on the markings on the actual bullet).

The crest on the receiver has been ground off. It has the non serif receiver left side writing and a 100-1900 yard sight. Non blued bolt and painted black receiver/barrel. Straight bolt handle. Standard Liege proof mark on barrel and P.V. (with little lion?) proof mark on bolt - no other obvious markings. It is a 5 digit serial number with a double cut broach. Thin steel butt plate with ribs. What I found odd was it has the notch in the front of the receiver which I thought only the 30-06 models of the FN military Mauser's received to clear the longer cartridge? I realize these rifles were made in 7x57, 7.65x53, 30-06, 8x57, and ?

Also is this thing restorable (and are parts out there) or should I just use it as a hunting gun as it is?

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Thanks
 
It looks like an 1950 FN Mauser in .30/06.
The cut in the receiver above the chamber is for the longer 06 cartridge when loaded with chargers.
It's very high quality.
Col. Askins called them the "creme de la creme" of the Mauser actions for building a quality sporter.
You see them on the EE in the 7 to 900 dollar range in original shape.
They weren't used in any conflict so there's no real history there.
If the bolt matches and the bore is good, it's a 3 to 4 hundred dollar item.
 
If it is a 1950 FN Mauser , they made two versions - blued for the Belgium Army and Phosphated for the Belgium Navy. One of my reference says these were the very last run of military mauser rifles made anywhere, by anyone. I have a barrelled action of each, here - neither have the crests on the front ring - as if it was thing by Belgium military to remove that ownership mark before surplusing them? At virtually same time, FN was also making "commercial" mauser actions - without the thumb cut out. Also, neither action came with a "matching" number bolt - from another CGN'r, was indicated to me that was pretty common - as if the importer separated the bolts from the rifles and did not fuss a lot about matching them up when sold.
 
55recce said:
Thought that blue for Army and grey for the Navy had been pretty much disprooved......
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I had to re-read - page 45 - "Mauser Military rifles of the World", Robert Ball, 5th Edition. I mis-remembered - FN military mauser in 30-06 - is "black enamelled finish" for some Army, Gray parkerized for Navy, then "non-parkerized" is "reported to be the Army model". Does not actually say "blued" for that third version. Rifles appear to be the M1930 (8.75" length receiver), made in 1951 and 1952. Double broach cut - so "H" reinforcement, not "C" shaped, in the front receiver ring. I have never seen or handled one with the crest intact, so have to go with what I read in that book by Ball.
 
FN Mauser rifles by Anthony Vanderlinden has disproven that. Basically earlier produced and refurbished rifles were blued, later refurbishments were parkerized. Same thing applied to there FN FAL rifles
 
Potashminer said:
If it is a 1950 FN Mauser , they made two versions - blued for the Belgium Army and Phosphated for the Belgium Navy. One of my reference says these were the very last run of military mauser rifles made anywhere, by anyone. I have a barrelled action of each, here - neither have the crests on the front ring - as if it was thing by Belgium military to remove that ownership mark before surplusing them? At virtually same time, FN was also making "commercial" mauser actions - without the thumb cut out. Also, neither action came with a "matching" number bolt - from another CGN'r, was indicated to me that was pretty common - as if the importer separated the bolts from the rifles and did not fuss a lot about matching them up when sold.
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I should have mentioned in my original post that the barrel, receiver and action all have matching serial numbers. Again, quite odd I would think as all the milsurps I have of basically any manufacture are mis-matching.
 
Yes, in original rifles, some find that the matching numbers on various parts to be important. Not so sure about something that has been "sported" - bands are gone, usually original sights gone, butt plate usually gone, wood stocks sometimes were numbered and they are usually gone. So for a sporter, a lot more important that everything fits - good bedding, good headspace, good bore - to me, the "matching" numbers is less important if it is not claimed to be "an original" piece. Have had at least one "matching" that failed headspace (it closed on a FIELD gauge), so either needed to be re-done or becomes a wall hanger "original". Did not have original stock, so was easy choice - a different barrel and another bolt (not matching) did not close on NOGO gauge.
 
So after preparing some dummy 30-06 rounds to test, I have indeed confirmed this is a 30-06 and a 1950 FN Mauser.

My last question now: is this rifle restorable? The barrel isn't cut and the bolt handle isn't bent. Are there parts out there such as upper hand guards, bands, etc to get this back to its original configuration, or do I just shoot it as it is?
 
Your rifle is definitely restorable.

It won't be cheap and the end result won't be collectible. Anywhere from $350-$600 for all the correct pieces.

If that were my rifle, I would put it back together in just about any K98 type furniture (preferrably laminated) and metal that comes along and use the rifle as a "shooter" in the milsurp shoots being put on by some clubs.

With proper hand loads, it might be a very accurate rifle.

I haven't been to one of those shoots for many years but some clubs insist on full metal jacket bullets, some don't care which bullet is used.

Your rifle will never be a "collectable" other than on the low end of the spectrum.

I believe M24 stocks are available from some of the US surplus dealers. If you go that route, you will need to go through a broker.

Finding these stocks in Canada is possible, but you're going to have to do a lot of searching and it may take years.
 
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It may be possible to extend the foreend with a matching piece of walnut, if it hasn't been slimmed down too much.
If the joint is at the stock band, it wouldn't be too noticeable.
You would then need a couple of bands, bayonet lug, pins and handguard. The handguard is longer than the German K98 one.
 
bearhunter said:
Your rifle is definitely restorable.

It won't be cheap and the end result won't be collectible. Anywhere from $350-$600 for all the correct pieces.

If that were my rifle, I would put it back together in just about any K98 type furniture (preferrably laminated) and metal that comes along and use the rifle as a "shooter" in the milsurp shoots being put on by some clubs.

With proper hand loads, it might be a very accurate rifle.

I haven't been to one of those shoots for many years but some clubs insist on full metal jacket bullets, some don't care which bullet is used.

Your rifle will never be a "collectable" other than on the low end of the spectrum.

I believe M24 stocks are available from some of the US surplus dealers. If you go that route, you will need to go through a broker.

Finding these stocks in Canada is possible, but you're going to have to do a lot of searching and it may take years.
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I'm definitely not worrying about how collectible it would be, as I have no intention to sell it or parade it as a special piece. I would use it as a shooter at the range or milsurp events for sure. I just didn't have the interest really in "bubba'ing" it.

Good to know though and thanks for the advice on K98 furniture.
 
iroc22 said:
I'm definitely not worrying about how collectible it would be, as I have no intention to sell it or parade it as a special piece. I would use it as a shooter at the range or milsurp events for sure. I just didn't have the interest really in "bubba'ing" it.

Good to know though and thanks for the advice on K98 furniture.
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The Norwegians converted thousands of K98 rifles with the same exact dimensions that your rifle has from the STANDARD length magazines to accept the 30-06 cartridge they issued by extending the mag well at the chamber end by .125 inches with a few different shaped end pieces.

Nothing else was changed, other than the feed ramp and a cut out at the top of the receiver.

You don't have to worry about anything, other than the mag well on your trigger guard won't have enough clearance to fit into the stock

All you have to do is to open up the mag well opening in the replacement stock to accept the slightly longer box on your trigger guard.

The hole spacing for the King screw and rear guard screw will be the same.

There are a few sources for surplus stocks, new made stocks, such as those from Boyd's in the US, which are gorgeous, Sarco and others.

Just do a Google or whatever search engine you use to look up suppliers.

IMHO, that rifle will very likely be a very decente shooter when it's back in military garb and being fed ammunition it likes.

FN has a great reputation for accuracy and they had a lot of practise building accurate 98 type rifles.
 
1950 FN Mauser was not a converted k98. Different wood, different handguard mounting system, different barrel bands and longer magazine. Straight bolt. It would make sense to look for the original parts IMO.
 
Nestor said:
1950 FN Mauser was not a converted k98. Different wood, different handguard mounting system, different barrel bands and longer magazine. Straight bolt. It would make sense to look for the original parts IMO.
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You're right, but 98 furniture fits. FN didn't change any dimensions on the barrel/receiver and component parts included in the trigger group and trigger guard are the same.

The OP isn't trying to make it ''collectible" He wants to use it for club shoots etc. So why not just go with what works???

By the way, I've put more than a few of those FN 98s, chambered for the 30-06 into wartime, laminated, take off stocks, for other people, for the same purpose.

When those rifles first came into Canada, because of the cartridge they were chambered for and of course their quality, they were cut down in all sorts of manners.

Some were made into excellent sporting rifles and some were ruined beyond repair.

The one saving grace that particular rifle has, is that the metal wasn't cut. Grinding the receiver isn't that big of deal for most, even some serious collectors.

Several nations had those crests or markings removed, before they were sold out of service.
 
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