Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 'Nother old FN

Here's the one I picked up today; a Sako High Power Mauser .30/06 built on an FN action with a Sako stock, barrel, and trigger w/ sliding safety. It has a few love bites, including a small crack in the forend tip, but for a 55-60 year old rifle, looks pretty good.

The scope in that wacky Williams mount is a Bushnell that, apparently in an effort to compete with the Redfield Widefields, has the top and bottom of the field masked off to look like a TV screen. Pretty silly. The eyer relief is pretty dismal, even by Bushnell standards. This one's definitely going in the box-o-scopes.

Nice looking 06!!

Nice looking rifle. I would struggle to let it pass me by!

Thanks. I'm very pleased so far. Less than $600.

Now I need to find an Ace-in-the-Hole peep sight for that base!

Actually, I found one, but want to find a cheaper one if possible.

That's how I ended up with it. I'd been watching it on GB and was going out for the afternoon on the last day of the auction and decided since no one else had bid, to take a swing at it before I left. Bingo! Another project for the FN Slut.

I have one just like it, with a model 70 style safety installed. Fine rifle

Just 'cause you're an FN slut doesn't make you a bad guy.

I just pulled the scope and discovered that it is "Waterproof", "6x40", and "Made in China". I was hoping for Japan.

I happen to have a genuine Redfield Widefield 4x in my Box-o-Scopes, and it's in the process of being mounted now. The Willams QC mount is a little complicated, but very well made and solid and will do for my initial tests. The reciever is tapped for regular FN mounts, so eventually some Talleys or other 2-piece mounts will go on without any drama. This one will have to get in line for a new scope behind some other stuff for now.

blairvt, have you measured the twist? I saw some stuff online that suggested it might be a 1-12.

Good thing. There's already enough nails in THAT coffin.

Never measured twist. Shot 150 gr hornadys and 165 gr partitions nicely

Pappy, you interested in another?

Not this year. I've been a very bad boy and need to pause and reflect on my misdeeds.

I replaced the Bushnell with my old Redfield today, but the existing mount required the rear ring to be up against the turret housing. The ring pressure, even with the screws just fingertip tight, put the squeeze on the erector bits, freezing the windage. I'm going to order a set of Talleys and use them to mount another scope. The comb is too high for me to use the irons so there's no need for any sort of QD mount.

Glad you got it! I believe I was looking at the same one but couldn't justify it at the time.


Swag, shoot me some info and some pictures via PM if you are serious about parting with one.

I had a phase where I had to have a JC Higgins Model 50. I searched low and high and found one in just about perfect shape in .30-06. It never had a scope mounted and the owner sold it to me for $500. When I got it, I thought it would be great to keep it as a backup gun and use it with open sights. I took it to the range and I honestly don't think I've ever felt a harder kicking '06.

I have thought about mounting a scaope but one thing that has bothered me is that the stock it came with has no sling swivel studs (nor swivels).

I couldn't justify it either; I just bid on it.

BTW, that's quite a pig you've got there!

I've been through that phase a couple of times myself. My first one started out with a Williams peep as it came to me already inletted for it and wearing the base. Killed my biggest deer ever with it. Later, it had a Bushnell 3200 on it. Some guy wanted the scope so bad, he bought the whole shebang. I bought another one a few years back. My son has it now. Great rifles that sometimes you can get for a song, and sometimes not. Prices tend to be all over the place. Both of mine had swivels and one had a pad fitted. The triggers are a little strange, but both mine had decent pulls.

The triggers are definitely odd. I've been thinking about replacing it with a Timney or a Bold. However, it's almost a given that the trigger guard will need to be milled for a Timney.

Too long?

Is that a 24" barrel?

Nice rifle.

I have looked over same 50s model in .375Magnum. I liked 150m and 200m rear sight and look of the rifle but the weight was about 7lb so I passed on the gun. I had no use for bruiser in heavy caliber like that. If the gun was .30=06, 7x64 or .270 I would have brought it home because it was a handsome and well put together classic sporter.

Supposed to be, but haven't measured it. It's much lighter than the barrel on the FI 1948 in my other post. Same odd-sized front sight dovetail. Like all Sakos, it's nicely done. One interesting feature is that the side rail behind the bridge on the right is slotted for a tab that locks the bolt when the safety is applied. Never seen that one before. No crest on the bridge either.

Like Old Jack said, anyone that thinks he knows everything about Mausers is in for some surprises.

Thanks; it is a nice one. I almost didn't bid as I need another rifle like I need another winky, but now I'm glad I did.

If you watch the auctions, the FN Deluxes can be had for decent prices at times. They have a classic stock profile. I had one in .270 briefly, but sold it to a gunsmith acquaintance before I ever scoped or fired it. Lots of them have no rear sight though.

I have several J.C. Higgins M50s that I put Timney triggers in. I did have to open up the stock a bit to clear the trigger housing but that was all I had to drop.
Paul B.

The reason I asked if it was too long is because I just dropped a a FN (JC Higgins) into a McMillan Sako Compact with M98 inletting. After it was done the trigger (Timney Sportsman) was just barely touching the bottom of the trigger guard.

It wasn't a big deal though. I just shortened the shoe by about a 1/16" and all is good. I did think it was strange though. I thought it had pillar contact on the last stock but I guess it didn't. Otherwise it was a good fit and the rifle seems to like the new stock.

Sounds like you picked the right model. When I ordered the B&C Medalist for my FI FN, I made the mistake of ordering the 2197, as per the on-site recommendation. As a result, I had to remove a bunch of material to fit the plunger tube for the floorplate release and fill in the corners of the mag opening and the relief cut for a side safety. A 2193, meant for regular 98s, would have been a better fit, I believe.

That ought to teach me about ordering things in the middle of the night, when my thought processes, shaky at best, are at their worst.

Scope update......

I dug a Buehler bridge mount and rings out of my goodie box and used them to mount the old Widefield. Assuming the shims are tight enough, I'm good to go for now. Looks vintage appropriate too, I think.

Buehlers ain't for babies, at least not babies without instructions. While the stock is too high for the open sights, the Buehler Little Blue Peep is just high enough to use. I'm glad I didn't hop on that $50 Ace-in-the-Hole I found on Ebay.

Triggers are two piece, with the sears attaching to the gun, and the trigger a long blade that is attached to the bottom metal. I have had three, one with about an 8 pound pull, one with about 5 pound pull, and my current in 270 with about a 2pound pull.

The stock is hands down the worse the design I have even encountered, but Boyds makes and inlet for it, and I am about to order one in Walnut

Yeah, the trigger sucks. I've owned a few myself and that's the first thing done before I even shot them. With the exception of the last one I've never had to modify anything to install one.

I replaced mine with a Bold. No modifications were required. First Bold I ever used but zero problems.