Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Mule Deer, do you know anything about Flaig's rifles i.e. quality?

One of my 280s has a Flaig barrel. It is very accurate.

Looks more like a Springfield than a Mauser, although Springfield is a Mauser clone. And, with Springfields, check the serial number to make sure it's a later one, not in the improper heat treatment range.

Does it have the military trigger? I'd want a Timeny, etc. which would add around a hundred bucks, maybe less if you shop a bit. Ebay often has good prices. Looks like it has the safety conversion for scopes. Was the original bolt handle ground like that or is it a welded on aftermarket handle? Hard to tell from the photos.

If the barrel is slick and everything seems Kosher, I'd think it may be worth $500 or so. Of course, I'd try to get it for less. Is that barrel SS or just polished bright and is the Flaig name stamped on it?

DF

Nice looking rifle

That is a Springfield. A decent early 1960's utility rifle. I would spend 500 dollars for it if my money came easily but, in reality, it looks like 300 to me. GD

To me, it would depend on the barrel. If it's SS that would be a plus. I'd run a Hawkeye down the bore and if it's pristine, it would be worth $500. From there, I'd grade it downward accordingly. The Hawkeye is a great tool for situations just like this.

And, if it turns out to be a MOA shooter, someone got a great deal. That does look like the OEM military trigger. If so, that's a minus.

The lock time, striker fall is pretty long on those guns, another minus, IMO.

I have two Springfields, one with a McGowen SS barrel chambered for an unmentionable (gay) round. (I was young back then!) The other has Lyman receiver sight with OEM barrel, Fajan stock, Timney trigger, bead front sight using original barrel band.

The McGowen rifle has a French Walnut, Herter stock that I reshaped (it had a roll over comb) and checkered, inlayed with rosewood, has Timney trigger, Jaeger safety. It's a good shooter, MOA or better. Skip a line checkering...??? Those were the days; that was cool in the '60's... I even jewelled the bolt.

I don't use either one, have better rifles, kept them for their nostalgic value.

DF







Camera caught some dust...

I've owned a couple over the years. I still have one left.

It is the center rifle shown in this picture;





It was a 243 and has been rechambered to a 240 PSP.

donsm70

Nice wood on that one.

IMO, I'd value an FN Mauser over a Springfield, although I have nothing against the Springfield. I just think the Mauser is a classier action. Just me...

Is the .240 PSP close to the .240 Wby.?

DF

Nice rifles DF!

Thanks.

You know you're dating yourself, thinking those old clunkers are Kosher...

'60's cool..., Possibly...

2017 cool..., Nah...

DF

Ha. I hear you, I grew up in the plastic/synthetic/SS generation but man those old battle rifles made into solid hunting rifles is still danged cool and there isn't no plastic on them honkers!

For sure, that...

But, as solid as they are, they tend to run a tad heavy for todays thinking. You can build a fairly light FN or such, just not as easy as with more modern actions...

For tough, rugged actions, these old guns take no backseat to anything out there...

DF

Thanks DF;

I like it too.

donsm70

That's a fact, but utter reliability counts for something as well.

I had a 257 roberts built on a 600 rem action that had a Flaig's installed barrel. I t was accurate but fussy.....

I was wondering if Flaigs made their own barrels. Copied this from the ad link. It copied sorta funky, upper case/lower case craziness. I like the $40 fitted in the white...

DF

Made by internationally known borrel maker: whose barrels have made. records In matches ot home and
abroad. EXclusiYely potented "button rifled smooth, hord swedged, SIX groove chrome, moly barrel. of
absolutely top quolity, completely threaded preCISIon chombered. and crowned at a moneY-SOYlng price. Your foYorite caliber in your chOIce of weIght ot a moderot.e price. . .. • Ayailable for the FN Mauser, 98 Mauser, HVA, SpringfIeld, EnfIeld ond 722 Remington ActIon. • Choice of Calibers: 220 SWIft, 22-250, 243 WIn., 244 Rem., 250 SOY., 257-R, 270, 7mm, 300 SaY.,
280 Rem., 308 Win., .30-06 and .25-06. .338 WIN coliber 24"-26" for 98 M.FN.70 Win. Enfield 17 SPR 1903 hi-numbers only. $40.00 fitted white.

Nope.

Page had two 240s, the Pooper and the Souper Pooper. The Souper Pooper was an improved 244/6mm/257/7X57 case necked to 243 and blown out. I think he used the 244/6mm Rem case for this.

The Pooper was an improved 243...I think...originally based on a necked down 308/7.62 Nato.

Also...

Flaig's imported FN Sakos in 300 H&H and 375 H&H and re-chambered them to the Weatherby versions. I have one in 375 Wby and will never part with it.

I remember the Flaig's advertisements in the American Rifleman in the 1950's. Finally, I visited the shop in the mid 1980's and found a really nice old-time gunsmith shop. Several actions were just lying on window-sills and the gunsmith was really friendly. IIRC, he said the at the original owners had sold the shop. He had two 1950's era rifles for sale and the workmanship was good; no idea how they shot.

Flaig's was located on the North side of the river across from Pittsburgh, up a hill off Evergreen Avenue. It was an old log cabin-type building.

Here's a 1060 ad in Guns Magazine for Flaig's (scroll down) :
http://www.gunsmagazine.com/1960issues/G0260.pdf

I enjoy reading those old '60's publications and ads.

Man, if we knew then what we know now, we'd stock up on certain items, like $40 Lugers, Colts, FN action, etc.

Some things today are better, like powder selection, modern bullets, etc. But, those old classic guns are something else.

DF

Yes. I use the 244/6mm Rem brass for my PSP reloads. I got the dies with the rifle.

donsm70