Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles Fn actions?

Interesting stuff --how many recent improvements were improved long ago...

I don't have one but it sounds like the WWI-WWII stuff. A sniper could take the scope off and put it in a belt case. Some had three screws and some had an additional pin(s) to hold the mount solid under battlefield conditions. Lots of variations as non-military smith work was acceptable...:)

Headed out for a week...or so. If you don't mind the thread drift, Pat, will try to get a pic up when I get back--unless someone has one and does first.

I pulled out my old copy of his book when this thread started and reread that chapter. That book is a treasure trove of information.

Tomk,

Here’s a photo of both of my mounts. The mounts on both are simply held onto the rail with screws. Sorry for pic quality. I cannot photo anything well in the house.

No pun intended .......

Every FN I've dredged up has wound up a fine shooter without action issues. That includes the Huskys. They are a good bet and yes, you should esteem them.

Type IV, standard length, small ring, small shank, long magazine.
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.400
Recvr ring dia: 1.300 small ring
Barrel shank dia: .980 small shank

These are mainly commercial models, they are identical to Type II, with the exception of a longer magazine to handle 30-06 length cartridges. Main examples are the Husqvarna commercial action, and the Brno ZG47.


Type V, standard length, large ring, large shank, long magazine.
Action OAL: 8.750
Recvr screws, center to center: 7.835
Bolt body length: 6.370
Magazine length: 3.400
Recvr ring dia: 1.410 large ring
Barrel shank dia: 1.100 large shank

This is a beefier version of the Type IV. It is typified by the late FN commercial actions.

The brno zg47 is a large ring, the earlier brno 21/22 are small ring.

As I understand it, "commercial FN actions" were made after WWII. They should all benefit from having best alloying for strength. Not exactly sure when the date was, but prior to sometime in the early 1930's, "Mauser 98" actions didn't have stronger alloy metallugy.

The strength of the "Mauser action" was due to it's design, not metallurgy. I hope someone hops in to help, but I believe WWI era actions were softer than WWII ( or late 1930's ) actions.

Note I intermixed "FN" and "Mauser 98" actions, which covers A LOT of ground.

Bottom line, when did metallurgy advance for that action, which would give a well-designed action even great strength by improved alloys? Post-WWII commercial FN actions benefited from modern alloying, so that is a good starting point for comparison.

Consider all the issues with Springfield 1903 actions regarding heat treatment and alloys. It wasn't untill Townsend Whelen got to Springfield Armory in the early 1930s, when the highest quality 1903 actions were made regarding higher strength metallurgy and consistent heat treatment. If you pinned me down to get a specific year when it happened, it was at least 1934, maybe 1933.

PERHAPS, German-based Mauser 98 and Belgian-made FN actions were on similar timetables.

I'm down to 3 "Mauser rifles":. all are commercial FN actioned sporters (2 are JC Higgins model 50 -based rifles). I hold them in high regard. Hard to believe you can buy one about $500, considering the quality of design, materials used, machining, etc. No aluminum or plastic. Just blued steel and walnut rifles. Classic looks, and great strength for pride of ownership.

I have owned post 1934 Springfield 1903 sporters, and pre-64 (and BACO / FN-So. Carolina made) Win m70 rifles ( still have 2). The commercial FN 98 is right up there (and better than the 1903 >>better firing pin and no "volley fire" lever).

Taking this post one step further, I really like Win m70 actions made at the South Carolina FN plant for Browning Arms Company (BACO) made ~2007-2012. The m70 action is a "Mauser 98-based" design ( good design), with the most modern metallurgy. You then combine those features with modern manufactering using CNC methodology with ISO 9001 standards at a modern defense contractor facility, and you have my favorite action that has tight tolerances for jewel-smooth precision feel when you work the action.

To finalize and answer the OP's question, the commercial FN actions with claw extractors are MIGHTY nice.

Woodie:

If you are still on this thread--sorry about the response time...

On p.182 & 183 of "The German Sniper 1914-1945" there is a pic of the Swedish side rail mount with three screws fastening it to the receiver of a Swedish Model 1941 Sniper rifle. That particular one had a single front locking lever for scope on/off.

I would imagine the double locking lever is an improvement over the single. Appears keeping the receiver mount rail & scopes intact during battle conditions required refinements like additional screws, locking screws and pins.

Maybe the wingnuts are a custom conversion...:)

**
Experienced hunters and the non-military gun trade were the original primary providers of men and gear for sniping. No mention of the original innovators of the rail mount that I came across in the book (may have missed it) but in Germany anyway, it does say this about the short side rail system:

"Adopted by the Third Reich for special applications during the mid-30's, the short side rail variation of the Karabiner 98k was originally intended for police work during civil strife (riot control)."