Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles Belgium FN 98 30-06

I have a Belgium FN 30-06 serial number 01350. If anyone might tell me the manufacture date, I would appreciate it I suspect it’s approximately 1949.
Also, I would appreciate information of the metal finish coming from the factory.
The rifle that I have has no extra holes in the metal and the metal parts are all there including sights, stock is original except the fore-end has been shortened I suspect and no hand guard.
My intention is to bring this back to as it was manufactured. The bore looked like it had never been cleaned but after JB bore cleaner, brushes, patches, Hoppes, foaming bore cleaner the bore looks pristine.
Thanks for your knowledgeable responses.

Bugger! Bugger! Please: photos, photos, photos... !
Some points/questions off top-of-head trying to visualize...
Chambering!?! Barrel length/markings (including concealed under stock)? aft barrel sight length/range markings? Single or double broached Receiver? Bolt straight or bent & w/ matching SN, mismatch or 'none'. When you refer to "shortened forend" do you mean retaining military hardware or Bubba special? Any suggestions the barrel length might have been trimmed? Any possibility of nomenclature "scrubbed"?
Such questions, a poor substitution for a good series of detailed photos! You've concluded FN so there really should ether be some markings or... psychic powers involved??? What basis for assuming 'postwar'?

Re FN. At war's end FN was quickly returned to civilian production after occupation & Wehrmacht. produced mausers. Post WWII Military production often included small contracts & their own serial ranges. Quite a few of these seem to have been "carbines" with bent-bolts. One notable exception the rifles produced for the Belgian military itself with receiver crests inclusive of dates of 1951 or 1952 as full length. Most of the anonymous 'small batch' national clients seemed to have remained "documentation unavailable".
Final observation "re"... After half-century plus and the roll call of owner's hands passing, possibility of many alterations some yet appearing "original". Most "rare variations" existing across the spectrum of Internet gun sales, Bubba as simply not 'signed work'!
And now that I've rather poorly attempted to play expert...
We're privileged to have Anthony Vanderlinden, author of the seminal book embracing such as this very subject as part of this Forum! Reference to his book below. Hopefully he'll be along to comment here and set straight my amateuer efforts at expertise!
In the meantime, in between time... The subtle hint... Photos, photos, photos!
Example of my postwar FN carbine below with pretty good evidence of manufacturer!
'Anthony's Book: https://www.fnbrowning.com/fn-mauser-rifles

Best!
John

Here's some pictures:

If the breech is double-broached, H-collar vs C-collar, it would date it 1949 or later. They made that change after 1948 or thereabouts. I have a commercial-actioned rifle dated 1948, and it’s a C-collar.

Someone did a number on that trigger bow.

The transition from C to H ring occurred in 1949 as best as I can tell. I have two 1949 DOM Commercial rifles and one has a C ring the other an H.

That rifle is shod with the remnants of a VZ24 stock.

Here's some pictures of the head of the bolt. I am not a Mauser guy, though I have a couple. I just have average knowledge, maybe less. The lugs are different on this Mauser or any other rifle that I've seen. One lug has a groove in it those co-insides with a rotary 'ridge' next to the Breech. The other side has a 'ridge' (loss of words to describe better). These look like they are there for gas containment.
This is a "C" ring or before 1950, maybe 1948. The serial number seems very low to me...

Thanks for the photos! Would still like to see couple of 'whole elephant' pix and of the aft barrel sight - seeking to see whether that unit is carbine or otherwise. The Iranian carbines used the rifle sight, but such, 'unusual'. Also is the butt plate the 'washboard' style or older smooth contoured? That would indicate whether the stock was pre-or postwar & why no handguard as - improper fit re sight assembly. Also is the bolt numbered to the receiver & barrel?

FN like many manufacturers, didn't necessarily stick to a formula re a singular date for changes with all serialed models going out the factory door in 'pre & post change as exclusive eras. They apparently shelved such components and perhaps especially for the smaller contract items, "exceptions occurring". Making solid 'changeover rules', not necessarily hard & fast! I do believe almost surely the manufacture process transitioned only once to "double" broached. But production including small lot production and such related serial numbering, leaves room for false inferences. 'as I recall' a couple of my 1950 dated commercial FNs had the single broach type action. However, can't swear to that. Yet we've answered the fact that the action wasn't a pre WWII refurb.

The fact that the carbine is in 30-06, my guess it's been in S. America most likely. So many rifles & carbines filtering through the milsurp markets were refurbs to that chambering as moving into the .30 chambering proclivity of the fifties era. Yours possibly a refurb or possibly not! AS far as the bolt is concerned, can't help.

I like these FN carbines! They're small, neat and quality mfg! As a generalization, they seem often to be in 'lesser condition' than their larger counterparts in same areas of the more 'vegetated world'. My belief more likely in such as jungle areas, that shorter, more compact size was highly useful on rural treks. Enabling spending more time such as patrolling rather than untangling from trails' vegetation! 'Factoid' that some of these in such as early thirties era, were also "intermediate length actions!" The Yugo M 1924 actions were such!

Well, would still like to see more pix... Just the voyeur in me! But if inconvenient... Let's just "do it again soon" with some other nice guns!
Best!
John

More pictures coming the butt plate is smooth curved by the way.
The barrel is long enough I think that it qualifies for a rifle. I’ll measure.

I guess that I don't believe it a South American rifle. My experience with South American Mausers is they are rusty. The only rust seems to be on the but plate. I am not sure that this stock was the original stock though.

The barrel length is approximately 23 1/2 Inches. Here's more pictures:

Like I said before, that stock came off a VZ24. So, not original but cut.

Any crest on the front ring?

I think they dialed the wrong number.

The front ring bare, has nothing on it, it’s smooth.
I’m not sure why anyone would want to flatten the bottom of the trigger guard.
Basically I believe I have a Belgium FN 98 barreled action that in pretty good shape except the finish and the flattened trigger guard. The bore looks close to perfect to me. There’s no rust or pits on the barreled action.
I may be wrong regarding my thought on it not being a Columbian Mauser.
A friend who is much much more knowledgable regarding Mauser’s tells me that he’ll furnish me with the correct stock and hardware to make it back to military. I hate to burden him if it’s not worth it. He’s very giving person and I don’t want to take advantage of him.
The finish seems wrong to me. I’d pay to have it back to original finish. The finish looks like it may be black paint. What was the original finish?
In your opinion us it worth brining it back to military? Should I make it a sporter? I have a boatload of 30-06’s now so that option doesn’t sound appealing to me.
I’m intrigued with the action as I’ve not seen a Mauser like this.

Thanks to all who have commented.

I've had several late model SA Mausers that had black paint instead of bluing. If it was me and I could get the correct stock and hardware, I'd do it. It's getting harder and harder to find unmolested barreled actions. So, even as a non-matching example, it would still be a worthy endeavor.

Thanks. I needed that.

I had an FN military that had a horrible bore. Replaced the barrel with a SA 7.62x51 barrel. Shoots great but I am still looking for an original stock to put it into.

First, thanks very much for the totality of photos! The more provided, the better opportunity to garner a full picture of the rifle at hand. One of the combo "upsides" as "downsides" of the magnificent mauser pattern 98 actions is their certain uniformity qualities, as facilitating much inherent 'mix & match' features. Nowadays my belief the typical maser common to the wider marketplace is more often than not a mixture of differing sub-models' features. So for those folks who are looking for clues, often omitting a photo, fails the "what have we here", eval process.
The significance of the "double broaching", aka "H" pattern receiver ring to me, is "carbon dating" (humor intended). Being a relatively positive means of saying when "double broached", postwar production as 'almost' absolute. Such conclusion also the realization of a war-torn FN factory getting back together as taking on smaller Model 98 contracts inherently decades later, less ascribable to certain nations/national interests. A "patchwork" result. Less often prewar contracts either small or without 'national pride' markings. Occurring but unusual some prewar contracts without disdinguishing national markings. China one such purchaser in the thirties era. Of course the "scrubbed" action which if professionally accomplished, the equivalent 'apparent' result. Typical of nation "B" acquiring surplus rifles from nation "A" with either A mandating or B by discretion such original marking removal. Whatever reason, from national interests to Bubba, same results! The described bottom metal, likely a "donor", as sounding to me. The Belgian Military adopting the FN 98 in early fifties. a time-rendered ugly black painted finish original. I have a couple of these rifles as "original" and to be ever so much improved with caring refinish, but for "non-original". Living with that 'originality'!

To me, your stock purchase deliberation in course of "restoration", reflect thoughtfulness. The relationship of friends and not 'putting upon' another for 'bargain' purchase. Such and of 'factual restoration worthiness. From my perspective, tours simply not "restoration worthy" unless a fun, perhaps learning exercise. From as noted, "possibly but not certainly, 'scrubbed' rifle. The question of components originality as material. The situation of "veteran condition mauser rifles, common nowadays. Also typical as referenced mix & match situation. In any context of retaining the rifle, I'd begin with a chamber cast for absolute determination of chambering 'conforming' to some military cartridge. Bubba ever hovering with 'custom chambering freaks resulting. From there, further analysis contemplating your standards/expectations.

My 'very own' small fleet of accumulated 'other-era' milsurp rescues in context of worthy shooters at ultra cheap prices. Current era as factually moved to "restoration candidate rifles". Particularly as actions yet original & matching. Yet, mediocre bores, cost of decent wood & craftmanship in repro stocks and accumulating accoutrements lost... To me as 'life otherwise happening'; "projects" unworthy of restoration in total costs/benefits relationship. As without expectation of either positive appreciated value or "reacquiring collector interests"; cast as "fun learning project..." Possibilities!
Thanks for an interesting Thead!
Best of luck &...
Just my take!
John

I Dyna bore treated it and broke it in. The chamber is fairly tight 30-06.

The barrel looked like a wasp’s best when I got. I put a bore snake through it and it looked hopeless. But after a through cleaning the bore looks great. The chamber is tight.

I have a few 30-06’s now so I don’t see the need to make it a “sporter”. My friend says military hardware will be coming.

Sweet! I think you will really enjoy it in "military" trim.

I predict that it will be heavier but it will balance perfectly.

Keep us posted.


Okie John