Fn-49

[quagmiles]

Anybody have one? It came to my attention from a article in Guns magazine. No pistol grip and a fixed magazine seems like a perfect fit for our crazy state. What do you know about them?

[edwardm]

Anybody have one? It came to my attention from a article in Guns magazine. No pistol grip and a fixed magazine seems like a perfect fit for our crazy state. What do you know about them?

Had one for a while which I traded for an M1 Carbine (stupid, stupid STUPID!!). The FN-49 is an AWESOME rifle. Adjustable gas system, eats milsurp and commercial ammo just fine (at least the Egyptian 8mm Mauser one I had did). If you can find a decent one, GRAB IT!! Ripping off 10 rounds of 8mm in a big hurry is a BIG rush, IMO. Accuracy was OK, ammo is cheap.

When I go looking for one again, I'm going to try for a Belgian Army FN-49 in 30-06, but I'd gladly take another Egyptian.

[Rogerbutthead]

I would look at these two forums:

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=12

http://p102.ezboard.com/fparallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforumsfrm52

There is a guy named goose52 who wrote the book on FN49s. His posts are very informative.

He also has the www.fn49.com website.

I know he warns about firing pins - something about one piece/two piece replacements. I should pay more attention, but I don't think I will be shooting my FN49s anytime soon.

My Egyptian worked fine last time I shot it, around 10-15 years ago

[smeg]

funny you should mention the fn49. i was just rooting through the gun safes seeing which rifles to put up for adoption. wife only allows what will fit in the two safes. i have some new stuff coming so some have to go

this is a century build. they built a number of these from parts they had on hand. this one looked to be of all new parts. bore is mirror. shoots great. very nice rifles.

if the germans would have picked up on this from the belgiums, maybe they would have had a more reliable semiauto; earlier than the g41's and subsequent g43's.

[Addax]

Here are a couple of Venezuelan FN49's only 8100 mfg.

7mm Mauser with a FN mfg. Muzzle Brake.

I kept the top one and just recently traded the bottom one for a couple of rifles.

These are beautiful rifles, Cadillacs of Post WW2 Semi Auto rifles.

If you can find a nice one, pick one up and have some fun!

[xenophobe]

The FN-49 is a pretty well designed, and relatively accurate rifle.

30-06 is the most desirable, and 7mm the least desirable. They all range in price from $600 or so for a decent condition 7mm to over a grand for a minty 30-06.

Unless it's in piss poor condition, I'd definitely consider buying one.

I want one of those damn .308's made for some navy... but they have 20 round mags. Grrrr...

[69Mach1]

Here are a couple of Venezuelan FN49's only 8100 mfg.

7mm Mauser with a FN mfg. Muzzle Brake.

I kept the top one and just recently traded the bottom one for a couple of rifles.

These are beautiful rifles, Cadillacs of Post WW2 Semi Auto rifles.

If you can find a nice one, pick one up and have some fun!

K43qve, why do you always buy everything in pairs and multiples?
Those are really nice.

[anothergunnut]

I have a Century imported Egyptian in 8mm. The Century guns are not really milsurp, they are made up parts guns from surplus parts. That said, they are readily available in like new shape with replacement beech stocks, perfect blueing, and (hopefully) perfect bores. They are available on the web auction sites and currently go for about $500 to $600 in excellent condition. I recently saw a beautiful Venezulean (?) in unissued condition go for $1,200. As a full size, full power rifle, they are a lot of fun to shoot and the ammo is dirt cheap.

[Addax]

K43qve, why do you always buy everything in pairs and multiples?
Those are really nice.

Hey 69Mach1,

Ha Ha, my wife always asks me the same question.

I buy in multiples because I just can't get enough of one thing!

No, really, it is because I own 3 different collections.

My Personal C&R and Non C&R Rifle and Pistol collection
My Investment (buy and sell) C&R collection
My shooting collection.

For example, I currently own 5 No4 Mk2 Enfields all in unfired condition, but a couple of them are Irish Contract examples and the others are not. Eventually I will probably sell 2 of them and keep the other 3 examples in my personal collection due to their collector value or overall condition.

I did the same with No1 Mk3 Lithgows recently and picked up 3 in one month, but I have decided to keep the 2 best examples and sell off the 3rd one.

The FN49's I did the same thing. At one point I owned 4 Venezuelans and I currently now have 2, but I am in the process of selling one of them, but I am keeping the best one for my personal collection.

BTW, we need to talk off line, I have another one of those project rifles comming in. I have not started with the first one yet, but I am going out to get the parts next week.

Email you later.

[Pthfndr]

The FN-49 is a pretty well designed, and relatively accurate rifle.

30-06 is the most desirable, and 7mm the least desirable. They all range in price from $600 or so for a decent condition 7mm to over a grand for a minty 30-06.

Unless it's in piss poor condition, I'd definitely consider buying one.

I want one of those damn .308's made for some navy... but they have 20 round mags. Grrrr...

I don't know where you get your info, but the Venezuelan 7mm rifles are VERY desireable. More so than ANY of the Egyptian 8mm rifles. Not near as many of the 7mm made as the 8mm. One in VG or better condition can easily fetch $700-$1000.

[Rumpled]

I've been looking for one for awhile, just keeps getting pushed to the back burner. I most want a 7mm, on account of I already have a 7mm Mauser.
One of those Argie .308's would be awesome. I think it was SOG that had them a few years ago for $650, but wouldn't ship to CA.

[Addax]

I don't know where you get your info, but the Venezuelan 7mm rifles are VERY desireable. More so than ANY of the Egyptian 8mm rifles. Not near as many of the 7mm made as the 8mm. One in VG or better condition can easily fetch $700-$1000.

From a collector perspective, many FN49 collectors desire the Belgian and or Luxemborg 30.06 rifles since not too many were imported here to the US.

Yet most of the Belgian 30.06 models have scrubbed receivers (the belgian markings have been removed) and have been overhauled at one point. Yet, these examples will sell for around $800+.

The Luxemborg models (AL) are also kind of rare and not too many collector grade examples around (that I have seen).

The 7mm Venezuelan Mauser 49's are very popular among collectors.
The last Vene 49 I just sold (2 months ago) went for $900, and it had a lightly sanded stock.

The FN49 to purchase for shooting IMHO would be the Egyptian 8mm model or the Argentine .308 models, or shooter grade 30.06 Belgian/Luxemborg models, since ammo is readily available and cheaper than 7mm Mauser.

The FN49(s) to purchase for collecting would be the Venezuelan, Colombian (I have only seen one), Brazilian (if any can be found), Argentine 7.65mm (if any can be found), Belgian and Luxemborg contract rifles in collectible condition. I would even venture to say some Egyptian examples that are in Excellent condition would make fine collector pieces.

IMHO of course

[Full Clip]

I have a Lux 30.06. After some searching, I found one for just under $1K. Probably a lot more than I should have spent, but it's beautiful and give my Garand a run for its money...

[Pthfndr]

From a collector perspective, many FN49 collectors desire the Belgian and or Luxemborg 30.06 rifles since not too many were imported here to the US.
IMHO of course

I had 3 FN49s till recently. A Belgian AL marked with the crest in 30-06, with the flash hider. A very nice Venezuelan with all the cartouches intact. And probably the nicest looking Egyptian I've ever seen (EdwardM can atest to that - we both let it get away twice). None of them import marked.

Unfortunately financial issues required me to raise some fast cash. Selling the FN49s was the quickest way to do that and not take a beating on the price. I REALLY hated to let the Vene go. 7mm is sweet.

[Addax]

Out of all the FN49's I have had the opportunity to shoot, (8mm, 30.06 and 7mm Mauser), the Vene 49 in 7mm Mauser (using the factory installed baffle muzzle brake) is such a sweet shooter, very mild recoil, just feels smooth when firing and pretty darn accurate too!

I just hate that there is not allot of 7mm Mauser around. I currently have over 300 rounds of original FN 1950's/60's mfg. rounds and Chilean 1976 mfg. rounds.