FN Mausers

[parsons_12b]

Does anyone know much about FN commercial Mauser actions, buddy wants to trade me a 7mm mag and I just don't know much about them.

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[JRuby]

Might want to post pictures. In my opinion they are some of the nicest actions ever made. I am a bit biased I have several nice mausers any many have passed through my hands.

 

[parsons_12b]

I don't have it in my hands. I have pictures that he has sent me and it sure is a nice rifle. I just don't know much about the difference between a Mauser military action and the FN commercial ones. Only markings he can find on the gun beside the caliber markings are N Whitehead 72 stamped on the bottom of the barrel under the stock. I'm guessing that was the gunsmith that built it.

 

[jordanka16]

I don't have it in my hands. I have pictures that he has sent me and it sure is a nice rifle. I just don't know much about the difference between a Mauser military action and the FN commercial ones. Only markings he can find on the gun beside the caliber markings are N Whitehead 72 stamped on the bottom of the barrel under the stock. I'm guessing that was the gunsmith that built it.

A military action will be cut for stripper clips, otherwise that's about it. Since they are made for the commercial market they are often nicer machined and finished than a military rifle, if it's a good deal you should go for it.

 

[JRuby]

One quick way to identify a military mauser is a thumb cut on the left receiver wall. I am guessing it was rebarreled back in 1972 by that gunsmith. In my opinion a good fn mauser is on the same level as a pre 64 winchester in quality. Without more info or pictures that's about all I can tell you. Just my opinion.

 

[parsons_12b]

Ok it's definitely a commercial action since it doesn't have the thumb cut. I will try and work on pictures

 

[parsons_12b]

Here are a couple pictures he has sent me.

 

[jbett98]

I have an FN Mauser in 30/06 caliber (J.C. Higgins model 50) and it's very well made.
The only drawback for me is the safety (very loud and hard to operate with a scope attached.)
I much prefer the Winchester model 70's 3 position style that's located on the side of the receiver.
You can upgrade the trigger with an adjustable one that comes with the side lever, but you then need to install a blank collar part on the rear of the bolt and remove some wood from the stock.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Like others have pointed out, FN Mausers are some of the nicest rifles made from that era, and on par with just about any of the more modern rifle of today. The Commercial Mausers come in many configurations and depending on when the receiver was made, can really effect the value. some of the better actions were made pre ww2 from military actions and might have had the thumb cut welded up and the stripper clip lips ground off or welded up, depending on cartridge length, the magnum actions being some of the most desirable and any thing made in the Styer plant would command a pretty penny. Post war, many Mausers were taken up by a lot of manufactures and offered to civilian hunters the world over, Holland and Holland, Jeffries, Griffen and Howe, Gibbs, ect......the list is long! Finding out what you have is part of the fun, I would have a look at the stock, particularly under the butt pad/plate and see if there are any markings or other indicators of where and when and by whom it might have been made. I picked up a nasty looking finished Mauser at an estate sale for $70 and after taking it apart, found it to be an original Griffen and Howe from 1953, and refinished it's worth about $3000 I also found a nice original Commercial Magnum at a gun shop in Portland ( that shall remain nameless to protect the members here) and they hadn't a clue at what that rifle actually was, turned out to be a Holland and Holland from 1936!!! Finally found what today would be called a super magnum Commercial Mauser that was in bad shape, but mechanically was salvageable, after cleaning it up and doing some investigating, turns out it is a Jeffries from 1924!
I say you should grab it ( note, it would have been built, or re barreled after 1963) and you WILL have a nice to VERY nice Mauser!

 

[parsons_12b]

It was definitely rebarreled if you look at the pictures I posted it appears a N Whitehead barreled it in 72. I'm hoping to get hands on in the next couple weeks.

 

[U8395279]

It was definitely rebarreled if you look at the pictures I posted it appears a N Whitehead barreled it in 72. I'm hoping to get hands on in the next couple weeks.

That does not look in any way at all like a FN made commercial rifle made in the early 1970's. Stock definitely looks dramatically different.

That appears to be a custom built rifle to me. The action could well be from FN. But not the rest of the rifle. FN used to sell actions back then, that a person could then use to build a rifle.

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[parsons_12b]

So update the FN Mauser is indeed a Mauser just not an FN it is a Swedish commercial Mauser action.

 

[jordanka16]

So update the FN Mauser is indeed a Mauser just not an FN it is a Swedish commercial Mauser action.

Nice, Husqvarna made some of the nicest Mauser actions in the world, do you have it now?

 

[parsons_12b]

It's at home yes.

 

[jordanka16]

If you can take more pictures of the markings it could probably be identified further. Since it's a 7mm mag it's almost certainly a large ring, but they made quite a few models.

 

[parsons_12b]

It is a large ring atleast I'm about 99% certain.

 

[JRuby]

Huswvarna used a lot of FN mausers especially in their model 640 high power. FN and Husqvarna are not mutually exclusive. Either way a nice mauser.

 

[parsons_12b]

It's is, I just need to figure out what I want to do with it.

 

[jordanka16]

It's is, I just need to figure out what I want to do with it.

If it shoots good keep it 7mm mag, if not it would be a great action for a custom build.

 

[parsons_12b]

Never had a need for a magnum rifle.