FN commercial Mauser question

D2junky

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Recently have come across a few FN Commercial Mauser rifles and have been bitten by the bug. Came home with one yesterday that’s not completely like any I have seen before.

30-06 rust blued original barrel with all proof markings and serial number matching the receiver. It’s a 5 digit serial number, flag safety on the bolt, but instead of the usual stepped barrel contour, it is a smooth taper. And by smooth taper not a smooth step taper like the Browning Safari, but a smooth straight taper. This one is well used but well cared for and was drilled and tapped nicely for Weaver type mounts that held an older Leupold 3-9. The barrel is drilled and tapped for rear sight, but the sight is missing.

Hoping to have pics up today. I’d like to replace the rear sight.


I’ve only seen one other one like this but it was a much lower serial number 270. This one is well used but the rifling is clean and the metalwork in good shape.
 
Great choice in action! I have 3 FN Commercial 98s… careful…
 
Wish I could find the site ramp for this one. I’ve never seen one with a barrel mounted rear site ramp and it was screwed on. If it was drilled and tapped they did a good job. There’s a faint outline of the base in the blueing and it was a long and narrow ramp more like a remington ramp.

And yes it might be a disease stronger than my stainless Model 70 Classic addiction….I’ve already bought another 30-06, a 270, and a 250-3000.
 
Nice rifles. I think the original Weatherby's (Southgates) were built on FN Mauser actions. I'm very happy with my CZ 550 action. Built like a bank vault and just as heavy lol.
 
Way back in the day, I would go to our local sporting goods store and spend hours staring at the Belgian Browning Safari Grade rifles. When I purchased my first 375, it was custom built on one of those actions. A couple of years later I learned a cautionary attribute of the design.

We were headed to the Caprivi in a couple of days for buffalo, but were on Eden, during Jamy Traut's stewardship, for an assortment of plains game. Eden, like almost everywhere else in southern Africa, has an abundance of very fine dust. As I remember, I had taken a blue wildebeest and impala with the rifle on the first day. On day two, we stalked a herd of hartebeest, and upon shooting a nice bull, I found the bolt in my hand as I ejected the round.

Instead of the robust military bold release, FN used a double hinged lever on many of its actions. It is susceptible to the slightest amount of dust, preventing it from stopping the bolt when cycling the action. It could have been very embarrassing with an inbound buffalo.

I cleaned it thoroughly and took my first bull with it, but have never fully trusted it for dangerous game again.

Custom .375 FN Action Rifle
 
I’ve always admired the Brownings but never been a fan of the Monte Carlo stock and high gloss blue.

These have a straight comb and less flash.

I never understood the appeal of rust bluing until I saw these FN’s.
I just hate that it’s taken me 30 years to pick up my first one
 
Is the bolt handle blued or in the white? The very early Sako sporting rifles were built using FN actions that had the FN crest on the reciever with blued bolt handles and straight taper barrels. Its possible that you may have one as there isn't a lot to tell them apart.
 
We await pics of this rifle....
 

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