FN-49 Survey Has Been Discontinued

[Goose52]

After nearly three years, I am discontinuing my FN-49 survey activity. My thanks to all the people who took the time to capture and submit the data on their FN-49 rifles and related equipment over the past 34 months.

The results of the survey, along with several thousand hours of other research, were documented in a recently published 200 page book on the FN-49 (see www.fn49.com).

Best regards,

Goose

To any interested parties: I revised the first post of this thread as shown above back in December 2004 to announce that the survey was being discontinued and a new book on the FN-49 rifle had been published. Many years later, a second edition of the book The FN-49 - The Last Elegant Old-World Military Rifle was begun in January 2017. After 31 months of continual work, totalling over 2,400 documented hours, the second edition is complete and copies are now being shipped by the publisher. It is in a new color format, 460 total pages, 1,050 illustrations, and over 150,000 words. For details, visit: www.fn49.com

In regards to this survey thread on FAL Files, this was just one of many surveys that I ran starting in 2001 on more than ten firearms discussion forums, with the most prolific responses being received here on the Files, as well as on Gunboards and the old Parallax forum. While the surveys were the way that I initially expanded my data base of information about these rifles in the period between 2001 and 2004, the surveys mostly became obsolete once I came into possession of the actual rifle production data from FN in the latter part of 2004. Additionally, in the ensuing 17-plus years since the start of the surveys, much has been learned about these rifles, with much of that new information superseding some of the initial trends or hypothesis developed from the initial survey data.

The preceding paragraph is a long-winded way of saying that that some of the information documented in this survey thread may not be accurate, and in any event was totally superseded by the contents of the first edition of the book, which in turn is now superseded by the contents of the second edition. THUS, there is no value in, and I recommend against, spending any time reviewing the 450 posts in this thread. In fact, if any Mods read this post, it is certainly past time to unpin this thread and let it sink into the digital abyss...

Goose / Wayne Johnson

 

[idsubgun]

Egyptian 8mm
Serial #173xx.
Crown on receiver ring crest.
No scope cut.
No middle sling swivel.
All matching #'s, but no firing pin safety stop cutout. But does have two piece firing pin.

 

[Goose52]

Thanks good buddy !

Goose

 

[NC Rifleman]

Have an Egyptian model, # 332xx, all matching, not sure about what to look for re firing pin stop, no middle swivel-has a replacement stock, has crown crest, scope rail.

 

[Dan at VOW]

Egyptian contract, serial 5159, crown, no middle sling swivel, no firing pin stop. Scope cut. Original stock with brass butt, 2 piece hand guards. ID disc is missing. HTH, Dan.

[ February 24, 2002: Message edited by: Dan at VOW ]

 

[EMDII]

Egyptian Contract (8x57 chambering – 7.92x57 for you purists):

- Serial Number
5831 in English numerals on L
receiver rail, and in Arabic on LS
of ring and everywhere else
- Receiver ring crest (crown or eagle)?
Crown
- Have scope cut on left receiver rail?
NO
- Have a middle sling swivel located about 2” in front of the magazine?
NO
- Note: The next question is only for rifles
with all-matching serial numbers:
Is the bolt machined to take a firing pin
safety stop?
YES

In addition:
- Nose cap on muzzle, but not welded on
- Barrel has import marked on RS near FH:
"CAI St A VT"
"M49 7.92"
- Brass unit disc on RS of buttstock
- PG has "K-over-Z" embossing on forward part of grip
- Not select-fire
- Brass buttplate
- Stock SN mismatched: 10554 in Arabic numerals, on LS just above safety pivot
- intact bayonet mount

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: EMDII ]

 

[NZ L1A1 Collector]

Topic "Topped" so it won't get lost in the crowd. Good Luck with your survey

 

[gunplumber]

Agentine Navy Serial number 0017.
No scope cut
paint over park

Argentine Navy Serial number 3486
no scope cut
paint over park

45869 on top cover. D10639 on R receiver in the same spot I'd expect the number, but in tiny font.


eagle
yes scope cut
Sling mount far forward (repo stock)
non-matching bolt. 34848 machined for fp safety, but safety is absent,

bolt is marked ".30" on top, even though an 8mm

27628
Crown
yes scope cut
no sling mount and
no FP safety

[ January 29, 2002: Message edited by: gunplumber ]

 

[cllary]

Egytian 8mm
Serial D104XX
Eagle on receiver
no scope cut
painted over park
repro stock w/plastic buttpad
non-matching
type III bolt without firing pin stop groove

[ January 28, 2002: Message edited by: cllary ]

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: cllary ]

[ February 02, 2002: Message edited by: cllary ]

 

[Mouse]

Venezuelan Contract (7x57 chambering):

Serial number
Have cartouche on the right side of the buttstock? If so, does it read “Fuerzas Armadas Venezuela” or something different?
Does the rear guard screw (behind trigger guard) have a small lock screw?
Optional question: If you already know - 2-piece or 1-piece handguard? (requires removal of stock end cap and loosening the lower band to find out – don’t disassemble your rifle just for this survey ! )

Note: It’s generally accepted that all Venezuelans had the scope cut and muzzle brake so I am not surveying for that data.

Here you go,
Serial # 67X
1 Piece Handguard
No lock screw an rearmost triggerguard screw, although the center and forward screws do have "dual screws"
Cartouche, well here's the deal. There is no cartouche on this rifle, I bought it from my friend who bought a crate of them in 1967-68!
This is the last one that he had left and he sold it to me so I wouldn't get it for free when he dies! "he drives a hard bargin" The rifle is un-mollested since he aquired it from the distributer. I have no idea why it doesn't have a cartouche but I can tell it has not been sanded and bubba has never had his hands on this one! It's a beautiful example and it is pristeen. Let me know if you want to know more.
Mouse

 

[Goose52]

(deleted)

 

[Goose52]

(deleted)

 

[gunhead]

Egyptian Contract
Serial Number 250xx
Receiver ring crest (crown or eagle)>> Crown
Have scope cut on left receiver rail>> NO
Have a middle sling swivel located about 2” in front of the magazine>> NO
Note: The next question is only for rifles with all-matching serial numbers:
Is the bolt machined to take a firing pin safety stop>> NO
GL with Survey

[ January 28, 2002: Message edited by: gunhead ]

 

[Squint]

Venezuelan '49

Paint over park finish.

SN# 506X

“Fuerzas Armadas Venezuela” cartouche - YES

2 piece handguard

Does the rear guard screw (behind trigger guard) have a small lock screw? - YES

Bolt carrier SN# is not matching. It is apparently from the rifle 3 down from mine in the series. I wonder if it was an arms room mix up or quick fix?

No SN# on stock but it has been sanded lightly. In my opinion not hard enough to remove the SN#.

One piece firing pin (in the white or chromed.)

The two main differences from my 30.06 '49 (besides caliber, muzzle brake, and scope cut are that the charging handle is knurled (smooth on the 30.06) and the top cover release lever is thinner (and simpler) and does not lock in a detent when moved into position for removal

[ January 28, 2002: Message edited by: Squint ]

 

[Goose52]

(deleted)

 

[Goose52]

Gunplumber/Mark - Caught your edit - thanks

Goose

 

[sledgehammer]

Egyptian 8mm
Serial #275XX
Crown crest
No scope cut
No middle swivel
Not matching
Two piece firing pin

Egyptian 8mm
Serial #D113XX
Eagle crest
Scope cut
No middle swivel
Not matching
Two piece firing pin

[ January 31, 2002: Message edited by: sledgehammer ]

 

[Goose52]

Sledgehammer - thanks for the data. Also sent you an email with a few more questions.

Goose

 

[K. Funk]

FN-49 Egyptian contract 8mm.

S/N 320xx
Receiver-crown
Scope rail-no
Middle swivel- no
Matching No.'s-Don't think so, but I didn't have a chance to tear it down and look. Top cover finish does not match rest of rifle, looks new. No numbers visible externally.

Other-Brass butt plate.

krf

 

[jramos]

Argie 7.62-all matching-05xx, no scope cut,originally black paint over park, and the damn muzzle nut is welded on per BATF at time of import(if anyone has any luck getting one of these off, I'd like to hear about it!)

 

[woodie]

Egyptian 8mm
Serial #141XX
Crown crest
No scope cut
No middle swivel
Two piece firing pin
Machined for firing pin safety stop, but none present.
no matching #s

[ February 01, 2002: Message edited by: woodie ]

 

[Goose52]

(deleted)

 

[Ken]

Egyptian contract, serial 1499X - all matching, crown, no middle sling swivel or scope cut, bolt cut for but no firing pin stop. Original stock with brass butt, but washer in place of ID disc, barrel marked CAI St A VT; M49 7.92. Nice solid but used rifle. Parkerized. I bought this from Century in the early-1980's and don't remember ever firing it.

 

[EMDII]

It'll be intersting to figure out what the Egyptian SN 'break' is on the ring marking: Crown (King) or Eagle (Abdel Nasser). SO far I have the low SN for the Egyptian. the 6xx Vennie is WAY low!

And two Egyptians?! Hoarder!

Mine is like Ken's, CAI M49, and it's nice to know it's WAY pre-ban! I've replaced the muzzle protector w/ a G-3 FH, and it looks somehow 'right'. I may have to manufacture a replica FH of the correct dimensions, so that I can mount the evil bayonet for photo purposes!

Ken- they are a sweet, easy shooter!

Anybody else got FN-49 bayonet? Want to start and additional C&R thread on the FN bayonets?!

 

[Ken]

Ted:

Does the G3 flashhider thread right on? One thing that always bothered me about my FN49 was the silly looking thread protector. I was a dealer back then and, if I can find copies of my paperwork, I'll let know know the exact year.