It had been awhile since I had bought a gun at a gun show. However today I could not pass on this one for the price.

Here is what I know thus far.


The action is a commercial FN from the 50's

The barrel is marked White's Stores Inc, Cal 30-06, Model 60

The barrel is 22" and is a Micro Groove barrel; maybe a Marlin made barrel?

It has a Sako adjustable trigger

It has a blind magazine box, no floorplate

The serial number is J4083

The condition is 98%; IF it has been fired it has been fired very little.

The scope is a Burris Fullfield 3x9 U.S. made in Redfield mounts

I originally had purchased it with the intent to use the rifle as a donor for another built. It is so pristine I may just keep it as it is and let one of the grandson's use it.

Any help with history on this would be greatly appreciated.

I am, assuming it is a similar built for a store like the model 50 JC Higgins rifles.

Never heard of White's stores but it is certainly a nice 50s era FN action. I would use the action for a custom build and throw everything else away.

that was the original plan.

just can't believe this rifle has been around for over 50 years and has had little to no use.

What a waste.

If my memory serves me correctly Sako made microgroove barrels back in the 60's, so is it possible that it has a sako barrel, given it has a sako trigger. If the rifle shoots and the contour is a decent shape then why not just get a new stock for it. Hey it might shoot .5", and if it does why would you throw away a perfectly good barrel? You would need to check the bedding before completely committing to the results of the shoot experiment tho. Maybe see if you can find a floor plate from a 1909 Argentine and you will have decent metalwork for a low cost custom rig. Whats that stock made out of- Arctic beech? Looks pretty sad...It certainly is the weak link. So buy a good glass stock or a semi-inlet get it fitted and you will be good to go for a decent finished hunting rifle. I bought a similar FN actioned 30/06 with a Heym barrel fitted and a hinged German style lever release hinged floorplate for $300. You can't even buy a Heym barrel blank for that. These FN actioned rifles are a gift really.

Thanks for he lead on the Sako info.

Sako experimented with micro groove barrels in the 50's and 60's and it appears they did team with Marlin on a few projects.

I think the mark that is going to decide the history of this gun is the mark on the top of the barrel; the circle with a J in it.

marlin did use FN actions in the 50's as well as Sako actions. the model 455 being an example.

I am thinking this is a lower grade version of the Model 455 made up for a large Store chain. However I can not find any thing to confirm it.

I think the stock is Birch.

I will e going to "Christrees", Walnut Grove Gunstocks, tomorrow to pick up a stock for a different project so I may look for a blank for this.

I have several extra sets of hinged bottom metal to use to finish this out.

npd345
White's Auto Stores headquarters was here in Wichita Falls, Tx for years and operated down through Mississippi. They were similiar to Western Auto, Montgomery Ward and Western Auto. They have been out of business for many years and just demolished their main office within the past year. I have a friend whose father owned controling interest.. If he got on the internet you would have a lot more information available. If necessary, I could give his telephone number.
Hope this helps.

Don

quote:

npd345: marlin did use FN actions in the 50's as well as Sako actions. the model 455 being an example....I am thinking this is a lower grade version of the Model 455 made up for a large Store chain

Bingo. Stainless microgroove barrels.

Whatever you do DON'T SHOOT IT!! I made that mistake on an FN barreled action I bought at a gunshow for $225. It had Redfield base and rings, so when I got home I put it into a Corelite synthetic stock and bolted on a known good scope, bore sited and proceeded to tear a tri cornered one hole group on a 100 yd target. So much for my "doner" action..have never worked up the courage to unscrew that barrel..JMHO. Les

Same thing happened with a J.C. Higgins .270 I bought at a pawn shop ... made the mistake of shooting it.

Never could take apart a rifle that shoots that well.

Love those actions!

thanks to all!

I will start on a new stock after picking up a blank from Christrees.

In the meantime I will take it to the range and see how this thing shoots.

The barrel is as new if not new and the sights that are on it are very nice. The contour of the barrel also looks good.

I currently have a 7x57 built on a Jc Higgins/FN model 50 action and a 338/06 on another 1950 FN action and they are both tack drivers.

I have a commercial transition FN action from the late 40's that I am making in to a full stocked 7x57 for one of the other grandsons. His length of pull is only 10 1/2 inches so we will be making two stocks for it so he can still use it as he grows.


When I got the previous owner down to $300 for this gun/scope I knew I could not go wrong.

I have already had an offer for $175 for the scope. But I think it will stay with this rifle.

mulerider do you know if White's Auto ever marketed rifles?

Be sure don´t try to adjust the SAKO trigger too light, 3,3 lbs is factory safety minimum.

thanks for the advice.

The trigger does feel a bit heavy. I will check it with my scale as I adjust it.

Yes. White's Auto was a type of general store and sold this type rifle ubder their name.
Several years ago, my brother bought six of these rifles new at an auction (pre-BATF laws) all new. They were really nice! I envey you.

Don

By the way, there was 3 - .30-06, 2 - .308 and 1 .243.

Don

NPD345:

As mulerider has informed, White's was a wholesaler/retailer which had both company-owned and franchised stores across Texas and some other southern states. They concentrated on automotive merchandise, but also had lawn mowers, appliances, housewares, and sporting goods. This is the first "proprietary" rifle I've seen from White's, but proprietary guns were extremely common in the 1950's when even relatively small companies could contract to have them made with their proprietary brand. FN Mauser actions were by far the most popular for this purpose.

Many, if not most, of these proprietary rifles were built in the High Standard plant in Hartford, Ct., virtually across the street from the Colt facility. There was a company which was associated with High Standard, perhaps as a facility lessee, called the Jefferson Rifle Company, which appears to have been the primary contractor. It is believed that this facility produced rifles for Colt, Montgomery Wards, Sears, Western Auto, and several others. You'll find that your rifle is almost identical to a Sears Model 50 and also a rifle marketed by Wards.

The buttplate with the concentric rings was a hallmark of Jefferson/High Standard rifles, as was the front sight on the barrel band. The buttplate and front sight are identical to a couple of Wards rifles on Sako L57 actions which I own.

The trigger is definitely Sako, but it is an unusual "transition" trigger in that almost all FN's using the Sako trigger used the #4 trigger with its integral trigger safety. This rifle uses the old FN wing safety with a Sako #2 trigger sans trigger safety. Very unusual.

The barrel, despite its multigrooves, is not from Sako (and Sako and Marlin barrels were never connected in any way to one another, other than a Marlin Microgroove barrel was screwed into a Sako L46 action for the Marlin 322 and 422 rifles.) Jefferson's barrels came from various suppliers, and it is certainly possible that they obtained the one on the White's rifle from Marlin, or from Marlin's supplier. However, I doubt your rifle having a true Microgroove barrel as the lands on those were extremely shallow, whereas the "multigroove" barrels used by manufactures like Sako and others had normal depth grooves, just lots of them (twelve, usually).

Regardless of the disparaging post on the stock, it is American Walnut, not some hardwood, and though plainly finished and without checkering, is certainly a serviceable piece of lumber. It will never be a showpiece, but if you were to have it refinished and checkered you might be surprised at its improved appearance. Nonetheless, stocks of that era had a somewhat lower comb than a good fitting stock intended for scope use, so replacing it with whatever your preference might not be a bad idea.

My first step would be to shoot the darned thing. Two-minute Mausers are donors. Sub-minute Mausers are keepers.

By the way, I have a good friend who was a White's franchisee up until the company went under. He's been an independent store for many years now.

thanks Don!

Stonecreek thanks for the great info!

The Jefferson Rifle info is making since and I am wondering if the mark on the barrel; a circle with a J in it, may be their mark?
Shane

I can't say if the "circle J" mark represents the Jefferson Rifle Company, but it is possible.

Some of these rifles can be great shooters, probably depending on where the barrel came from. Will be interested to see how yours does. A Ward's .308 I own shoots lights out.

Most of the FN Mauser proprietary rifles had floorplates instead of the blind magazine yours has. But don't take that too hard, as Winslow, who built magnificent and expensive custom rifles on FN actions in the 1960s made every single one of their carriage-trade rifles with a blind magazine.

It's hard to see in the pics but both Marlin 455s have very nicely figured American walnut stocks. Both originally came with Lyman 48s which I removed. Sold them to someone on this site a few years ago.

FN made guns for anybody, Sear, JC Pennys, Whites was probably a hardware store..

Your gun is a parts gun built up by some individual, and well done btw..I think you probably made yourself a good deal, you got a barrel band sight, and a custom trigger, a blind magazine (FN never made a blind magazine) and the rear sight on that small island is an FN sight. nice set of old Redfield mounts, maybe leupold or Buehler, didn't pay that much attention, but hex or torq screws did not exist in the 1950s, I would bet it has a Marlin FN barrel since its micro groove, some of them did and they were made for one of the back East dealers who probably ordered them for whites or who knows...nice old gun, good action. I would improve it a bit with a nice stock and some bottom metal.

thanks Ray!.

Picked out the wood today for a new stock.

Ray,

You are wrong. FN sold actions to virtually everyone, they did not however make guns(rifles) for everyone.

There were several off brand or house brand rifles built using FN actions and multi-groove or as some are calling them micro groove barrels. Rear sights on all these appear to be the same, front sights however vary a good deal. I have one like the White's model, actually it could pass as a clone almost of the Marlin. They all seem to use the Model 60 designation. I doubt the OP's rifle is a parts gun as you stated.

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
It's hard to see in the pics but both Marlin 455s have very nicely figured American walnut stocks. Both originally came with Lyman 48s which I removed. Sold them to someone on this site a few years ago.

I think that Marlin put together its own FN-actioned rifles, whereas Colt, Wards, Sears, etc. used a contractor. The tapered fore end on your 455 is almost identical to the one on the Marlin 422, the successor to the 322, which was a .222 sporter built on a Sako L46 action. The 422 had a stainless steel (but blued) barrel of somewhat lighter contour than the 322 and a much more attractive Monte Carlo stock. It made a beautiful stablemate to the larger 455, but sadly, only a few more than 300 of the 422's were made before Marlin discontinued them.

quote:

z1r:

Ray,

You are wrong. FN sold actions to virtually everyone, they did not however make guns(rifles) for everyone.

Ditto, only Browning.