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Have opportunity to purchase very nice condition subject rifle. It has been hunted, some small dings in surface of finish, no gouges, cracks, dents, etc. Checkering is as new it would appear and stock has nice grain to it. Metal and blueing is pretty much as new and bore w/ scope appears to be as new. On the conservative side, I would rate the rifle at slightly over 90% and it is pre salt, mfg. in '62, and caliber is '06 Are these rifles considered to be of value or are they just anothr Mauser from another era of firearms?? Any ideas as to dollar value in today's market?? All feedback appreciated. martin | ||
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I have owned four since 1967, a .30-06, a .375H&H, another .30-06 and a .458, all pre-'65 issue. These are VERY fine rifles, especially if you customize them a bit. I like to put on good synthetic stocks, steel bottom metal and 3-pos, safeties as well as Leupy QR mts. I prefer the older iron sight and replace the front with a larger bead or Sourdough and this is a DAMM good hunting rig. Average price here in BC for what you are looking at is around $700.00 and WELL worth it. | |||
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Hello, Thanks for the feedback, and your combo of modifications you mention certainly makes a lot of sense. Not sure what steel bottom metal I would go with and any suggestions, let me know if you would. I am a fan of good walnut for appearance sake, but the synthetic for hunting is the way I will go as well. Couple of folks have told me the barrels are good ones and they shoot fine for a sporting rifle. Glad to hear your input for sense I posted this bought the rifle. Disassembled the rifle and all looks fine and the trigger system is adj. and appears to be of quality. Again, thanks, martin | |||
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I crave the FN Brownings too. I only have two, a .30-06 and a 7x64mm right now, plus a SAKO FN Browning in 8x60mm. Love those rifles! They were made in the real wood days, and can make the transition to synthetic with ease, plus, there are many many options made for the FN that can satisfy almost any rifleman's esoteric tastes! LLS | |||
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I think they are beautiful, they-don't-make-'em like-that-anymore, rifles. Ranking right with pre64 M70's, IMO. But I am confused about your comments. The ones I have seen, and that is quite a few already have steel bottom metal (with a little nice engraving) and 3 position safeties. And from a personal standpoint, I would never put a synthetic stock on such a classic old rifle...but that's just me. | |||
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Hello Olarmy, Not to be stepping on the other fellows post, but the one I have does have what I would call some sort of alloy/aluminum bottom metal w/ the gold/line engraving. Have not put a magnet to it, but will check it. I did notice that there seems to be a midway position on the safety selector, but whether that is just a fluke or not, don't know. Won't fire, but the bolt works up and down?? As for the stock which has some dings in the finish, I am refinishing it and can tell you the epxoy?? finish they used is tough as nails! I use a thick piece of glass w/ tape on one side for my hand to scrape off the finish and bring it down to the original wood. Just about got it done scraping wise and will restore it, but not with quite a shiny finish. Wood I would judge to be in the AA+ grade and find no cracks or faults. Believe I will keep this one martin PS Magnet does not "stick" to the bottom metal on mine. Perhaps they mfg. other ones w/ steel bottoms?? | |||
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Well, ya learn something every day. Never saw one with bottom metal that wouldn't attract a magnet. And the safeties that I've seen do kinda slide with a middle postion which blocks the firing pin but allows the bolt to open. Thanks for the Clarification. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. | |||
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They are excellant hunting rifles from an era of excellant hunting rifles. | |||
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MCA: Tell me about your Sako FN 8x60. I had a chance to buy one and was tempted, but found that they are a .318" bore, not the .323" bore of the 8x60S. However, I'm told that shooting .323" bullets is no problem. What do you shoot in yours? | |||
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We're taking one with us to TZ in July in .375. It has the three position safety, which, I believe was standard. It's one of the salt guns, though, and there is some corrosion. It has the gold line engraving on the bottom metal and I don't currently own a magnet. | |||
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My brother has one in -06 that I refinished the stock on a number of years ago. Took the epoxy off and broke the sharp corners off of the cheeckpiece offside with some fine sandpaper and used Watco Danish oil to refinish. That is one beautiful stock! Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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Perhaps I can explain, early Large ring F.N. Mausers came with steel bottom metal in 3 variants, single trigger, DST and a single shot. All had the regular military Mauser safety and bolt release. About the mid 50s F.N. came out with the Supreme in both large and small ring, with a side safety, aluminum bottom metal and a "spring" bolt realease. Most F.N. browning rifles post 1957 had a "stepped" barrel which made them quite distintive in three grades. --- John 303. | |||
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Thanks, John, for the lesson. For some reason I really like the looks of those stepped barrels! | |||
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Stonecreek - Yep, mine is a real live 0.318 bore 8x60mm. Why on Earth SAKO would make such a rifle in the 1950s God only knows. I did a cerrosafe cast of my rifle to be sure of the bore, and yes, it's a 0.318. So, I have collected an assortment of 0.318 bullets from Norma, Woodleigh, RWS, and S&B. All are 196/200 grain round noses. I am using RWS brass and F210 primers. The rifle is accurate, probably was never fired very much, However I am having a peculiar pressure problem. Whenever I get muzzle velocity up to "factory" specification (2600 fps) I get hard bolt lift/opening with absolutely no other pressure indications. No significant case expansion, primers not excessively flat, quite peculiar. It does not exactly bother me here in Texas, because any game I am liable to hunt here will go down to a 200 grain bullet at 2290 fps, it is just curious. Given the oddity on pressure, I won't try 0.323 bullets in this SAKO. LLS | |||
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I can understand your reluctance to try .323" bullets given that you are experiencing pressure problems when you approach normal velocities. I have a nice commercial FN Mauser action from the '50's with a "throw away" barrel and stock on it. I've been considering having it built into a classic light sporter in a European caliber. Always looking for something a little different, the thought of making it an 8x60S has crossed my mind. I'm assuming that brass is easily enough formed from '06 and that velocities could be boosted by 50 fps or so over the standard 8x57 (assuming no pressure anomalies like you've run into). I don't know if you would want to mess with it, but you might find a bullet swaging die to squeeze standard 8mm bullets down by .005". I'm told by those who have done it that swaging bullets down as much as .007 or .008 does not damage their internal core-to-jacket mating and that they shoot and otherwise perform normally. This would let you use a whole range of bullets from the standard U.S. manufacturers. | |||
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I like Remington rifles Safari grade. But have a CZ lott 458 and a Sako 375 and others. | |||
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Howdy Stonecreek, I pass thru Henly on my way to Junction for deer every year. Anyway, Yes, I would definitely enjoy an 8x60S myself. That was what I thought I was getting when I purchased the 8x60 SAKO. I just could not believe a 0.318 bore being made, even in the mid to early 1950s. Shame on me. Brass is not a problem, .30-06 is always a reliable donor, although I opted for RWS brass when I found a good source (since dried up). I thought about doing a swaging operation, then found a way to purchase the 0.318 slugs in Europe via the father of a friend, his Dad spends about half of each year in Germany and usually comes home with a suitcase full of German components. The performance of the 8x60S is quite impressive, and it would make a good medium/light rifle in Africa, unless you might be worrying about lost ammo, etc.. It's really just another .30-06, but it's interesting. First 8x60 I ever owned was a double rifle, also with 0.318 bores, but that was many years ago. Larry | |||
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