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jvw375: I also wholeheartedly agree about the quality and finish of commercial FN actions, by the way. I have an original early 1960's vintage FN de Luxe .30-06 and its action is, if anything, better finished than my friend's Type A, and certainly just as smooth.

For sure. I have quite a few commercial FNs in my collection and owned several Oberndorf sporters until recently and I believe the fit and finish of the the FNs of the 1950s-60s is superior. FNs are by far the best value on the used market.

The fit & finish of an FN really does not compare to a good Oberndorf made receiver.

I do agree that the FN's are a good value at least compared to a military mauser which you'd have weld a new handle on, have drlled & tapped, and recontour the rear bridge. All of which would cost you more than buying a used FN.

However, the finish is almost always rougher than on a good Oberndorf action.

Rem721,

Some of us can't afford to be THAT picky about the rifles we can afford to acquire. The FNs ... even those made for J. C. Higgins ... are very nice for us poor fellas. Have three and would love to have one or two more.

Mike,

Even the Military made Oberndorfs were well made in comparison. Certainly much cheaper than a commercial variant.

Consider not getting two or three more JC Higgins and instead buying ONE Obie commercial or three Military models.

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rem721: The fit & finish of an FN really does not compare to a good Oberndorf made receiver....the finish is almost always rougher than on a good Oberndorf action.

Hogwash.

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Originally posted by fla3006:

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rem721: The fit & finish of an FN really does not compare to a good Oberndorf made receiver....the finish is almost always rougher than on a good Oberndorf action.

Hogwash.

Ask some of the respected smiths that post here. You buy them, I used to work on them. What looks good on the outside isn't always so good on the inside.

Still, as I already conceded, they can be a good value.

If you are ever in my part of the woods you are more than welcome to come and examine my rifles and draw your own conclusions. I am not comparing a military FN or even Oberndorf action to a sporting Oberndorf action (and, by the way, I have a two of the latter so I can strip and compare them whenever I feel like it) but two commercial actions that just happened to have been made by two different, highly-regarded makers.

I can assure you that the fit & finish of my FN is every bit as good as a commercial Oberndorf action, and that fact was confirmed to my by at least two very knowledgable local gunsmiths. Both are, in my opinion at least, lightyears ahead of any Pre-'64, even the pre-War ones, and the only others that came close were the Model 21 and early ZG-47 Brno's.

I respect another man's views, but come and have a look first and then comment again. By the way, almost all the sporting FN's I have examined (about ten of them, ranging from a 7x57 to two .458's, all of them De Luxe or early Supreme models) were finished to exactly the same standards.

In my opinion, a sporting FN and a sporting Oberndorf is equal. And I base that opinion on the fact that I own and use both (and have been for about 15 years). Our gunsmiths seem to agree as well.

I'm down to 3 Oberndorf sporters, have owned another 14. I'm not knocking Oberndorfs, they are scarce, valuable and sometimes have neat embellishments like ribbed barrels, complex sight arrangements, etc., the ultimate in Mauser collectability and snob appeal except maybe for some British derivatives.

Last count, I still have 5 factory FN Deluxe Sporters, 12 customs (several of which I did myself) and 4 private label FNs (Marlin 455 & HVA). Looking over my records, I've owned 41 FN Deluxes & Supremes in various guises (factory sporters, Brownings, customs, Weatherby, Sako, Higgins, Wards, National Arms, HVA & Marlin).

IMO, Herstal factory FN Deluxe sporters from the 1950s are better finished on the inside and outside, metal & wood, than my Oberndorfs.