Questions on custom FN I bought (photos)

27 January 2004, 10:08

Now that I've got the swing of posting images I can show you the FN 35 Whelen I got at the local gunstore. Guy was selling it to raise some cash and I think I made out real well, $900. It is a 4 digit serial number FN action 29XX in a fiberglass stock that fits me perfectly with decelerator pad. 3 position safety that works almost silently, engraved triggerguard and floorplate, and 24" barrel as well as action work because it feeds SMooooth. Has shown good accuracy potential so far but its tough to say shooting in subfreezing weather with a heavy duplex reticle. Anyone heard of Don Hamilton, his signature is stamped on the barrel?

27 January 2004, 10:23

KevinNY

27 January 2004, 10:27

KevinNY

other views

27 January 2004, 10:44

GeorgeS

Nice rifle, Kevin. That Whelen ought to be just the thing for white-tails and bear.

George

27 January 2004, 10:46

KevinNY

Actually George, I picked it up hoping it will just the right thing for kudu and eland and whatever in the bushveld come april.

28 January 2004, 00:24

D Humbarger

Very nice, congratulations.

28 January 2004, 01:25

Terry Blauwkamp

Quote:

Actually George, I picked it up hoping it will just the right thing for kudu and eland and whatever in the bushveld come april.

I have used my 35 W in the "bush" and it is hard to beat.

If you handload, use 250 gr bullets,and if only factory ammo, try the 225 Federal Bonded Bear Claws, or the 250 Remington SP.

28 January 2004, 04:45

Bobby

Way to go KevinNY, you're as bad as me, buying a new rifle and then trying to shoot it in sub freezing weather. I like that in a man! One heck of a nice looking rifle. I just finished a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7mm-08 and have been waiting for a break in the weather here in WV to try it out, but you've got me beat.

28 January 2004, 05:05

KevinNY

I'm hoping to get out and confirm that I've finished my load developement(250 grain North Fork with 57.0 grs. of RE15) after this storm blows through because it may get up to a balmy "freezing with bright sun" on thursday or friday! Then to celebrate I'll go up to Lake George and try to catch some salmon or lakers though 15" of ice on Saturday, hunting in shirtsleeves come April is going to be a real treat.

28 January 2004, 05:13

fla3006

Very nice, nothing better than an FN, IMO. Looks like factory engraving too.

28 January 2004, 06:23

jeffeosso

900 with the scope!!

man, that's just great.

i would suggest, if you want to goto africa with it, you try the barnes x, 225 and 250's in it.. if it likes the heavier, run with that.

nice gun
jeffe

28 January 2004, 06:39

KevinNY

Not with the scope, I had it on another rifle. But the mounts and everything else. Still a great deal.

28 January 2004, 09:30

BigBullet

KevinNY,

I once lived in your neck of the woods, now I'm in Florida where the winters are much easier and I can shoot all the year round.

I really like your rifle and caliber, it will certainly work on the biggest of the plains game. I also used the Barnes X 225 grain bullets with a full load of Reloader 15 at 2625 fps and thought the combo ideal. In 2002 I hunted Namibia with my 35 Whelen and was more then pleased with the results. I will take it again this year to RSA, hopefully knock off a black wildebeest and a waterbuck with it. I see you have 1.5x5 Vari X III on your rifle. That is the scope I used in my 338 WM in Namibia in 2001. I have since gone to a Baush and Lomb Elite in 3x9. I like the additional magnification. Just my opinion.

Good luck on your hunt and good shooting,
BigBullet

28 January 2004, 11:04

POP

Nice rifle!

28 January 2004, 12:02

KevinNY

You're welcome.

28 January 2004, 15:11

marlinlover

I've got a Mauser 98 in .270 from "Firearms International Corp Washington DC".

Beautiful rilfe, in perfect like new condition. the bolt tight and smooth, fine finish. It was a gift.

I took the stock off one day, and it's stamped "Made in Belgium", with other stamp markings including what looks like maybe FN in a circle next to the date 1948. It's hard to tell what's in the circle.

On the other side (lower breech) is what looks like a star, then maybe a lion over the initials PV., then some kind of symbol under that.

It is a sub-moa tack driver.

Any of youf fellas know what this is? Is it an "FN"?

Thanks

01 February 2004, 20:13

<slancey>

I believe it is an FN. Check the inner collar on the front ring. You may have a "full c-ring" FN. Not many of them made.

02 February 2004, 02:59

Plateau Hunter

Yeah ML that is a commercial FN action imported by FI. A 1948 would have the original 'C' ring breeching which is 'better' than the later FN commercial actions imported after about 1951 or so.

I have the same action(1948, sn 21xx)in a .300 Savage rifle that was made by Melvin Johnson's operation. The barrel is proudly marked 'Johnson's Automatics.' It is a really nice hunting rifle and action. Plateau Hunter

02 February 2004, 05:36

marlinlover

Quote:

Yeah ML that is a commercial FN action imported by FI. A 1948 would have the original 'C' ring breeching which is 'better' than the later FN commercial actions imported after about 1951 or so.

I have the same action(1948, sn 21xx)in a .300 Savage rifle that was made by Melvin Johnson's operation. The barrel is proudly marked 'Johnson's Automatics.' It is a really nice hunting rifle and action. Plateau Hunter

Oh man, I never even thought to look at the serial number until you guys brought it up. I'm looking at it now, and the only numbers on it is on the flat bottom of the action and it reads B followed by 77X below. Am I looking at 3 serial numbers here?..............

The barrel has no stamps or markings except for a line (line up) at the breech end.

On the bottom of the front stock bolt hole, it's stamped "ML". Conventional wisdom indicates that could mean nothing else but "marlinlover"..........

How do you tell if it has the 'C' ring breeching, and wether it's a "large ring", or a "full c-ring", where are them rings?

Interesting story about this rifle...

An old family friend sold this rifle with a cheap arse scope on it, to my Stepdad a long time ago. He picked it up cheap at a gunshow.

This guy hates my Stepdad, and I know he didn't have much money in this rifle. He figured since the rifle wasn't worth much, he'd sell it to my Stepdad (who needed a rifle), at a steep price (he don't know about guns) to get over on him. And that's just what he did.

Well years later, Stepdad gives it to me. The nicest thing he ever did for me.

Years later still, I now find out its a commercial Belgium FN, so I mentioned it to the family friend, and I hear a long pause in his voice, like he was real surprised, then he says "well, I'm glad you wound up with it".

Ha! Fate!

03 February 2004, 07:22

<slancey>

marlinlover,
I don't think that's a serial number. Mine has the ML on the recoil lug, as many FN's do. It also has some random letters and numbers on the bottom of the action, but I don't think it's a serial number. FN actions and rifles have serial numbers on the front ring, near the barrel. The 1948's that I've heard of don't have any serial number on them. Mine doesn't.
As to the "full c-ring", you have to look inside the receiver to see if there are cutouts in the collar for the raceways on both left and right sides. If there is only one cutout in the front collar on the right side, then it's a full c-ring (it looks like a letter "C").

03 February 2004, 08:05

marlinlover

If I look in the action towards the chamber, at the 2 race ways the bolt rides on...

The one on the left stops, the one on the right has a cut out against the the ring or breech, or what ever that's called. So in that sense, it does make a "C" with the open part of the "C" to the right all they way forward.

Is this it, a full "C" model?

03 February 2004, 08:15

marlinlover

Quote:

I believe it is an FN. Check the inner collar on the front ring. You may have a "full c-ring" FN. Not many of them made.

Slancey,

So if not many of these "full c-ring" FN's were made, about what's the

rifle worth (ball park), with a nice stock, perfect matte finish with not a

scratch or mark on the action and Leoupy Var-II 3x9 with Redfield
mounts?

Thanks

03 February 2004, 09:31

<slancey>

Marlinlover,
That sounds like the full c-ring to me. That ring of metal that the barrel breech abuts is the inner collar. Most other FN's have two cuts in the collar, one on each side. Most military mausers have a complete c-ring, like the FN 1948. Frank de Haas book, "Bolt Action Rifles" has a photo of what we're talking about, and a great article on the FN.
As far as value is concerned, the action is worth $400 to me, if and only if the front ring was drilled and tapped properly, and no other major alteration has taken place. No clue what the market will pay for the whole gun. As far as the value of the stock and scope, etc., that's a matter of taste, dimensions, quality of work and so on. It's all subjective. In my mind, the action is what I would buy the whole rifle for. Let me know if you're interested in selling it.