I was in a local gunshop lastnight and noticed that they have an F.N. Mauser in 30/06 on their 'used' rack. The metal/blueing is in very good shape, I'd say 90%. All matching serial #'s, SN: 54xx. The stock shows plenty of wear, but is in good shape. It has Redfield bases and rings.

Anyway, what is something like this worth?

Thanks,
Michael

If it has that nice FN crest on it, then it will bring $500 in any shape in the States..A nice one will fetch $650 to $700 and in rarer calibers $1500 to $2500....I would love to find one for sale in 404 Jefferys...I'd pay dearly for it..I have a 375 FN that I intend to sell pretty soon..and I will have to have $1950.00 for it...

The price on these wonderfull old guns is snowballing by the month in the USA....especially in big bores, and simply because they are so much better than anything in production today and the smart money is grabbing them up faster than they can hit the internet or Gunlist.....

Make sure it's all FN and not a Browning, Weatherby or JC Higgins.

It's definitely a true FN. They are asking $349 for it..Not sure if it is 'crested' as it has a scope base on it, but I bet I can get them to take the base off for me to check...

Maybe I'll say to heck with it and just buy it.

Michael

OK, I went ahead and bought it. Here are the identifying features.

On the side of the action is:

FAB. NAT. D'ARMES de GUERRA
HERSTAL - BELGIQUE

On the top of the receiver is a crown with a fancy cursive like L below it. Below that are the letters ABL, and below that, 1951. On the opposite side of the action is the serial number, 5484, and the same number is stamped just adjacent to that on the barrel.

What have I bought?

Michael

Michael,

I assume you are familiar with the Belgian firearms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN)?

If not, here is their website:

http://www.fnherstal.com/html/Index.htm

If my French holds out, the translation of
"FAB. NAT. D'ARMES de GUERRA
HERSTAL-BELGIQUE" means
National Fabricators (Manufacturers) of Military Firearms (literally "Arms of War")
Herstal (name of town) - Belgium

There is some dispute as to what the "ABL" means. The ABL either means "Belgian Army" [a combination of the French "Armee Belge" and the Flemish "Belgische Leger"] or, it means "Belgian Small Arm" [French - Arme Belgique Legere]. [The ABL on your rifle is not to be confused with FN's SAFN-49 Semi-auto battle rifle which is also called the Model 49ABL].

My 2 year old copy of Gun Trader's Guide has this description:

FN Deluxe Mauser Bolt-Action Sporting Rifle: (list of calibers including 30.06) 5 shot box magazine, 24" barrel, hooded ramp front sight, Tri-Range rear sight, checkered stock with cheekpiece (Supreme model with Monte Carlo cheekpiece). Manufactured 1947-63.

After that, I am afraid I'm not much help.

Regards,

Terry

Michael, the rifle you own is probably a military one,made by FN (Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre)in Herstal in 1951.ABL means:Armee Belge/Belgisch Leger,pulling two of the three languishes in Belgium together and means Belgian Army.Don't now the value of it.
Hugh.

Michael,
It sounds like the same rifle I bought a few years back, mine is a little more worn on the blueing & $300.
When I reasearched mine I came up with the same thing as T.Carr "FN Deluxe Mauser Bolt-Action Sporting Rifle" or Supreme w/Monte Carlo cheekpiece.

Mine came with an old weaver 2-5x that works great. Enjoy it, good quality for not alot of $$$$

Zak

Don Martin29

What is the difference in the action itself between the four that have been mentioned?

(Browning, Weatherby, JC Higgins, all FN)

I realize that some of these actions were C-ring, some were not. I have two rifles that were bought for actions that are not (JC Higgins 30'06). Is there any way to tell by model nos.? Or do you just have to have them in hand? By the way, I bought both rifles with Weaver steel-tube scopes for less than $150 each.

Thanks Bob

MBundy,

To answer your question, you have a commercial FN rifle and the action alone is worth $450 to $495. so you have done well.....

B,
The actions are the same, but like you said, the older ones and the most desirable have the single C ring feature...

I have bought many a JC Higgens, Sears, etc FN Mausers for $150 to $160 in the not to distant past, but I assure you those days are over and gone...the actions are too much in demand today and the same guns are bringing $400 and if they have the FN crest you can add a hundred dollar bill to that. This surge just happened within the last year or so...Jack Belk and I were marveling at this at lunch just a few days ago...and 99 Savages and Rem 721,722's are going out of sight now. Inflation I suppose or may be due to the crap the factories are producing today...probably the reason the pre 64 Win. never lost any value, the new CFR's are out of control.

MBundy,
Does the action have the thumb slot cut out on the left side of the action or is a straight wall from the front ring to the rear?

It has the cutout.

Weren't the old Browning BBR actions made by FN? I picked up a H&R Ultra Bolt Action in 300win a while back, it also has the FN action.