I recently came across a .300 H&H on an FN commercial action, were these ever made in magnum size or would this be a standard action that has been opened up?
Steve

Standard. I would buy it if I had the chance.

Did FN offer them barreled in this caliber? It does seem to be well priced too.

Who actually made the "Brevex" magnum actions? Wasn't that FN? IF it was, they made actions in both lengths, the standard and the true magnum.

Far more standard length actions were opened up for the .300 though, by all ilk of gun-makers, from Joe Blow Shadetree to John Rigby, H&H, and lots of others of the British trade.

I always thought the Brevex was made by a Pole living in France, not Belgium.

Lots of FNs were factory-adapted to 375 H&H length cases, no reason they couldn't have done a 300 H&H. They called them FN Supreme actions. Most if not all have a vertical groove milled on the center of the front bridge, I assume to clear bullet tips during loading pointy rounds.

there's no, as I understand them "MAGNUM" mausers ever made by FN. With the definition of magnum mauser being longer between the screws than a m98

Brevex was french, not Belgian

Jeffe-

I know rhe difference between France and Belgium. I also know the difference between Germany and France or Belgium. But I also know that a LOT of the immediately post-WWII Walthers were made by Manuhrin...and sold labelled as Walthers in Europe...at least I think it was Europe. I do know for sure that there was a split in the marketing, where they were known in parts of the world as genuine Walthers and in other parts as Manuhrin/Walthers. But they were being made in the same place at the time!! Would have to go research it again to find the agreement itself, and don't want to have to do that.

So my question remains...exactly where were the Brevex actions actually manufactured...as in specifically which city & factory? I keep having this nagging feeling that I have read several places that they were made by FN. Maybe they were not, but it would help to know for sure who actually did the dirty deed.

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
I always thought the Brevex was made by a Pole living in France, not Belgium.

Lots of FNs were factory-adapted to 375 H&H length cases, no reason they couldn't have done a 300 H&H. They called them FN Supreme actions. Most if not all have a vertical groove milled on the center of the front bridge, I assume to clear bullet tips during loading pointy rounds.

Memory is getting to be a tough thing for me these days, but I know for absolute certain FN made the Browning "Safari-Grade" rifles in both .300 H&H and .375 H&H on the "standard" length action, as I have owned both.

So, they certainly did sell whole rifles in .300 H&H...whether they sold just barreled actions as well, I can't be as sure about, but I believe they did.

According to de Hass (Bolt Action Rifles, 1971):

"Made in France and imported into the United States by Tradewinds Inc., the Brevex is the only true magnum Mauser action that has been available to American gunsmiths since before WWII."

"Manufactured by BREVEXSURESNES - France"

"The Brevex, however, is the only true 'Mauser' action being made today."

The Champlin action will probably come up sooner or later, but that's another story.

Brevex actions were manufactured by Brevex in Suresnes, a suburb on the western outskirts of Paris, France.

quote:

Originally posted by Alchemist:
Brevex actions were manufactured by Brevex in Suresnes, a suburb on the western outskirts of Paris, France.

And IIRC, there were only 800 or so made before production ceased forever. I wonder what happened from the tooling?

From another thread:

Edmond: Marcel Pigatti was a friend, we shot together for many years in Versailles. He was drafted for labour in Germany during WW2 and ended in the Mauser factory where he had to do the maintenance on machines. It was his first contact with armamement industry.
When liberated in 1945, he established a workshop in Levallois Perret near the river Seine, West of Paris.
He worked for automobile industry, funnily he never had a driving license but many friends to take him shooting.
He designed the Brevex (Name came from Brevet, Patent) for magnum rounds, starting with 10.75 x 68mm rounds first.
Roy Weatherby visited him and bought some of his receivers to make his first Weatherby Magnum rifles.
I passed one of these rifles a few years ago, I still regret it today, a real beauty in .460, with the most beautiful wood and engraving I have ever seen.
He died 15 years ago. He made rifles for famous hunters, like Dr Corson.
He was one of the best shooters I know.

fla3006: Jon Speed mentions a Mr. Polanski in his book "Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles" as the progenator of the Brevex. Claims he was an engineer with Polish Arms at Radom, moved to France after WWII, purchased machinery from MAS to build the Brevex magnum action. Speed also claims only a few hundred were made.

No connection what-so-ever with FN. Dimensions, certain characteristics, completely different. Dimensions are also different from the German Oberndorf #20 magnum Mauser.

Well I bought it. It should make a fun build. I have a .375 barrel on order with Krieger and a solder on quarter rib sitting on my desk. Next step will be bottom metal from Blackburn.

Gonna sell the 300 barrel?

yep.....pm me
Steve

I have an FN actioned Sako in 375 H&H. It is a great rifle. I have used it to shoot everything from jackals to a lion and an elephant. The barrel is marked Sako Finland, but I have always wondered if FN supplied the entire barreled action.

I am glad to hear that you got a good deal. I felt that I did well on my 375 also. Over time I replaced the safety, original stock and bolt handle. I sold the original safety and stock for more than the original price that I paid for the rifle.


You might want to double check the bottom metal. I have another FN that started as a 30/06 and is now a 375H&H. It has the Blackburn bottom metal. The location of the box is quite a bit different than the original FN magnum length bottom metal on my Sako/FN.

quote:

Originally posted by Alchemist:
Brevex actions were manufactured by Brevex in Suresnes, a suburb on the western outskirts of Paris, France.

Aahh! That's what I was looking for!! Apparently what I dimly recall was stated in error by the writers. But anyway, now we all know for sure.

I had a couple of Brevex actions, and a Mauser magnum action as well...I traded the Mauser to Neal Knox in about 1974. Wish I had any one of the three back....especially the Mauser, as apparently they had their magazine boxes/followers made by Mauser for specific cartridges (that's what Neal told me). The one I traded Neal was made for, IIRC, the .416 Rigby round...either that or the .404 Jeffery. The latter seems more likely as that .404 cartridge is also known as the German 10.75 x 73, but I still think it was the .416 that my specific action was made for.....


Edited to add: I too still have an FN actioned .375 H&H built on the standard Mauser action opened up. It is in a beautiful piece of light coloured english Walmut with coal-black longitudinal streaks, parade of express sights, rosewood forend tip and grip cap, all the usual stuff. It is a delight to shoot as it weighs about 9+ pounds even though it has no optical sights.

Matter of fact, it has never been drilled and tapped. I got the action in-the-white at an auction in Europe. It was finished up by Eddie Mech and Gunter Kautsky at the old "Guncraft" on the Edmonton Trail in Calgary, Alberta.