FN mouser help.

[HuntInWild88]

Is anyone familiar with these rifles. My dad bought this back in the mid 90's and I'm just trying to track down some more info on it. Obviously it's and FN made for China. But I'm trying to figure out year and if this is something worth keeping stock or to sporterize it. From what I can see the barrel is in great shape. But does have some pretty heavy pitting on the outside.

 

[Wrench]

You need to get a full pic of the action. It appears to be rough, untapped and the bolt handle turned.

If that's a 98 in said condition....a couple hundred bucks would be top dollar to sell and it's gonna take you a grand to build it.....but we need to ID the action because there are a few that are soft.

 

[HuntInWild88]

You need to get a full pic of the action. It appears to be rough, untapped and the bolt handle turned.

If that's a 98 in said condition....a couple hundred bucks would be top dollar to sell and it's gonna take you a grand to build it.....but we need to ID the action because there are a few that are soft.

here is the whole action.
I'm a machinist so any of that kind of work I can do my self. My plan was to just drill and tap for some bases. A new stock and work/replace the trigger. I'm wanting to keep it as a 8x57. So I'll see if it's a shooter the way it is. If it's not then I'll rebarrel it.

 

[Wrench]

Before you start, pull a hardness on the bolt lugs.

If that stock is not cut, you can likely sell it for enough to cover a 700adl to build.

If you're heart set on building it and you have access to the tools, find a copy of, JOHN HINNANT - THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO PRECISION RIFLE BARREL FITTING. These can be downloaded.

Iirc, he has the print for a mandrel to turn it.

You can turn the bolt handle, or weld on a new one. I have enough weld on handles that I can send you one for $20.00 if you choose to go that route.

Those can be built into very serviceable rifles. They are heavy and will take a ton of hours to finish nicely.... but step one is the verify the bolt is hardened.

 

[HuntInWild88]

Before you start, pull a hardness on the bolt lugs.

If that stock is not cut, you can likely sell it for enough to cover a 700adl to build.

If you're heart set on building it and you have access to the tools, find a copy of, JOHN HINNANT - THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO PRECISION RIFLE BARREL FITTING. These can be downloaded.

Iirc, he has the print for a mandrel to turn it.

You can turn the bolt handle, or weld on a new one. I have enough weld on handles that I can send you one for $20.00 if you choose to go that route.

Those can be built into very serviceable rifles. They are heavy and will take a ton of hours to finish nicely.... but step one is the verify the bolt is hardened.

What HRC should I be looking for?

 

[Wrench]

40ish on the c scale is normal. The bolt should be a few points harder than the action.

 

[HuntInWild88]

Thanks I'll check it out when I head into work tonight.

 

[HuntInWild88]

Well. It's pretty soft.. I was getting like 12 on the c scale...

 

[Wrench]

Glad you checked. Even 30 is workable with higher pressure cartridges. Given that it's soft, either shoot it as a 8x57 or sell it to fund a build. If you build a 60kpsi rifle....it's not gonna make it.

 

[Wapiti1]

A few details about that rifle. It's a M1930 FN Mauser built, most likely, in 1938 based on the serial and lower case "de". I can't say if it is Chinese contract or not, I don't see markings on the left side of the front ring, and that would tell you who it was made for. There should be a star over a letter there for Chinese contract, if I remember right. The stock would have a big star stamped on the side of the butt as well with numbers around it. The markings that say China were made recently, and it's hard to tell what else they say. Maybe importer markings.

The bolt and safety are not original to it. They would have matching numbers on them, or at least matching the last two digits. Not unusual, but it does kill collector value. I would suspect an arsenal rework, or just a parts gun someone put together. I'd guess the stock markings don't match the original either. The bottom metal should also have a serial number, it may or may not match.

Is it a workable action? Yes, but not as it sits. It would need to be surface ground to clean up the rust pitting (which isn't bad), and after all clean up work was done, it and the bolt would need to go to Blanchard Metal Processing to be re-case hardened. The action lugs would also need to be checked for set back and cleaned up if needed. Then it would be back to spec and usuable for high pressure cartridges. You'd have $500+ in it to get it to workable condition. Less if you can do the work plus $125 + shipping for heat treat. The heat treat on this one is non-negotiable.

Honestly, as it sits, I WOULD NOT SHOOT IT. No idea if it headspaces, and no idea what bore it has. You really don't even know what cartridge it is chambered in. 7.9MM could be three different actual sizes. China got 7.92X57, others got different sizes. It needs a few checks. First, I would slug the bore to find out the diameter. Next, would be a chamber cast to see what it is chambered in (100 years is a long time), last I would check the headspace.

I have done a lot of Mauser conversions, and they are fun. But, they can be a money pit if you don't choose your action with some knowledge.

Jeremy

 

[HuntInWild88]

A few details about that rifle. It's a M1930 FN Mauser built, most likely, in 1938 based on the serial and lower case "de". I can't say if it is Chinese contract or not, I don't see markings on the left side of the front ring, and that would tell you who it was made for. There should be a star over a letter there for Chinese contract, if I remember right. The stock would have a big star stamped on the side of the butt as well with numbers around it. The markings that say China were made recently, and it's hard to tell what else they say. Maybe importer markings.

The bolt and safety are not original to it. They would have matching numbers on them, or at least matching the last two digits. Not unusual, but it does kill collector value. I would suspect an arsenal rework, or just a parts gun someone put together. I'd guess the stock markings don't match the original either. The bottom metal should also have a serial number, it may or may not match.

Is it a workable action? Yes, but not as it sits. It would need to be surface ground to clean up the rust pitting (which isn't bad), and after all clean up work was done, it and the bolt would need to go to Blanchard Metal Processing to be re-case hardened. The action lugs would also need to be checked for set back and cleaned up if needed. Then it would be back to spec and usuable for high pressure cartridges. You'd have $500+ in it to get it to workable condition. Less if you can do the work plus $125 + shipping for heat treat. The heat treat on this one is non-negotiable.

Honestly, as it sits, I WOULD NOT SHOOT IT. No idea if it headspaces, and no idea what bore it has. You really don't even know what cartridge it is chambered in. 7.9MM could be three different actual sizes. China got 7.92X57, others got different sizes. It needs a few checks. First, I would slug the bore to find out the diameter. Next, would be a chamber cast to see what it is chambered in (100 years is a long time), last I would check the headspace.

I have done a lot of Mauser conversions, and they are fun. But, they can be a money pit if you don't choose your action with some knowledge.

Jeremy

Thanks for all the Info.
The fact that there was no markings on the left side, no star on the stock is what confused me. There are some Chinese symbols (letters,numbers)?? Carved into the stock but that's it. The number on the bottom metal doesn't match any of the other numbers.
All I know is my dad purchased this back in the mid 90's for like $40 or something. Said the guy had 55gallon drums full of them. He pulled the bolt and looked for the best riflings. He said they were sold as 8mm mausers. I through an empty 8x57 case in it and the bolt closed just fine. But I do remember reading that at some point they switched from JS to IS and I'm sure a quick Google search would give me the answer.
Although it would be fun to build this as I would like an old 8mm, I really have no connection with this one and it does need alot of work!