Need help ID Belgian Mauser 30-06 please!

[living_the_dream]

Hi All,

So my first post and I need some help identifying this rifle as I have spent countless hours researching and can't seem to get to the bottom of it exactly.

So this is what I know and have filled it in according to the pictures and then summarise at the end. I know it is a Military FN Mauser 30-06 large rings due to measuring it.

Serial number is 18150 and has no insignia as my father had a scope mounted about 25 odd years ago. He has no idea what was there which is why I think I am struggling to ID it exactly.
Attachment 87357

I know that because of the capitals and lower case I can narrow it down to a few countries and from the following pictures I narrowed it down to Belgian.
Attachment 87358

Just serial number again (so they all match).
Attachment 87359

Now here is where I got some success and some confusions. I know that the crown insignia (ELG) is the Belgian 'Definitive' proof marking of the Barrel. Can not find out what the 'D' is above it. I am guessing maybe year? The 'E*' on the receiver is the French town Mutzig special marking which I have no idea what that means either? The symbol below I have no idea about either?
Attachment 87360

Serial matches again which is good.
Attachment 87361

Any idea what this stands for? Thought it may be from original owner initials or something but it looks professionally stamped?
Attachment 87362

Any ideas what the '74' stands for? To be honest it looks newer then the rifle its self.
Attachment 87363

Obviously added the sling myself as have taken for a couple of hunts here and there and scope was aded by my father as previously mentioned. Bolt handle has also been replaced because of scope clearance issues when my father got the scope mounted. The finish is actually black not grey like I though as may have been Navy version but was black under upper part of stock.
Attachment 87364


So there is all the info I know. I know it was proofed in Belgian (barrel) and French town either the rifle or just the reciever. I am sure it's the Army version due to the colour and I know it is a Belgian FN Mauser 30-06. I have no idea about year which is what I would love to know so any halp would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance!

Information

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[aqbill]

I believe it's a post-war and of '48-'54 vintage. They - FN - made a lot of these for export to Palestine and the middle east.

[living_the_dream]

I believe it's a post-war and of '48-'54 vintage. They - FN - made a lot of these for export to Palestine and the middle east.

Hi Aqbill and thanks for the info. So guessing then these would be readily available which I also thought due to such a big number (serial number)? Is there a way in which I can narrow it down to the year that you know of?

[AJMBLAZER]

The .30-06 FN’s didn’t go to Israel or the Middle East. Various South American countries, Morocco, and Belgium bought them in that calibre.

[living_the_dream]

The .30-06 FN’s didn’t go to Israel or the Middle East. Various South American countries, Morocco, and Belgium bought them in that calibre.

Hi Ajmblazer,
Yeah ok cool. Is there a way I can determine the year this was made that you know of? I assume the’D’ above the Belgium stamp indicates the year but I can not find that information?!

[AJMBLAZER]

My knowledge runs out there. I know my carbine is Columbian because of the big ol’ Columbian military crest FN put on the receiver. I got a lot of help over on the gunboards.com forum figuring out what mine was.

[living_the_dream]

My knowledge runs out there. I know my carbine is Columbian because of the big ol’ Columbian military crest FN put on the receiver. I got a lot of help over on the gunboards.com forum figuring out what mine was.

Ok cool, yeah would be a big help if what ever crest was still on the top and cheers.

[Patrick Chadwick]

"I assume the’D’ above the Belgium stamp indicates the year but I can not find that information?!"

It looks as if that could be the mark of inspector René Marchal, active from 1951 to 1968.
Combine that with Auguste Jamart, active from 1924-1959, and the date of manufacture is narrowed down to 1951-1959.

I think there is some information in Ball (Mauser Military Rfiles of the World) on post-WWII FN production batches. Colombia seems likely. FWIW they are IMHO rough to shoot - one misses the stabilizing length and weight of an M1917 1

[Patrick Chadwick]

The 'E*' on the receiver is the Frenchicon town Mutzig special marking which I have no idea what that means either? The symbol below I have no idea about either?

Nothing to do with Mutzig.

Star over single letter is the Belgian inspector's mark. For the period in question *over E is Auguste Jamart,
active from 1924-1959.

The symbol below is the Liege "perron" (look it up!) = final proof.

If there is a date code anywhere, in the period 1945-59 it would be a lower case Greek letter.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

It sounds like an FN model 50.

As I understand it, they were built by FN, in 30-06 as a stopgap rifle that could use the abundance of .30-06 ammo available post ww2.

Bear in mind that at the same time, they were churning out the FN-49 in the same calibre for their front-line forces and in several other calibres for export.

Proper Model 50s have a small radiused notch in the top rear of the breech ring to clear the tips, if 30-06 ball rounds are being loaded in by charger clip.

There also seemed to be two distinct "batches" of these on the surplus market.

There were the ones that had seen "service" in the Belgian Congo; These tend to be scruffy, with rotted-out bores and a nasty black paint finish.

The other group, some of which arrived here in Oz in the early 1970's appear to have been ex Belgian Forces. They were arsenal refurbs, complete with the interesting grey finish typical of Belgian arms of the time. Most seem to have had their Belgian crests ground off before refinishing. Bores were bright and sharp. Not for long, in most cases. Concurrently arriving on our shores at the time, was a huge quantity of French-made .30-06 ball ammo, both brass and steel cased. These seem to have been fitted with the most corrosive primer ever known to man.

Unfortunately, most locals seemed, for some strange reason, to believe that all .30-06 was non-corrosive, .

Most of these fine rifles ended up being "donor" actions for sundry sporting rifle projects. One "cheap and cheerful" conversion involved running a .308 Norma Magnum reamer in, opening out the bolt face and whacking on a robust scope and mount.

.308 Norma has the neat feature that has in overall length very similar to the .30-06. The existing mag box, whilst holding fewer rounds, seems to work OK, as opposed to the longer, but ultimately more popular, .300 Winchester Magnum.

Yes, I had one, and "sporterized" it, (in .30-06), as did just about everyone in my shooting circles of the time.

As one would expect, a nice, unmolested one is worth a lot more than a "sporter" version here and now.