I bought a few guns from an estate yesterday, unfortunately nothing great, just a few long guns of mostly '70's vintage.

One of the guns is a FN commercial Mauser in .270, overall the gun is probably 95% or so, just a few dings, no rust, major wear etc. There is no model number indicated, although it is obviously a 98 action, just the FN logo on the top of the receiver, FN name and Herstal on the left side of the receiver and the barrel is marked as chrome vandium steel with various proof marks and and the caliber.

Does anyone have any idea what the market is like on these guns? It is one I want to sell and don't want to give away, but don't want to sit on it forever trying to get top dollar either.

Google didn't help much if anyone has a good source for info on these rifles, that info would be appreciated also.

Thanks much!

$300 to $400 around here, depending on condition.

Here's a good rundown of the features that came and went with the postwar FN 98 actions. I got it off of another board and it looks correct as far as I know. Might be some differences in the dates, etc, but it's a good general reference.

The ones with the full 'C' ring receiver cut usually demand the most money from a knowledgable buyer. That and factory drilled and tapped over an after market job. The caliber is probably the most common so no extra can be tagged for that,,that's not to say it isn't a good one though.
Most buyers like the later side mounted safety for ease of scope mounting. The earlier military type even with a lo-scope safety lever is not as popular.
The actions were used by many firms through the 50's and 60's,,Browning included.

Do a search for FN Supreme mauser' and you'll probably get some better idea of values on old auctions. Many non-'supreme' model rifles are listed as such in the auctions, so it's a good way to find them.

The 'FN' marked receiver ring is a selling point in itself. Alot of custom makers look for them just for the action or barreled action.

I saw one in 30-06 recently sell for $550.00. Nice unaltered condition. FN butt plate. no scope, but D&T'd at the factory for mounts. Factory bolt shroud (military style) safety. Nice rifles ..
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FN “Commercial” Action/Rifle Production Changes

The following are highlights of FN commercial post WWII action production changes as they increasingly departed in features from their military brethren. .

1. Introduction in 1946 of a sporting model action. Principal modification of the military action limited to bolt handle redesign. This introduced the sweeping low scope bolt configuration that would become a signature element of the commercial line.

2. Approximately1948, significant modifications consisting of: elimination of the ‘thumb cut’ to facilitate a strengthened solid left receiver wall, elimination of elevated receiver bridge and clip loading recess, low scope safety more often incorporated on models designated for the U.S. market. “Chrome Vanadium Steel” barrel markings routinely appeared.

3. Approximately 1950, engineering modification of the so-called ‘full C’ inner receiver ring. The inner ring against which the barrel abuts was altered from a single cut necessary to accommodate the long mauser extractor, to include a second non functional cut. The modification was made for production simplification. Technically the receiver strength was slightly compromised. The practical effect was nil. It is my belief that this change was all FN mauser action production, sporting and military.

4. Early nineteen fifties: A transitioning period during which receivers were routinely tapped for telescopic sight mounts and corresponding low scope safeties always supplied. The FN logo atop the receiver ring was slowly phased out.

5. Mid nineteen fifties. Introduction of the FN Mauser “Supreme” action which incorporated a redesigned cocking piece housing and side safety lever. Their standard FN mauser action continued also to be offered for some years as a less expensive alternative..

This constituted the principal market wide course of FN mauser product development of their long extractor mauser action. One caveat in interpreting production changes. The ‘newest’ of these rifles are now fortyish years old. Manufacturer component substitutions, special orders, repairs and customizations may be erroneously misinterpreted as standard product-wide production features.

Throughout production, these FN mauser military and commercial actions stood second to none in their markets.

I have a JCHiggins FN commercial Mauser M-50 (1950 manuf.). I have seached the internet, and did research in many different books. The price that I got is $250-$300. I paid $225.

Very nice rifle with 2.5X scope in .30-06 Spr., shoots cloverleaf groups at 100 yds.......It's a keeper!!!! Bob

I wish I could find one for the prices I'm seeing here, they are very nice rifles. The last three I have seen were two .30-06s which sold for $800 and $850, and a .284 Winchester which went for $950. This was a few years ago too.

My mistake, when I first read the post "Browning FN Mauser" was what popped into my mind. The prices I mentioned were for such rifles. There were several other makes of commercial Mausers, some mentioned in this thread, that do not command such prices. They are still great rifles though!

Not much of a market over the counter for rifles like that around here (NY). The small areas where deer hunting is now allowed with rifles (was always shotgun w/slug before a couple of years ago) is done with newer equiptment generally and smaller calibers.

Nobody seems to want the classic stuff unless it's a real collectable, rare or you give it away. They buy the package deal at Dicks or use their varmit guns,,.223,,22-250,,alot of AR types out and about.
I let my brother borrow a Mannlicher Schoenauer this past season the the youngsters didn't even know what it was.

I think the seller of the $550 rifle could have done better on the net with his but didn't want to bother. Most locals looked at it as too heavy a caliber for woods hunting white tail (?) and it didn't have a scope (extra expense). For some reason,,they just gotta have a 'scope..The iron sites on that rifle were fine as far as I was concerned.

I would have been interested if it was pre-war,,but that price sure would have been alot more!

My very first attempt to build a custom rifle was using a FN Supreme Mauser action. I put a P.O. Ackley five land and groove barrel in 6 mm in it and chambered it for .240 Page Super Pooper (look that up in your Funk and Wagnals). I made a stock from scratch in French Walnut. That was in 1959. I still have that rifle today. It is not as accurate as it once was but is still moa. It has about 5k to 6k rounds thru the barrel and has been used to take everything from prairie dogs to elk. It was factory D&T'ed. I used a one piece Buehler mount and rings to mount a Leupold 6X Mountaineer. I glass bedded it. I worked over the trigger a little and got it down to about 4 lbs. It is still in that configuration today. The scope is probably worth more to collectors than the rifle is.

Today, I use blueprinted Rem. 700 actions with which to build custom rifles. The FN Mauser Supreme is nice looking, but does not hold up to the accuracy available from the Rems. ...... Big Cholla

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info!

Since it has the FN crest on the top of the receiver ring it was originally either a complete FN rifle or a FN barreled action.
The way to tell is that the barreled actions have a date on the left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver. Nice guns, great actions.
FN provided the actions for many many companies that wanted to market their own rifle. Those did not have the FN crest on the top of the receiver ring and often had something different about them like the trigger on the JC Higgins guns or the Marlin model 455 which used a Sako trigger. Other companies would barrle and/or stock them. I have a small collection of many of those as well as a few FN's.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

I see true FN's rarely and they tend to be worn a bit but still go for $700+. They are as fine a rfile as one can buy IMO for the money. A bit heavy but beautifully made. I much prefer the original FN to Browning's import. I gave $350 for this one 5 years ago.

That's really nice. Looks like one of the step barrel ones. Safety on the bolt head or side mounted like a Remington?
The only thing I change on them is the trigger.
I have 4 FN rifles and a Sako that was made using an FN action as well as a bunch of other guns using FN actions and more using the Interarms Mark Ten action. They're my favorite. Now if I can just find a 250, 7x57 and maybe a 375 or 300 H&H. I currently have a 30-06, several 270's and a 257. Not quite as addicting as Colt's & S&W's but a close call.
It's a shame that so many of the stocks were cut for receiver sights.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Here are a couple of pictures of a first year FN Mauser in 30.06. Serial number less then 500:









The real early ones had set screws...



Sorry I don't have a full gun pictures, but these show the early barrel and action configuration, along with the early stock design...

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Dave

Me on my once-in-a-lifetime African hunt. With my .30-06 FN Mauser.

Nice pics. Thanks.
I haven't seen one of the commercial FN's with the cut out in the side before. My 30-06 has a number under 800 but isn't like yours in that regard. No set screws either.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

This can go any direction. I also have a custom .270 heavy barrel varment or target? with the mauser supreem action. I suppose it depends on the gunsmith, the quality wood etc. Here is mine, done by a old time gunsmith HW Creighton.

These are great rifles, I'm glad the one I initially inquired about has found a good home with a forum member.

ive seen these offered for sale in PRK for 400-700 in the last couple of years depending on condition. [i've only seen 30-06 or 270. The action alone would fetch $300 as a basis for a great custom.