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1930s FN Mauser?

Son of Dorn

Castellan
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 27, 2019
2,615
3,198
Hi y'all. Help me out a little here. I'm looking at a FN Herstal Mauser 98 complete action, circa 1931 (and at one circa 1932 but the '31 looks a bit nicer IMO, price is the same). It's a military action for sure, not a commercial, but only FN markings and the date, no foreign or domestic seals/sigils/emblems. Large ring, has the thumb cutout and the stripper clip guide, straight bolt, I'm assuming it's 8mm Mauser but that's not really important as long as it'll accept a 9.3x62mm Mauser without trouble. What's the opinion on these interwar FNs compared to an interwar or pre-WWI German 98?

It's listed as "medium length Mauser design". That should mean it's the same dimensions as the standard German Gew98/Standardmodell/Kar98k, shouldn't it? By that reckoning, if I wanted to replace the bolt on it with a turned-down bolt (or at least the bolt body) from a Gew98/Kar98b or Kar98A/AZ, then I ought to be able to do that, right? Rather than having the straight bolt handle turned down or reprofiled as a "butter knife" or something.
 
If it is an FN 24 action it is an intermediate length action and is in no way interchangeable with the M98 standard length action. Bolt lengths are different length between the variants.

Measure the distance between the receiver screw holes, center to center and report back.
 
If it is an FN 24 action it is an intermediate length action and is in no way interchangeable with the M98 standard length action. Bolt lengths are different length between the variants.

Measure the distance between the receiver screw holes, center to center and report back.
Hi Dan. It was actually a couple of listings online; the seller got back to me about 20 minutes ago and said they're the FN24/intermediate length. I'm sure they're fine actions, I've heard good things about FN quality, but I'm after a Gew98/Kar98 length so I'm gonna give them a pass.
 
Other options in a standard length mauser action:
Chilean M1912, Brazilian M1908/34, VZ24, 98/22, 98/29, M1908 Brazilian,
M1909 Argentine, M24/30 Venezuelan,
M1935 Peruvian, Standard Modell, Mauser Oberndorf
 
Other options in a standard length mauser action:
Chilean M1912, Brazilian M1908/34, VZ24, 98/22, 98/29, M1908 Brazilian,
M1909 Argentine, M24/30 Venezuelan,
M1935 Peruvian, Standard Modell, Mauser Oberndorf
Gew98/Kar98/Standardmodell are the most convenient for me, being 8mm. Little-to-no changes required to convert to 9.3 Mauser and I'd like to try to have a German one just 'cause. Any standard-length 8mm should be fine, though. But I've found one I think will suffice. Appears to be an Imperial/Weimar Gew98 with a turned-down handle (or a Kar98AZ's), so it should work out fine. Gonna call about it tomorrow.
 
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@Dan M As a backup option, the Brazilian M1908 was made in Germany by Mauser/DWM, right? They're in 7mm Mauser; would a 9.3mm cartridge still fit in the magazine? I assume all I'd need to do for the bolt would be swap it for an 8mm Gew/Kar98's?
 
The M1908 Brazilian will work fine...they are superbly made. The Germans finished the export guns to a very high level. The Brazilians converted the M1908s to 30-06 post WW2. The M1909 Argentine is another superbly made receiver...if made by DWM...domestically made M1909 FMAP are not as nice.