- Thread starter Bibskid
- Start date
It's not an FN model 30 like Wikipedia says? 
I wish I knew. I've taken it a couple places and gunsmiths acted like I was waisting their time. I just bought a bolt for it. It fit but 1/4 inch or so short. No caliber stamped anywhere. Just Bulgarian made for Venezuela is all I'm gathering. It was great grandpa's gun. And come h*** or high water I want to hunt with it. Any information you can find is awesome.
Attachments
Herstal, Belgium.
If there's no stampings on the barrel, and without better pictures to tell if it's the original barrel, there's no way to know without a chamber casting. Unlikely it's 7.62x39
It's not an FN model 30 like Wikipedia says?
FUERZAB ARMADAS
DE VENEZUELA is one stamp on receiver and
FAB. D'ARMES DE BELGIQUE BOTH ON LEFT SIDE OF GUN....THEN A CROWN WITH E above LG. The bolt under ring has a C stamped in it. The only other stamped number is ser. number both barrel n receiver numbers match.
DE VENEZUELA is one stamp on receiver and
FAB. D'ARMES DE BELGIQUE BOTH ON LEFT SIDE OF GUN....THEN A CROWN WITH E above LG. The bolt under ring has a C stamped in it. The only other stamped number is ser. number both barrel n receiver numbers match.
There’s no telling exactly from your pictures, but it’s likely chambered in the original 7mm Mauser that these rifles were chambered in originally for Venezuela.
There are guys on here that know much more about vintage rifles and maybe some of them will chime in.
In the meantime, do some searches on Venezuelan FN 1930 history. There’s plenty of info out there about them.
Oh, and find yourself a gunsmith that knows something about mausers.
There are guys on here that know much more about vintage rifles and maybe some of them will chime in.
In the meantime, do some searches on Venezuelan FN 1930 history. There’s plenty of info out there about them.
Oh, and find yourself a gunsmith that knows something about mausers.
Venezuelan 1930 contract rifles were typically chambered in 7mm Mauser.
You would have better luck getting good info on this in the Vintage sub-forum.
He says "8mm" in the video, the only reason I said so. lol (7.92x57)
That is a FN made Belgian mauser for the Venezuelan contract.
Almost certainly still in 7x57 Mauser as the barrel appears to have the original Liege proof marks on it.
It appears to have been reblued and drilled and tapped for a scope, which is a shame as they are pretty scarce mausers.
Almost certainly still in 7x57 Mauser as the barrel appears to have the original Liege proof marks on it.
It appears to have been reblued and drilled and tapped for a scope, which is a shame as they are pretty scarce mausers.
That's the crest. Barrel has same number as receiver
Thank You so much. Numbers on barrel and receiver match. Yes it is a shame. Wasn't done as good as could been. All I need is a bolt. Handle snapped off this one. You don't know how long I've been fishing for this information. I had to reblue the gun before rust got worse. With holes drilled in it. Makes it ugly. Thank you again so much.
Does it have model number? 24 or 30 or no lol
If you have the parts from the original bolt it might be repairable. Guessing whoever turned it down when sporterizing it did something wrong.
I have old bolt. No handle for it. I can weld but gun parts are different from stock cars. Have a wire feed welder.
I agree, but it sounds like he needs a handle to weld on to the bolt body.
My bad. I should have suggested that you contact a moderator and request that or be moved, but that sounded like a lot of trouble for a new guy. I didn’t mean to get you in hot water.
I honestly don’t know if this will work, but if it were me, I’d call these guys and talk to them. Worst case, you could cut the handle off and use it for your rifle. Since there’s no way that your rifle will have collector value now anyway, anything you do to make it fire and look okay isn’t a bad idea.
www.sarcoinc.com
FN Mauser Belgian Bolts
www.sarcoinc.com Yeah, I missed that.
Here is what you need, OP.
Replacement Bolt Handle Blanks, Rifle Bolt Handles for Sale | Numrich
Need a replacement bolt handle blank for your latest gunsmithing project? Browse the selection from Numrich Gun Parts today.
www.gunpartscorp.com If you don't know how to heat sink your bolt, do some reading. There are several effective solutions.
Duh! I forgot about Numrich Arms.Yeah, I missed that.
Here is what you need, OP.
Replacement Bolt Handle Blanks, Rifle Bolt Handles for Sale | Numrich
Need a replacement bolt handle blank for your latest gunsmithing project? Browse the selection from Numrich Gun Parts today.
If you don't know how to heat sink your bolt, do some reading. There are several effective solutions.
If you can access a lathe turn a handle from stock, leave the end square and fill the gap with your mig welder, make sure it penetrates through the internal corner, submerge in water during welding to prevent affecting the critical areas(bolt lugs and safety lug)
That's where I'm returning the wrong bolt too. I thought about welding a blank on it. If comes to that. I thank you for the kindness lol. And thanks for advice. It is a cheap fast fix. If bolt I returned wasn't $60 I'd might have cut it up.
Did you take a look at the link I attached? $5 for a bolt that you can cut and paste. I Didn’t expect that you’d want to spend a bunch making the thing primo, more just wanting to make it workable to shoot at deer.
Making things work with what you have on hand or can get for folding money.
Making things work with what you have on hand or can get for folding money.
Numrich
Jack first gun parts
Ahlmans
If you can't find it at those three, good luck ever finding it.
Apex gun parts is another that is good for surplus but their prices are kinda high.
Jack first gun parts
Ahlmans
If you can't find it at those three, good luck ever finding it.
Apex gun parts is another that is good for surplus but their prices are kinda high.
See if Mark Novak will work on it...
That man has some serious skills and knowledge on old milsurp.
If nothing else watch his video on chamber casting so you can figure out what it actually is before you just go stuffing ammo in it.
That man has some serious skills and knowledge on old milsurp.
If nothing else watch his video on chamber casting so you can figure out what it actually is before you just go stuffing ammo in it.
The vintage rifle thread had very little info. Nothing about a broken handle, just wanted caliber and possibly a new bolt.
For the record, @RTH1800 is one of the least "full of shit" members on the entire board. Along with a bunch of those other guys in that thread.
Well, the comment where he stated that it would take the OP 3 to 5 grand to fix his rifle was stupid.
See my 6 dollar fix posted above.
See my 6 dollar fix posted above.
Go back and read what he said based on the information presented in that thread and only that thread.
Now think about this: what happens if Mauser owner fixes the bolt handle for 6 dollars and the rifle found in the barn rafters doesn't headspace right, won't feed consistently, won't shoot because the barrel is shot out etc? He still needs a chamber mold to find out caliber, sights, mount, scope(?), ammo, and so on
Rth1800 gave the advice he did because this can go way beyond a bolt handle. And he's already been there and done that.
You don't seem to know much about this subject if you believe that bullshit about money posted above and that little list of worries you listed is laughable . Experience is the best teacher .
Have you tried gunboards.com or milsurps.com? I generally find gunboards to be a bit more active, but both are good places.
One thing I will say is they are old girls, and you should really do as much as a check over as possible, remove all the wood, and check her over, you don't want this. Some think it at one time was a lamp, and the extra hole was for the power cord, but there is really no telling.
These are grand old ladies, and you really need to go slow with them.
I agree it is likely 7.65x53 however could also be 7x57, as well as about anything else in that basic size range, not uncommon at all for them to be made into who knows what. A long time has passed, and at the time turning rifles like this into common US available ammo was something that happened A LOT.
Post some good pics over on those web sites and I bet you will have some good answers.
One thing I will say is they are old girls, and you should really do as much as a check over as possible, remove all the wood, and check her over, you don't want this. Some think it at one time was a lamp, and the extra hole was for the power cord, but there is really no telling.
These are grand old ladies, and you really need to go slow with them.
I agree it is likely 7.65x53 however could also be 7x57, as well as about anything else in that basic size range, not uncommon at all for them to be made into who knows what. A long time has passed, and at the time turning rifles like this into common US available ammo was something that happened A LOT.
Post some good pics over on those web sites and I bet you will have some good answers.
I wanted to add one more thing, give her a good look over for any kind of marks. If your grandfather used it as a hunting rifle it could have been "made pretty".
I hate the term "as issued" but I do think my Chilean is about as close as you can get. Over 100 years old and she still looks this good, she turns heads where ever she goes.
It could have just as easy been used like this one. This one belonged to my father in law and his brother. The story he tells is the usual 1950's bought it out of a barrel at the hardware store, and they bought the krag because they could not afford the $25 for the springfield.
These people back then are typical old country boys from Tenn. A family of like 8 kids, and they used this rifle to poach deer, yup, poach. Had to feed the family and this is how they did it.
They did make that krag pretty however......but I guess really eye of the beholder kind of thing.
Point of all this is....well aside from showing off pics of a pretty and not so pretty rifle....is to say there is a great deal that could have happened in its life, you really want to be as sure as you can as to the safety of shooting that rifle.
I hate the term "as issued" but I do think my Chilean is about as close as you can get. Over 100 years old and she still looks this good, she turns heads where ever she goes.
It could have just as easy been used like this one. This one belonged to my father in law and his brother. The story he tells is the usual 1950's bought it out of a barrel at the hardware store, and they bought the krag because they could not afford the $25 for the springfield.
These people back then are typical old country boys from Tenn. A family of like 8 kids, and they used this rifle to poach deer, yup, poach. Had to feed the family and this is how they did it.
They did make that krag pretty however......but I guess really eye of the beholder kind of thing.
Point of all this is....well aside from showing off pics of a pretty and not so pretty rifle....is to say there is a great deal that could have happened in its life, you really want to be as sure as you can as to the safety of shooting that rifle.
My point was working on Mauser rifles adds up quickly. Few things on the rifle that cannot be tweaked, changed, improved etc. It’s an expensive rabbit hole.
Been there dozens of times. Nothing wrong with it but it gets expensive FAST!
Been there dozens of times. Nothing wrong with it but it gets expensive FAST!
