rdm1962 Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 This weekend is the largest local gun show. I went looking for a Mosin Nagant for a future project. I also took a all matching 1944 #4 MK1 that I unbubbaed. I was in to this #4 for $275. A little to deep to sell to a dealer but it looked good and I was asking $375 and would take $325. My plan was to sell or trade the #, buy a Mosin and have some cash for current projects. I never really saw any Mosins at a price that made them a deal. One of the regular dealers liked the #4 and wanted to do a deal. We had done some business in the past so all the Bull was off the table. We traded even my #4 for a FN Luxembourg contract mauser in 30-06. This rifle is dated 1951. The paint finish is worn. The bore is shiny with strong rifling. I will need to get it to the range and see how it shoots. Long term this may become a 1950's style sporter. I have a vintage Weaver K4 and Redfield 3x9. Go with a model 70 style safety and a light Maple stock. I have several other projects going so I have time to think it through. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 I found some interesting info regarding your rifle on page 48 of Mauser Military Rifles of the World 4th edition. Your rifle seems to be a Army, Fusil Mle 1924 short rifle. Not to be confused with the M1924 intermeadiate action. The L is for Leupold, king of Belgium, who died in 1951, not Luxembourg. The ABL means Belgian Army in french and flemish (Armee Belge/Belgisch Leger) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted April 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 I pulled it out of the stock this week. There is still cosmaline under the wood. The "paint" finish is really good. It is chipped on the exposed areas but looks new under the wood. I am going to get it to the range this weekend and see how it shoots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank46 Posted April 8, 2011 Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Just a thought, I had one of these some years back and was an excellent shooter. Having said that you just may find that your is too and we all know what that means. Back to the search for another rifle for your project. Have fun, Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted April 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 Just a thought, I had one of these some years back and was an excellent shooter. Having said that you just may find that your is too and we all know what that means. Back to the search for another rifle for your project. Have fun, Frank I hope you are rite. Always looking for a halfass reason to buy a new gun. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff H Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I hope you are rite. Always looking for a halfass reason to buy a new gun. Ralph I got lucky. Mine was a Columbian from when they were plentiful and no one thought twice about sporterizing them. My Dad had a .257 take-off barrel he found sitting in the corner of a gun shop years ago and he put the two together for my first custom Mauser/first "real rifle." I know the action is older than I am for certain, but he believes the barrel may be too. For how well it shoots, I can't understand why someone would have taken it off of something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted April 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Range report. I finally got the FN to the range. Overall not bad shooting. The only 06 I had loaded was some 150 grain FMJ's reloads for my M-1. I would call this a 3 inch or so group at 75 yards. The only issue was not all of my rounds would chamber. The bolt would close as normal on some, stiff on some and not at all on others. Looking at and measuring the fired brass the shoulder seams off. This may be nothing at all or not reamed far enough. I could have had die not full length resizing. These were loaded from a few years back and I don't remember if it was something I was testing. I will load some fresh ammo and make sure that everything is in spec. Hopefully they will chamber as desired. The rounds in the picture would not chamber. The brass is what would. On the bright side my son and I went Turkey hunting this morning. He lost interest in hunting about 4 or 5 years ago. I called for him and He shot a Jake at 6:45. Man was pumped up over it. Hopefully I will have my hunting buddy back. I couldn't get any Toms to come in for me but I don't care today was one of the best days hunting in a long while. . Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerfive Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 My eyes are far from great. Looks to me like the bullets are deeply seated and some necks are longer than the others. Is the one on the left a .270??? Tinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 These are all 06. I think they are seated deeper. Thinking about it I might have done this to get the length correct to feed in picky M-1 I had. I am going to do some fresh rounds for it and get back to the range. They were all I had at the time and really wanted to shoot it. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenden Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Grouping doesn't look too bad to me. Hell you should see me shoot open sights! I can't see the darn things anymore. Seat those bullets out there a bit and you will do fine. I figured they were for the grand, but hey when you have to shoot, you have to shoot. Nice looking gun you have. Brenden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted May 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I think I figured out why some rounds wouldn't chamber. I loaded a dummy round and put Diecem on the projectile. When chambered the rifling left marks in the diecem. The chamber has a very short "free bore". The length is 2.692 from back of cartridge to start of rifling. My other three 06's run 2.696 to 2.698. I loaded up some test loads with 165gr., 180gr. and 200gr. projectiles. I pulled the firing pin and all test loads chamber fine. I'll get it to the range this week. Maybe it will like one. Range report to follow soon. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdm1962 Posted June 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 Range report. All rounds chambered fine. The 165gr. and 200gr ran 3" groups at 50 yards. The 180s' may be the bullets for this rifle. The 4 rounds are within an inch. The 1 flyer at 1 1/2 above the group that I called when I pulled the trigger. This is with issue sights and trigger. This gun may work out as my "retro" sporter build. I just have to finish the other 2 projects on my bench. Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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