Today at RIA, a quick look at a pair of FN-49s – one Venezuelan pattern in 7x57mm, and one Argentine Navy model in 7.62mm NATO using detachable mags (the only variant of FN-49 to do so).
Bolt Action Rifles
Adventures in Surplus: Chromed Argentine 1891 Parade Rifle
When I got this Model 1891 Argentine rifle, I assumed it was the unfortunately result of someone’s experimenting with chrome plating parts. All the small parts are chromed and then heavily worn, while the barrel […]
Semiauto Rifles
Venezuelan FN49: The First FN49 Contract
Venezuela was the First Nation to purchase the FN-49 rifle, before even the Belgian military. In fact, the Venezuelan contract was signed in 1948, before the “FN-49” designation was even in place. Venezuela bought a […]
Semiauto pistol
Slow Motion: Steyr-Mannlicher M1905
The 1905 Steyr-Mannlicher was developed by Ferdinand Mannlicher, one of Europe’s most prolific gun designers. It uses the 7.65mm Mannlicher cartridge, which is roughly equivalent to .32 ACP, with a 10-round fixed internal magazine. The […]
One of those guns I have wanted for years an FN-49 in 7×57. I have handled one but never shot it. The owner at the time also had at least one MAS-49.
For me the Indonesian example is even mor interesting:
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1034/744/indonesian-contract-fabrique-nationale-model-1949-rifle
that was cool! MORE!
I owned a Venezuelan Fn 49 7mm long ago. Finest rifle I have ever fired. Wonderful to shoot.
Own one now, FN-49. Venezuelan Sniper version. Nice shooter. But need to remember to turn the valve at the end to semi from single (grenade launcher mode, I’m thinking).
Thought it was odd they did not disable that feature. What sniper needs to launch rifle grenades?
Definitely threw me for a loop the first time I shot it (wtf? why won’t it cycle).
I think your weapon was probably modified from a standard production item, not custom-built at the factory as a sniper rifle.
To tell the truth, I am not sure. All the details were correct on it, in terms of equipment and markings, it is all good.
7mm, very nice shooter. Manageable recoil.
You wish that NATO had adopted a softer shooting 7mm cartridge instead of 7.62mm? You mean like the 7mm cartridge developed by the British which the rest of NATO wanted but which the Americans refused to accept and insisted on their own 7.62mm? Imagine that!
To top it off, the 7mm British cartridge had a much better ballistic profile and so outperformed 7.62mm at long range in terms of kinetic energy. That means that it would have been a better machine gun and marksman cartridge as well. Even if NATO still eventually went to something 5.56mm for rifles anyway, we would still have a better machine gun and marksman cartridge today.
This is probably the biggest “what might have been” decisions in small arms technology in the period since WWII.
What I’d give to see an AR10 in 280 British. An AUG in 280 would be the logical manifestation of the EM project too.
Oh well, its nice to dream.
“(…)7mm cartridge developed by the British which the rest of NATO wanted but which the Americans refused to accept and insisted on their own 7.62mm? Imagine that!(…)
Interestingly in Venezuela FAL firing 7×49 FN Venezolano cartridge:
http://municion.org/7×49/7×49.htm
was adopted.
“(…)would have been a better machine gun(…)”
Prototype machine gun for firing it was build, see 2nd photo from top:
https://armourersbench.com/2017/09/17/x11-belt-fed-bren-derivative/
An FN-49 reproduction strikes me as something that would sell.
In which caliber?
For some reason, I’d like one in 7×57.
I have the Luxembourg 30-06 version. Makes my Garand jealous when I shoot it, but it’s SO nice to shoot. Kind of like how the Garand should/could have been changed, if they had had the time and lack of pressure from a war to allow them to do so. I can imagine the 7 mm version is a sweet shooter as well.