Strange "FN" stamp on FN mauser

[PrimitiveBeasty]

Just got a good deal on a .270 built on a FN commercial mauser action (didn't even know the make until I took it home - all the markings are below the wood line).

The left side of the action is marked with the letters FN inside that little oval thing, and the date, 1952, next to it.

Here is the strange bit - the F in the FN stamp is upside down. And before I looked at it close, I thought perhaps the F part of the stamp had been rotated 180 degrees. Not the case. The F has been mirrored over its bottom; that is, when viewed with the receiver right side up, the F appears as an E with the topmost horizontal line erased.

This strikes me as particularly odd, as it couldn't have been done with a regular stamp that had been used upside down. I'll try to take some pictures when I get home tonight and post them tomorrow. Just thought I might see what you guys had to say about it.

Edit: Photo added!

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/mindshards/IMGP1720.jpg

[stubshaft]

Photo's would be a great help.

[PrimitiveBeasty]

When I got my camera out to take a picture, the battery was dead :|. So the pictures will need to be postponed a day while the battery charges.

[justashooter]

whup! another chinese copy!






















just kidding. sounds like a factory production process failure. the 52 actions by FN included a series of police carbines sold to several countries, including netherlands and columbia, as well as "export model" military configuration guns not built on contract, but avaible for military sale that would have gone out with an FN inside an oval on the receiver ring. some were imported to USA as new old stock.

perhaps your gun is based on an "export gun" action and was rebuilt in the good old USA in, say, 1960, rather than being a comercial FN production sporter. the fact that it bears no left side rail Fabrique Nationale address indicates that the action may have been reworked.

[PrimitiveBeasty]

Got a picture! Edited my first post to add it, but here it is again:

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/mindshards/IMGP1720.jpg

justashooter: Here are some of the other stamps on my gun, perhaps you could tell me more about it?

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/mindshards/IMGP1723.jpg
This one has a couple marks up in the shadow you can't see clearly, I wasn't paying attention when I took the photo.

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/mindshards/IMGP1722.jpg

[405]

justashooter,
That's as good an idea about what it is as any.

All those letters and numbers are simply assembly, inspector and part numbers. But there are definitely Belgian proof marks.... PV and symbols on PrimitiveB's rifle.

Here's the markings on a "regular" post war FN sporter. The serial number is on both the receiver ring and barrel- right side.

[stubshaft]

Couold be a contract rifle made for J.C. Pennys or Sears using an FN action although I have never seen the "made in Belgium" stamped like that too.

[405]

Yes, had that thought as a possibility also. Maybe a generic barreled action for some other branded seller like Sears, etc. where the markings were under the wood on purpose. Something similar to what justashooter brought up.

[tenx]

It's absoutely no good, better send it to me for disposal.