Luxembourg Contract FN49

[Phosphorus32]

A couple of auction wins arrived today, one of which was this FN49, marked AL for Armee Luxembourg and chambered in .30-06.

There were 6203 FN49s made for the Luxembourg contract. Numbering started at 1001 and went through 5000 for the semiauto SAFN49s, 5001-7000 for the select fire AFN49s and 203 SAFN49 sniper rifles closed out the contract.

Mine is a former AFN49 converted to semiauto. The dimple and missing wood around the trigger guard in the stock, the cross bolt in the stock, and of course the serial number all indicates this was originally select fire. These were imported prior to the 1968 GCA and its "once a full auto, always a full auto" language. The conversion was done by the importer and approved for sale as semi-auto prior to 1968, then grandfathered in when the GCA passed.

I believe, based on the one date stamp "2" that I found inside the receiver, this was made in 1952. It was inspected by Martin Luyten (Z topped by a star), who served as an FN inspector from 1952-68.

All numbers match and it's in very good condition, though it certainly saw some use and firing. Enjoy the pictures!

AFN vs. SAFN Stock: the extra inletting for the selector switch in the Lux vs. the Egyptian is shown in the two pics below:

AFN (Luxembourg)


SAFN (Egypt)





























1952 date stamp


SERIAL NUMBERS







Martin Luyten's "Z" Inspector Mark

[Greasemonkey]

Your so Luxy...I mean lucky.. thats one sexy F'in FN

I don't like you at the moment. 

And I dig the nut hulls under the bayonet lug..


Did I mention...I don't like you..

[MxwllBkr]

  seriously sweet Rifle.......  I LOVE the look of these things

[Phosphorus32]

Your so Luxy...I mean lucky.. thats one sexy F'in FN

I don't like you at the moment. 

And I dig the nut hulls under the bayonet lug..


Did I mention...I don't like you..

Thanks! 

yeah, I think you did mention you don't like me.

Those nectarine pits complement the walnut, don't you think   

[Phosphorus32]

seriously sweet Rifle.......  I LOVE the look of these things

Thanks!  I agree, they're really well built, and beautiful.

[running-man]

I'm jealous right beside GM!  Beautiful gun Jon!

My first milsurp was an Egyptian SAFN 49. Love that gun, still my favorite out of anything I own.  Last true battle rifle from the pre-cold war era in my book.

Was she reasonably priced?  Used to be these ran $700 and the 8mm and 7mm varieties were in the $350 to $400 range.  Heck even the Argentine conversions with the 20 round detachable mags were $1200 not 10 years ago.  Ahh the good old days!

[Phosphorus32]

I'm jealous right beside GM!  Beautiful gun Jon!

My first milsurp was an Egyptian SAFN 49. Love that gun, still my favorite out of anything I own.  Last true battle rifle from the pre-cold war era in my book.

Was she reasonably priced?  Used to be these ran $700 and the 8mm and 7mm varieties were in the $350 to $400 range.  Heck even the Argentine conversions with the 20 round detachable mags were $1200 not 10 years ago.  Ahh the good old days!

Thanks Joe!  Yup, it was reasonably priced but not in the "10 years ago" price range. After all those prices are approximately one decade out of date  I was at the very low end of the current $1000-1500 range for the ALs and was a bit surprised that my bid won. One of those set my bid and walk away items.

[running-man]

Ya, you stole that one for as nice as it looks.  Are you going to take her to the range?  You could take a Garand, 1917, 1903 and this SAFN and only have to take a single caliber!   

[Phosphorus32]

Ya, you stole that one for as nice as it looks.  Are you going to take her to the range?  You could take a Garand, 1917, 1903 and this SAFN and only have to take a single caliber!   

Yup, I'll shoot it. It's in good shape, but certainly not unfired, or without dings, and besides .30-06 is one of my favorite rounds to shoot  I broke the gas system down and it was quite dirty but it didn't show much wear and it cleaned up to near new. Everything is so well made on these. The bore is beautiful. 

That's a good list. I could add my Norwegian K98k F1 conversion and the Madsen (still haven't shot that one) to the list  Wish I would have bought more of those HXP spam cans when CMP had them 

[Greasemonkey]

You ain't shot the Madsen... tha Fffff.... is wrong with you 

To be fair... I've shot one of them, havent shot the other..     You gotta try it... great sight setup and the muzzle brake works..

[running-man]

Wish I would have bought more of those HXP spam cans when CMP had them 

You and me both man!  Ahh well, I'm sure something else will show up at CMP. 

[Phosphorus32]

You ain't shot the Madsen... tha Fffff.... is wrong with you 

To be fair... I've shot one of them, havent shot the other..     You gotta try it... great sight setup and the muzzle brake works..

Yeah, that's the problem with pristine, or nearly so (it has a brass mark on the follower), condition firearms. I may shoot it one day   

[Greasemonkey]

Thats why you get 2... safe queen w/bayonet and range pounder 

[Phosphorus32]

Thats why you get 2... safe queen w/bayonet and range pounder 

You're right!     Uh, hey, wait, who invited the enabler?!   

[Greasemonkey]

Pot...meet kettle.. 

In your best Tony Montana voice..  Say hello to my sexy f'in FN..... 

Then swap over to Pitbull....

one-two-three-four
Uno-do'-tres-cuatro
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me
You know I want cha (want cha)

 

Enabler.....yup, thats P32

[martin08]

Last of the classic wood and steel designs.  Good show.

Mine is from the earlier semi-auto contract.  And I really should waste some 30-06 with it.  It just feels substantial and right.

[Phosphorus32]

Pot...meet kettle.. 

In your best Tony Montana voice..  Say hello to my sexy f'in FN..... 

Then swap over to Pitbull....

one-two-three-four
Uno-do'-tres-cuatro
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me
You know I want cha (want cha)

 

Enabler.....yup, thats P32

Yeah, okay, I suppose, maybe I'm in the same category 

[Phosphorus32]

Last of the classic wood and steel designs.  Good show.

Mine is from the earlier semi-auto contract.  And I really should waste some 30-06 with it.  It just feels substantial and right.

Agreed, and thanks!  They are stoutly built and shoulder nicely.

My only complaint (nit-picking) would be that someone at FN while in exile in the UK during WWII must have been contaminated by the British notion that black paint on military firearms is a jolly good idea.  But it's a minor detraction. That firm, warm, brown walnut makes up for it 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Great looker...  How many FNs you have now?

[Phosphorus32]

Great looker...  How many FNs you have now?

Thanks!

Semiautomatic
2 FN49s, Egyptian and Luxembourg contracts, 7.92x57 and .30-06 respectively
1 FN FAL (West German G1, South African R1 mixmaster), 7.62x51

Bolt Action
1 FN Israeli contract "K98k", 7.62x51
1 FN M1930 carbine Dutch contract overrun, sold to Syrian group perhaps, 7.92x57
1 FN M1894 Brazilian, 7x57