Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Mausers and Military Rifles How is a "Mauser 98" different from an "FN Mauser" action?

Please educate me. I have come across threads over the years about "Mauser 98-actioned rifles", and "FN Mauser 98-actioned rifles."

Sometimes, a poster will reply something to the effect of "A Mauser 98 is not the same as an FN Mauser.." ( or visa versa).

Ok Mauser 98 or FN bolt experts, what is the difference between the two actions?

Thanks.

FN (Fabrique Nationale) was one of several factories that produced Mauser-designed rifles. I believe FN was actually located in Belgium, not Germany, like Orberndorf and a few other factories. The "Model of 1898" was the rifle that was the result of upgrading several earlier designs by Peter and Paul Mauser. Their designs went back to the black powder days and included models like the 1894, 95, and 96 models which were used by Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and several South American countries. These pre-98 designs are collectively known as "small-ring Mausers, and they don't have the characteristic large receiver ring. Most of them are also "cock on closing" design where the firing pin spring is compressed by pushing the bolt forward as the cartridge is chambered. 98 actions compress the spring as the bolt handle is lifted after firing. Up until the 98 action came about, the small ring Mauser was probably one of the most advanced design bolt actions the world had ever seen. Some gun makers like Bill Ruger, for instance, considered the 98 to be "over-engineered". He chose to use a slightly modified small ring Mauser design when he produced his Model 77 bolt action rifle.
Jerry

Yes, they are over engineered.... They're German!!!!
Bill knew what to base the 77 on.
I've always said the newest Ruger 77's are the modern day American Mauser.
Great explanation Hotrod.....

FN was set up in Herstal, Belgium, to build Mauser-actioned military rifles, initially the 1889 Model. They built large numbers of them for various military contracts, and this included rifles on the 1898 action, the same action built in Germany. Indeed Mauser 98-actioned rifles have been built in quite a number of factories in a number of countries.

These FN Mauser 98 actions are of the same design as those built at Oberndorf, and have a reputation for being well made.

Post WWII, FN brought out a line of commercial actions, which are somewhat different to the military 98. For starters they don't have clip slots and thumb cut-out for loading via stripper clips, and they also had such things as single-stage triggers and side safety catches and other refinements for sporting use.

The thing that tends to get debates happening is a further change FN made, a little later, which was to slot the collar inside the receiver ring on both sides. The original design is only slotted on the right (seen from the rear) to allow the extractor to go through. FN changed the design to also slot on the other side to simplify the machining for the left side locking lug raceway. This is only found on post WWII commercial actions. Earlier FN actions don't have this. Many consider it undesirable.

The M 98 Mauser is basically a design, just as the AK 47 and 1911 Colt are designs.
They have, and still are, being built by a multitude of companies, each with minor variations. Some improvements, some not so much.

I'm no expert but I know that there are some minor variations in the 98 in regards to "ring" and "shank" dimensions so aren't always compatible.

Some of the differences between various 98s are of little significance until you go to customize them in various ways, scope mounts, new barrels, stocks, etc. For example, a military action may still have the stripper clip "bump", even when drilled and tapped, which takes a different rear base than one that's been ground or a commercial action. Some, like my F.I. imported FN weren't drilled at the factory or drilled with a different spacing than later ones. Military and commercial actions with 3-position wing safeties use a different method of bolt takedown than ones with 2-position ones or ones with side safeties.

One thing I ran afoul of was when I ordered a B&C stock for my 1948 FN. I ordered a stock for FNs and Zastavas with hinged floorplates, and had to grind out a section to fit the plunger assembly for my rifle's slide-off Floorplate.

Easiest way to a Mauser Sporter is via a commercial action with the major alterations taken care of by the factory. Time is money, big money these days, and the bargain-priced military rifles used in the old days are seldom to be found. Doesn't take long at $100 or more an hour to get into serious labor costs. Lots of FNs and the like need only a new trigger (maybe), or safety, possibly refinishing, and new stocks to make great hunting rifles.

I stumbled into an all original, well used ‘06 JC Higgins Model 50 a couple years ago. Wiped it down, Warne bases & rings (factory d&t) and a M8 4X and it’s good to go. Just about perfect.

Posted a pic of the gun in Image Gallery.

I've had a couple of those; the last belongs to my son now. Always been good shooters, and the wacky triggers never gave me trouble, but I can see why people change them as they remind me of a No.4 SMLE.

While the vast majority of 98s are large ring/large thread, there can be variations.
The link might be able to answer your question....

http://www.hoosiergunworks.com/catalog/mauser_reference.html

Nice rifle.

Yeah, those are hard to beat, can sometimes be picked up on the cheap.

DF

Those old JC Higgins and Montgomery Wards rifles with FN actions have always been great buys. I have used them as a basis for a number of very classy rifles and have accrued quite a few because every time I look one of the newly made custom M98 actions and see the price, I buy a couple more $200 JC Higgins.

Where are you finding $200 JC Higgins?

I say he's thinking back when.

I'd buy a truck load at $200 today. But, they can be had in the $450-500 range, still a bargain.

DF

Oh, $200 and $250 Higgins etc are out there but not to be found at the usual online places. I've seen some in the last few months, but ya gotta do some legwork.

Pure luck...

I'm game for one at that price.

DF

Yes they are, I bought another nice one last fall for $225 that has a 1948 C ring FN action
And passed on one in an AZ pawn shop for $200 simply due to the hassle of transporting it.

Nice score.

Got two, enough for me, but then I also have a couple of sons and grandkids. Everyone oughta have at least one good rifle. Besides, I enjoy the hunt! Just bought a very nice old 20 gauge Ithaca Deerslayer, just because it got in my way. Lots of new stuff works very well, but there's just something about all that finely-machined steel.....

Good deal.

A good, solid FN action should be worth $450 or so.

Didn't Hi Standard fit those barrels? Heard somewhere that they were chrome lined and reportedly they shot pretty well.

Those may be the sleeper deals of all times.

DF