FN carabine semi-auto

Here an apparently traditional semi-automatic rifle FN in .22 Long Riffles of which nearly a half-million were produced since 1914 by the Fabrique Nationale of Herstal. Apparently because, contrary by the large majority of its colleagues, it is not dismountable!

She was most probably manufactured for the Federal Republic of Germany where the dismountable long weapons in two or several parts without tool are not authorized. The loading of the tube charger is done by the means of an opening on the right side of the stock. With origin, in 1914, this opening was located in the handle, with height of the inch.

Markings.

M under star: countermark of the controller since 1877

PV surmounted of a stylised lion: test with the smoke-free powder between 1898 and 1968

R crowned: rifled bore between 1894 and 1968

ELG in crowned oval: test between 1893 and 1968

22 long riffle smokeless: calibre.

F 49479: serial number of the weapon, according to the sources available during the year 1959. The significance of the letter F could not be given until now.

Silesia: quasi certainly the German house of importation.

Until now, we did not find trace of this not-dismountable semi-automatic rifle on Internet, but two sources, one German, and the other of Liège extremely related to the Fabrique Nationale, assure us the manufacturing “in the Sixties of the previous century” of this rifle “especially” for the Federal Republic of Germany where the legislation prohibited the long weapons being dismounted into two or several parts without tool.

GP

Remerciements à DZ et CG.

FN rifle semi-auto cal .22

Automatic rifle BROWNING (FN) of gauge 22 LR invented by J.M. BROWNING and patented by the FN Herstal seems you (Patent n° 255884 of the 14/04/1913 (see enclosure). The loading is practiced using a long tubular channel inserted in the stick and energy of the buttplate into the breech. The characteristic of this weapon is that it has a metal stick skeleton. The utility of this provision, in my opinion, is not shown.

This weapon carries the lawful punches of the proofhouse of LIEGE, namely:

ELG* in a crowned oval: final acceptance post 1893.

Peron: inspection post 1853.

C*: countermark of the controller, of use of 1877 to 1968.

PV surmounted of a stylized lion: test with the powder without smoke, of use of 1898 to 1968.

The weapon also carries the following marks:

94766: serial number.

FN in an oval: mark National Factory of Weapons of War with HERSTAL - LIEGE Belgium.

22 Long Riffle smokeless: indication of the gauge 22 LR.

Fabrique nationale d’armes de guerre HERSTAL BELGIUM (Manufacture national of weapons of war HERSTAL BELGIUM): complete mark of the FN Herstal.

BROWNING' S PATEND DEPODE (DEPOSITS): this mark indicates that the patent BROWNING is deposited. The FN had receipt the right to manufacture the majority of the weapons BROWNING of which the present rifle (right acquired on January 04, 1913). The inventor ordered 50.000 specimens of this weapon probably to resell in the USA. The FN also had acquired the right to use the patronym BROWNING as marks of factory and trade.

V/39 - G - D in a square: unknown marks. Perhaps you they are marks of factory?

Illustrations: 4 pages extracted from a catalogue of the FN of 1924.

GG

FN rifle semi-auto cal .22

See too : FN rifle .22

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