Belgian FN 1889 Mauser
The weapon
It is about a rifle MAUSER (Belgian) model 1889, manufactured by the “Fabrique Nationale d’armes de guerre” (National Manufactory of Weapons of War of HERSTAL).
It is about a weapon with repetition of small gauge to Mauser breech and magazine of 5 cartridges in front of the trigger guard.
The barrel is surrounded by a tube sleeve out of sheet acting as hand-shield.
The rise is with small plank with steps and cursor.
This weapon was adopted the 21.10.1889 by the Belgian army
Punches
The weapon carries the punches of the "MANUFACTURE D’ARMES DE L’ETAT" (MUNITIONS MANUFACTORY OF THE STATE) street Saint Léonard to LIEGE, with knowing:
EGB on star in a vertical oval: punch of test of Manufacture.
Letter Z (read so well) in a square: punch of controller for the metal parts.
89 surmounted of an illegible marking: it could be a question of the date of manufacture of the weapon with the initial one of the controller of the State.
Markings
C5796: these weapons were numbered per series of 10.000 weapons, a letter indicates the series followed by 4 digits to the maximum. I and O were not used.
The round seal struck the wood of the stick is so to speak illegible, it contains in its center 2 interlaced L representing the King reigning at the time is LEOPOLD II.
The external ring presents the date of the year of manufacture and the initial ones of the inspector.
FABRIQUE NATIONALE HERSTAL LIEGE (with the thunder) is the mark of the company of Herstal having manufactured this weapon.
The MAUSER 1889 and derived were manufactured at HOPKINS & ALLEN, with the FABRIQUE NATIONALE D’ARMES DE GUERRE with Herstal and with the MANUFACTURE D’ARMES DE L’ETAT.
GG
