*SOLD* Fabrique Nationale (FN) 1949 7.62x51 *RARE ARGENTINE CONTRACT-ONE OF 5541*

Bryant Ridge's Analysis:

The Fabrique Nationale Model 1949, commonly known as the FN-49, SAFN, or AFN (the automatic rifle version), is an autoloading battle rifle designed by Belgian firearms designer Dieudonné Saive in 1947. It was adopted by several militaries, including those of Argentina, Belgium, the Belgian Congo, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Luxembourg, and Venezuela. The selective fire variant produced for Belgium was designated the AFN. Although the FN-49 was praised for its high build quality and reliability compared to contemporaneous rifles, its marketability suffered due to its late development; it was not ready for deployment during World War II, as many militaries were already transitioning to selective-fire battle rifles. While approximately half of the FN-49s produced were selective-fire automatic rifles, their effectiveness was hampered by a limited 10-round box magazine, which restricted the utility of the fully automatic mode. This placed the FN-49 in direct competition with more modern rifles, such as the Heckler & Koch G3 and FN's own FN FAL, ultimately leading to limited sales and adoption. Contracts for the SAFN 1949 rifle began in 1948, starting with Venezuela's first order on March 31, 1948, which was delivered exactly four months later. The last production contract for complete rifles was placed by Indonesia on December 19, 1960, with delivery occurring by February 19, 1961. Some sources suggest that pre-production models for demonstration and testing were produced in 1948, positioning the rifle for contract orders and mass production, while other accounts indicate that the rifle was trialed with the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1947. However, this did not result in a sales contract. In seeking customers, FN faced challenges; communist states were not viable options as they were obligated to purchase or develop Soviet designs. Additionally, Western European nations had extensive stocks of World War II firearms and could access American and British military aid, which was often inexpensive or provided for free. Consequently, FN shifted its marketing strategy toward non-aligned countries, which sought to avoid alignment with either Western or Soviet military doctrines, making the SAFN 1949 an appealing option for these nations. Argentina placed the eighth contract for 5,536 SAFN 1949 rifles in 7.65×53mm Argentine caliber on July 29, 1953, intended for use by the Argentine Navy, following an initial order of a single test rifle in 1948. Contrary to some speculation, FN did not contract or produce the Argentine conversion of SAFN 1949 rifles from 7.65×53mm Argentine to 7.62×51mm NATO. Although FN fulfilled a conversion order for a single rifle in March 1967, the bulk of the conversion work was carried out domestically by Metalúrgica Centro, formerly known as Fábrica de armas Halcón. This company provided each rifle with a new 7.62×51mm NATO barrel, modified the ejector, and adjusted the trigger guard to accommodate a new 20-round detachable box magazine. The converted rifles were equipped with proprietary 20-round steel magazines specifically manufactured by Metalúrgica Centro for the SAFN 1949 conversions. While these magazines were designed to share a loading charger with the FN FAL rifle used by the Argentine Army, they are not interchangeable with standard NATO stripper clips. Instead, they use chargers similar to those for the Mauser Kar-98k. Consequently, the old 7.65×53mm Argentine versions and Mauser 98 stripper clips are incompatible with the 7.62×51mm NATO standard. Still, these surplus chargers are readily available and inexpensive through various dealers.

Specifications:

• Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale D'Armes De Guerre Herstal Belgique (FN) / Argentine Navy Contract
• Model: 1949 (FN 49)
• Serial: 2550
• Caliber: 7.62 NATO (7.62x51mm)
• Finish: Blue
• Barrel Length: 23" with Attached Compensator 
• Optics/Sights: Wing Protected Dovetailed Blade Front with Aperture Tangent Rear
• Stock/Grips: Smooth Wood Stock
• Action: Semi-Automatic Rifle with Detachable Magazine
• Markings: The bottom of the barrel at the muzzle is hand-scribed “308W ARMTOS WPB FI.” The top of the receiver is marked with the Argentinean crest. The left side of the receiver is marked “ARA” (Armada Republica Argentina) in a “box,” with Belgian proofs and “FABRIQUE NATIONALE D’ARMES DE GUERRE-HERSTAL-BELGIQUE.” The front right of the receiver, the right side of the top cover, the right of the bolt, the right of the carrier, and the right side of the grip are each marked with the serial number “2550”

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