FN 49 problems in Military Semi-autos Forum

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FN 49 problems

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rko001	FN 49 problems	Lead	[-]
Posts: 42 Nov 13 12 1:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Years ago I bought an Egyptian FN49. To date, I've had two catastrophic failures. Fixed the first one, cost me more than I paid for it. Took it to the range, after 4 rounds downrange, Kaboom. I haven't repaired it yet. I did take it to a gunsmith early this year for an estimate. His report was it wasn't 8mm barrel but a 7mm. (?) Also, said the action was bent and not repairable. I find this hard to believe but haven't taken it for a second opinion. I do know the mag has bulged but doubt the action is actually bent. Anyone have similar experience with an 8mm FN49? BTW, very exciting rifle to shoot!
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eb in oregon		#1	[-]
Posts: 2480 Nov 13 12 8:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Let me see if I understand what you're saying. This rifle "blew up" and you had it repaired. After repair, you took it to the range, and after four (4) rounds it again "blew up." After which you took it to another gunsmith who told you it was toast, and that it had a 7mm barrel, not a 8x57mm barrel as you thought. If this is correct, you need to have a serious talk with the guy who "fixed" it the first time and ask him if he had installed a different caliber barrel, or even if he checked the new barrel for caliber. If he did change the barrel, and put on a 7mm barrel, and NOT tell you, he is liable. Second, it doesn't take much to ruin a receiver, and it doesn't take much to warp one either. Especially if it has been the receipent of two catastrophic failures. I find it hard to believe that an 8x57mm round would even fit in a 7mm chambered barrel, but I haven't seen the rifle so I can't say. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776 Last Edited By: eb in oregon Nov 16 12 9:14 AM. Edited 2 times.
rko001	thanks Eb	#2	[-]
Posts: 42 Nov 16 12 2:00 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The first gunsmith is long out of business, Katrina got him. Guess I'll just keep the FN for any miscellaneous parts that might be useful if I can find another FN49 8mm.....er, 7mm? Like I said, it was an exciting rifle to shoot. Glad I had safety glasses on. brass, gas and who knows what else came blowing right back at me. Stock split completely in half, magazine blew out, bolt ended up sticking out at right angle to receiver, etc. Very exciting, certainly got the attention of the range officer....and me!
BobM14		#3	[-]
Posts: 2549 Nov 16 12 4:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	You were very lucky. Sounds like a good lesson in knowing your weapon. The average shooter will no doubt have to defer to a gunsmith for some of the more technical bits, but every avid shooter should know as much as possible about the mechanics and care of their weapons. Not only for the good of the weapon, but for the safety of the shooter. If it was erroneously barreled with a 7mm barrel, YOU should be aware of the difference too, if the obvious bore differential isn't clear, then even the simplest observation by inserting a round into the muzzle to check should tell you. The gunsmith should have his day in court, but you most certainly "dodged a bullet", or more to the point, a "bolt".
rko001	Gonna give it another try.......	#4	[-]
Posts: 42 Feb 16 13 6:44 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I found another FN49 8mm at a gunshow this past weekend. Am not going to shoot this one until I have examined every single piece and verify it is 8mm. Has the proper stamp on the receiver but apparently that doesn't mean anything. Will try to find a knowledgeable gunsmith in the area (anyone know of one in the Front Royal, Va area?) I'll start by looking for all the info I can find on the internet, this forum is usually the best source of everything related to milsurps and this is where I start. The bayonet from my last FN49 fit, don't know if that's a good or bad sign. I am hoping this rifle will not be as exciting to shoot as the last. BTW, this one cost 3x what the last one did, there's no fool like an old fool.
NC Cruffler		#5	[-]
Posts: 672 Feb 16 13 6:04 PM active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Numero uno: Do not shoot commercial 8mm ammo in the FN49. Use military surplus 198 grain ball ammo only. Nunero dos: Take off the handguard and open the gas sleeve to vent most of the gas. load and fire a single cartridge. Gradually repeat closing the gas sleeve a little at a time until the firing of a round locks the bolt back on an empty magazine. Numero tres: If you change ammunition you must reset the gas pressure to match the new round. Numero quatro: Read this: http://stevespages.com/pdf/fn_fn49.pdf Dave Green, NRA Benefactor Member
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rko001		#6	[-]
Posts: 42 Feb 16 13 9:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That's great info. Will do, thanks much. Why the ban on commercial ammo, I thought that was a lighter load that milsurp? that's a great link too, btw. Russ
xlerb		#7	[-]
Posts: 57 Mar 16 13 8:39 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Commercial ammo has a softer primer than the military rounds. Couple that with the fact that the Egyptian contract '49s didn't have the firing pin safety fitted and you get a situation where when the bolt travels forward the firing pin can strike the soft primer hard enough to set it off before the bolt locks into place. Even worse if the bolt has the original 1-piece firing pin. The book "The FN49 - The Rifle That Ran Out of Time" by R. Blake Stevens has a good description of the issue on pages 116-117. So for Egyptian '49s I'd add a couple items to the list: Numero cinco: Replace the bolt with one where the firing pin safety stop is fitted - and have it headspaced of course. Numery seis: Ensure that a 2-piece firing pin is fitted. I don't know that this is the issue you had, but from the symptoms it sure sounds possible. If so I agree with the previous commentor you were lucky . Xlerb "You don't have to know all the answers; you just need to know the next right step and do it." - Mara
dutchmills		#8	[-]
Posts: 1228 Mar 18 13 5:46 PM Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	and dont forget to dis-assemble and clean the firing pin, i forgot to do that one time, pin rusted in the forward position and ....bang! slam fire! lucky for me i had loaded only one round in the magazine. I am very carefull about cleaning now! wait? wrong rifle, that happened to a Hakim, not my fn-49, still, carefull cleaning is needed. DM
NC Cruffler		#9	[-]
Posts: 672 Mar 24 13 8:11 AM active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The main issue using commercial ammunition is that the powder burn rate may be wrong for the gas system on the rifle. I've seen photos of actions blown to smitherines after using the wrong ammunition. Dave Green, NRA Benefactor Member
bigbill.theswissriflesd...		#10	[-]
Posts: 96 May 16 13 10:34 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Check the headspace and the bore diameter before you shoot any military surplus weapon. Now you guys say you don't? I had a very bad gut feeling about a MAS36 I purchased from century arms. It was converted to 308 by them. I ordered the field headspace gauge for it and it failed badley. I then ordered all the headspace gauges for all my surplus guns. Having an accident wasn't worth the cost of not havinv at least the set of field gauges. It could save your life and limb.
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