[Gordon]

I found a beautiful Mauser actioned 30-06 , it looks 60s or 70s. It is very well turned out and has British nitro proofs. It says "Foremost" on it , the 4X scope on it says "Foremost" and made in Japan. I wonder if this is a FN action or a Santa Barbara or ? the guy wants $300 for it but I can't dissassemble the action from the stock before I buy it. There is no listing in blue book or anywhere I can find on the "Foremost" brand. Anyone?:confused:

[Gordon]

My internet research tells me "Foremost" is a JC penny trademark. Dit they import english made mausers?

[Steven Mace]

One of the companies that used the Foremost trade name was Marlin for firearms sold by J.C. Penney. Back in the mid to late 1950's Marlin sold their Model 455 rifle. This used an FN Mauser action with a 24" stainless steel barrel made by Marlin with a Lyman 48 rear sight. The Model 455 was chambered in .308 Win. or .30-06 Springfield. The only pictures of this rifle that I could find are here (http://images.google.com/images?q=Marlin%20Model%20455&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wi). It had a Sako adjustable trigger and a checkered Monte-Carlo stock with QD swivels and a leather sling. A total of 1,138 of these rifles were manufactured from 1955-1959 with a suggested retail price of $149.95. Today, the current Blue Book, 25th edition, lists the value Model 455 in 100% condition at $650 chambered in .30-06. The $300 asking price would be equivalent to somewhere between 90%-95%. Remember, just my guess.

Steve Mace