The Belgians did it again!

[Col. Plink]

News to me in 2009, the Belgians sold a bunch of autoloading rifles to Egypt chambered in 8mmMauser in 1948. Leave it so some of the world's best arms makers to be versatile with the calibers in a good design. Whowouldathunkit?

The FN 49

sounds like a gem of a c&r, and one of very few rifles to autoload that round.

It'd be great to hear from anyone on this one; I don't guess there's that many out there. Thanks!

 

[bill larry]

I had an Egyptian one in 8mm mauser. It is a fine shooting and looking rifle. I bought it because it looked sexy, and I have a pile of 8mm mauser. It is easy to breakdown to clean (something to think about).

However, it can't hold a candle to the Hakim (also in 8mm) in accuracy. Also, most of the ones I've seen are in the 700 plus range wich is, IMO, high. Again, a Hakim will run around 380-550.

Heres my FN 49 and my Hakim

 

[wayne in boca]

I love my FN49.I have an Egyptian contract rifle in 7.92 X 57 (8 MM) and it is a fine shooter.These rifles were invented by the same man (D. Saive) who invented the FAL rifle later,and are the daddy of the FAL.Someone said that the FN 49 would be the result if Rolls Royce made rifles.I'm inclined to agree.

 

[skidooman603]

I been lookin at the Ljungman but everytime I find one it seems overly rich for my blood. They seem very similar in design. $650-$750 is a nice Garand

 

[iamkris]

I have an original Egyptian FN49 in 7.92x57mm. It is a fine rifle and sits at the cross-roads of the "wood and steel" age and the "polymer and aluminum" era. I've heard the FN49 and the French MAS49/56 termed as the last of the battle rifles. The main reason I got one is because I love the FN-FAL and the FN49 was Saive's precursor to that rifle. You can see a lot of the FAL in the 49...gas system and tilting bolt/carrier is the same.

Also know that there are a lot of Century-built 8mm FN49s out there. They are most notable for hardwood (birch?) stocks and plastic buttplates. The "real" ones sport walnut stocks and brass buttplates.

Here's mine in a pic with other Cold-War era battle rifles



Cold War era battle rifles

CETME, 7.62x51mm
PTR91, 7.62x51mm
DSA StG58A, 7.62x51mm
DSA SA58, 7.62x51mm
Egyptian FN49, 7.92x57mm
Springfield Armory M1A Loaded, 7.62x51mm
WASR-10 AKM, , 7.62x39mm
Yugoslavian SKS M49/66, 7.62x39mm

 

[Col. Plink]

Okay, so what's a Hakim?

Please remember I'm a FN49 newbie!

Thanks!

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I picked up a barreled action, with matching bolt, Egyptian contract FN49 early last year. Still looking for a stock so I can take it out and shoot it, though.

 

[berettashotgun]

*******However, it can't hold a candle to the Hakim (also in 8mm) in accuracy.*****



My Venny in 7x57 is a legit 500 yard rifle.With its' own wonderful sights.
I'd take it over any other semi-autos ( m14,m16,FAL,CETME,Hakim, da da da) of similar role for accuracy.
I DON'T like the stripper clip only set-up, and the factory ( sweet!!) flash suppressor/muzzle-brake is pretty loud. The 7mm mauser round in this set-up is VERY low perceived recoil.
The only weak spot I have found on mine is the receiver cover latch at the rear - when it came in the mail it was broken. Nothing to cry about -for the price I was very happy.

 

[NCsmitty]

Okay, so what's a Hakim?

The Egyptian 8mm Hakim semi-auto battle rifle was produced in Egypt under license as a model of the WWII Swede Ljungman Ag42 battle rifle. The Swede was chambered in 6.5x55 of course.


NCsmitty

 

[easy]

Yugoslavian SKS M49/51, 7.62x39mm ??

Maybe a 59/66?

 

[Col. Plink]

Let's hear it for semiauto 8mm!!


Beretta, what's a Venny?

Folks need to remember to define their terms...

Sounds like for its role in my array, the Hakim will be my next C&R; followed closely by a Remington 760 in .308, an FN FAL, and an SVT-40 and a ...

 

[Silvanus]

I had a chance to shoot an FN49 at the range once. It was a very accurate rifle with a great fit and finish. It was the Belgian .30-06 version though.

 

[Col. Plink]

Just glad to have a semiauto 8mm to dream about; it's all gravy from here on out!

 

[Gelgoog]

I have a Venezuelan 7x57 FN49 and it is fantastic. It is about as accurate as old surplus ammo will let me be. I would imagine those groups would tighten up alot more if I used some modern commercial stuff.

One of the great things about the FN49 is just how easy it is to clean. The gas system pops right out for cleaning, and when your shooting corrosive ammo, this is a good thing.

 

[SHIPCHIEF]

I picked up a Hakim for my brother many years ago when they were imported from Isreal in the famous "dropped once in the sand" condition.
They look ungainly, but when you put it to your shoulder, it's a pleasant suprise!
It aims and shoots very well. It's also very loud to the shooter because of the muzzle brake, but the recoil is soft.
It put a large dent in every case it ejected.
Lungman Thumb is similar to Garand thumb, but a bit flatter and occurs under a slightly different condition, because the action operates on direct gas impingment to the operating do-dad on top of the bolt instead of the Garand operating rod and packet magazine.
Is that clear as mud?
Buy an FN-49 and a Hakim.

 

[W L Johnson]

Okay, so what's a Hakim?

It's an Egyptian made thumb remover.

Actually it a darn good rifle, you just have to watch where your thumbs are.
This link may help. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakim_Rifle
or an even better link http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/hakimstory/index.asp

 

[Col. Plink]

I just like the idea of an 8mm semiauto. If this guy Hakim is half as good as you say he is, I'm in.

 

[bill larry]

The Hakim is a great rifle. It uses the a direct gas system very similar to that of an AR-15. The FN-49 has a piston system like the SKS (sort of).

The Hakim, is in my experience, a very accurate rifle. My FN-49 could not hope to group like my Hakims. The poster above said him 7mm was a legit 500 yard gun, and I don't doubt it. However, we are talking 8mm here.

They are both fine rifles, and if it were based on cosmetics alone, the FN 49 gets my vote every time. But the Hakim is a real tack driver. They are both fun to shoot though!

 

[Wes Janson]

From what I understand, it's really not true to say that the SAFN was the predecessor to the FAL; rather, they were really more designed concurrently as siblings or cousins, to serve different ends and military needs.

My Belgian contract shoots crappy with Greek surplus, but has been known to do reasonably well with handloads.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Hakim:

Got mine back when they were under $100. Now you can't even find spare mags for that price.
Hakim's little brother, Rashid:

Similar action on an SKS type chassis, in 7.62x39. An interesting hybrid, and very limited production.

 

[Col. Plink]

Dang! What good is a kickin' $500 milsurp if the mags are $100?? I want one but it needs to be able to fulfill a shtf role or it doesn't earn its keep!

 

[MJ]

You only need one magazine. You use 5 round chargers and never remove the magazine.