The Belgian Volunteer Battalion fought in the Korean War and were equipped at first with British No. Despite this the rifle did see limited combat use in various conflicts. The FN49 was quickly superseded by the famous 7.62mm FN FAL in many nations. They were fitted with Czech MeOpta 2.5x power scopes and Czech made mounts. Egypt used a larger number of FN49 sniper rifles, and these guns differed from their European counterparts. Sniper rifles from Belgium and Luxembourg both featured Echo mounts and 4x power OIP scopes. The number of sniper rifles used by Luxembourg was also small. Belgium had a total of 262 FN49 sniper rifles. Sniper variations of the FN49 were made for Belgium, Egypt, and Luxembourg. Scarce Egyptian Contract FN-49 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle with Scope These rifles were marked with the letters ADRI on the receiver and an eagle. Indonesia was another purchaser of the FN49, and ordered some 16,100. A total of 6,003 FN49 rifles were made for Luxembourg. 30-06, and marked AL on the receiver meaning Army of Luxembourg. Luxembourg also ordered the FN49 These were chambered in. The rear sights were also marked in Arabic, and the receivers were marked with either an Eagle or the Egyptian Crown. Egyptian guns often had a brass stock disc on the right side of the butt. 30-06 were produced for Columbia and these rifles were marked with the Columbian crest on the receiver.Įgypt was the second biggest user of the FN49, with some 37,602 rifles in 8mm Mauser being purchased over the course of two years. Argentine Navy rifles are marked with the Argentine crest and ARA on the receiver. Many of these weapons were later converted to 7.62mm NATO and fitted with a 20 round detachable box magazine. The Argentine Navy ordered a total of 5,537 rifles in 7.65mm Argentine. Other South American countries used the FN49 such as Argentina. These rifles were marked with the Brazilian crest on the top of the receiver, and they also were marked with an anchor on the left side of the receiver. The Brazilian Navy used a total of 11,001 FN49 rifles in. These rifles were marked with the Venezuelan coat of arms, and had a unique flash suppressor. They placed a second order for 4,000 in 1951, for a total of 8,000 rifles. Venezuela ordered 4,000 FN49s in 7mm Mauser in 1948. Scarce Fabrique Nationale Luxembourg Contract FN49 Semi-Automatic Rifle with Custom Made Assembly Scope ** Scarce Venezuelan Contract FN Model 49 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle Fitted with Belgium Pattern Scope and Base **īelgium was not the first country to adopt the FN49. By 1960 the FN FAL replaced the FN49 in both Belgium and the Congo as a standard infantry rifle. These rifles had a lion crest on the receiver to distinguish them from the Belgian Army rifles. The Belgian Congo also had a total of 2,795 select fire FN49 rifles in. These Belgian issues were set up for easy conversion to select fire. These rifles were marked “ABL” for the Belgian Army. The Belgian Army was the largest user of the FN49 rifle. The rifle design that Saive worked on in England served as the basis for the post war FN49 semi automatic rifle, that was adopted by Belgium in 1949. Saive later went to Canada in 1943 to help with production of the Hi Power pistol at the John Inglis company. In England, he further developed his design for a semi automatic rifle. Saive managed to escape from Belgium to England in the summer of 1941. This gas operated rifle’s further development however was stopped in 1940, when the Nazis invaded Belgium. His earliest design self loading rifles were recoil operated, but he designed an early gas operated rifle in 1936.
Saive began working on semi automatic rifles in the early 1930’s. He also later designed the famous FN FAL rifle, which would equip many Western nations during the Cold War.
After the death of John Moses Browning, Saive finished the design for the 9mm Hi Power pistol. The designer of the FN49, was a Belgian named Dieudonne Saive. The rifle was also adopted by several countries right after World War Two, and today surviving FN49 rifles have become a prized collectible. However the weapon helped pave the way for the famous 7.62mm FN FAL battle rifle, and the FN49 saw use in other conflicts such as the Korean War.