Post WW2 FN mfg 98 were made for a number of countrys in 30-06.
We supplied great amts of surplus ammo to many countrys after the war as a friendly gesture and converting older rifles to '06 as well as buying new ones in 3006 made sense at the time.
Even the Belgian military bought 2 contracts of them in the early 50's.
This one has that relief cut in the top back edge of the front ring as already pointed out . For stripper clip loading the 30-06 rd .
The same feature is also present on older, pre-war Mauser rifles that were modified post war to 30-06 usually by the owner nations arsenals.
These latter often have an additional relief cut in the ring at 3 0clock right at the loading port edge. This to afford smooth ejection of Loaded rds of 30-06 as well.
I don't see that 3 oclock feature on this rifle.
The post war guns will have the H cut/broached internal bbl abutment shoulder. Pre-war machining was done in the C cut style where oly the RH lug cut was made thru the shoulder.
This you can easily see by removing the bolt and glancing into the breech at that bbl abutment ring.
Just a change in mfg'rg.
Some will argue that it cheapened the grail 98 and even made it weak.
I don't buy into that
This rifle has the Military style lock screw(s) on the trigger guard for the action screw(s). That was also used on the post war rifles and a continuation from pre-war specs.
Sporters were devoid of them though some early sporters used x-military parts and will still have the feature.
Post war recv'rs are a thru-hardened steel unlike the pre-war guns using a low carbon&case hardened steel.
Much stronger and much nicer to work on!
Looks like a very nice sporter. But I think the price is too high.
JMO of course, but there are lots of high qual sporter custom built rifles around in that $$ range that would seem to offer more.
A connection to G&H or it's Gunsmithing SHop just doesn't mean that much to me at least to bump the price into that range.
