WTB: FN Cdn EX1 items

rob love · #1 01-09-08, 19:22

I finally got an EX-1 rifle home that I had bought at auction several months ago. These were the experimental FNs used in trials by Canada in the early 50s, and numbered less than 2000 of both the EX1 and EX2 examples.

Once the Cdn C1A1 was adopted, these were retained in service as either cadet drill purpose rifles, or as rifles issued by the airborne school for jumping.

Their fate was sealed around 2000 when they were smelted, with small numbers offered first to military museums. There are around 10 or so legally registered in Canada. I had to have mine deactivated since I am not grandfathered for this class of rifle.

Anyway, I need an EX1 magazine and a EX1 buttstock. If anyone has either of these tucked away, and you don't expect to be picking up an EX rifle anytime soon, please give me a shout and we'll see if something can be worked out.

Thanks

mike mckinley · #2 05-09-08, 03:29

hello rob

the timing of this post is uncanny. the electrician i had here last week was telling me that he was a part of the user trials of the fn way back. he must have been talking about the ex-1. he said that during the user trials, the fn would wear out it's barrel between 600 and 800 rounds. he also said that the only thing the fn had over the enfield was the number of rounds it could expell. i have always thought of the fn as one of the best rifles of it's time, but have never seen a picture of the ex1. could you post a picture ?

cheers!!
mike

rob love · #3 05-09-08, 04:45

Always happy to show off my toys. Surprising about the claim of wearing barrels out in less than 100 rounds, unless that was a result of the full auto fire on such a light barrel.

The EX series were bought for user trials at the same time that Britain bought the X8 (same gun, different designation). There were two variations, the EX1 with it's standard type sight, and the EX2, with the optical sight. Some books say there were 1000 each of the EX1 and EX2 while elsewhere it has been suggested that the numbers were approx 1700 for the EX1 and 300 for the EX2.

The rifles were bought directly from FN in Belgium. There ended up being a steering committee between Canada, Great Britain and Australia to achieve a standardization between the participating countries. The US was also expected to go with the FN, but instead went with the M14.

Production of the C1 rifle was started by Canadian Arsenals Ltd (which was the renamed Small Arms Limited, known to most as "Long Branch") in 1955/56 time period. Within a few years, problems were discovered with firing pins getting stuck and causing full auto or out of battery firing. This was cured with a two part firing pin. At the same time, the carrying handle was replaced with a plastic one and the rifle re-designated C1A1.

I have deacts of the C1A1, the C2A1, and the EX1. Now the quest begins to find an EX2.

mike mckinley · #4 06-09-08, 03:33

that sir is one beautiful piece of history!! personally, with no hope of ever finding a c1, opted for an indian 1a1 model which has been tastefully

deactivated. i have been slowly collecting the pieces to "canadianize" it. this is not for the purpose of passing it off as a c1, but rather to try, as close as possible, to represent what one would have looked like. so far i have managed to get the canadian bayonet, blank firing device, bolt cover, speed loader, sling, cleaning kit, and the simfire device. kudos for trying to preserve a very important, and rare piece of canadian military history

rob love · #5 06-09-08, 05:50

Collector's source was selling the C1A1s for $750, but that was almost 8 years back...they are long out of stock now. However, there are hundreds of the C1s in private hands here in Canada. The market for these prohibited guns is ever dwindling as the gun control hassles along with the aging owners diminishes the potential buyers.

Prices on the C1s has gone up in the last few years, but I predict that will again spiral downward in a few more years unless some advance is made in the gun restrictions. Currently, owners of these guns are not allowed to take them to a range to shoot them.

Lynn Eades · #6 08-09-08, 06:24

I take it that these are semi auto as apposed to full auto.