THIS IS AN ULTRA RARE FIRST YEAR CONTRACT, 1 OF 20,500 MADE FN LOGO LITHUANIAN CONTRACT 24.L RIFLE MADE IN 1936. IT IS ALL MATCHING WITH A MINT BORE. FN STARTED ROLL ENGRAVING THE FN LOGO ON SOME RECEIVERS IN 1934-1935. THIS WAS DONE AT NO EXPESNE TO THE CUSTOMER AND WAS DONE IN COMPETITIVE MARKETS WEHERE GERMAN OR VZ RIFLES WERE IN USE. IT WAS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGY TO DIFFERENTIATE THE RIFLES AND DREW ATTENTION TO THE FN COMPANY AND ITS QALITY.
THE LITHUANIAN MILITARY MODEL DESIGNATION WITH THE FN CREST WAS CHANGED IN 1937 AND REPLACED WITH THE PILLARS OF GEDIMINAS. LITHUANIAN CONTRACT RIFLES WERE SCATTERED WORLDWIDE, MANY WERE USED BY AXIS FORCES, SPECIFICALLY THE THIRD REICH!
EVEN MORE POIGNANTLY IS THE ROLL THESE RIFLES PLAYED IN THE HOLOCAUST OF JEWISH LITHUANIAN CITIZENS IN 1941 BY BOTH NAZI AND LITHUANIAN GOON SQUADS. THIS RIFLE IS A LINK TO THOSE HORRIFIC TIMES.
