ordering 5,536 SAFN 1949 rifles in caliber 7.65×53mm Argentine on July 29, 1953 for use by the Argentine Navy after an initial order of one test rifle in 1948. Several prototypes were made in other calibers, including at least five in 6.5×55mm for testing in Sweden, one in caliber 7.5×54mm French for testing in Syria, one in caliber .30-06 for testing in the United States, and one in caliber 7.62×51mm NATO for Brazil. A very small yet unknown quantity of commercial rifles chambered in .30-06 were imported to the US and Australia by Browning some time during the 1960s. These rifles are incredibly rare and few examples have been documented. They are configured with a polished checkered stock with a rollover cheek piece and side mount. Argentinian modification Contrary to some speculation, FN did not contract or produce the Argentine conversion of SAFN 1949 rifles from 7.65×53mm Argentine to 7.62×51mm NATO. While FN did receive and then later deliver an order for a conversion of a single rifle in March 1967, the remaining armory stock of the Argentine rifles were converted domestically by Metalúrgica Centro, a company formerly known as Fábrica de armas Halcón. Metalúrgica Centro provided and installed in each rifle a new barrel in 7.62×51mm NATO, modified each ejector, and modified each trigger guard to take a new 20 round detachable box magazine. The converted rifles were provided with proprietary 20 round detachable box magazines manufactured by Metalúrgica Centro to fit the SAFN 1949 rifle conversions. The 20 round steel magazines are proprietary, but were made to share the magazine loading charger with the FN FAL rifle used by the Argentine Army. These chargers are the same as for the Mauser Kar-98k, and thus not interchangeable with standard NATO stripper clips. These are very inexpensive via surplus dealers. Not only are Mauser 98 stripper clips not interchangeable with 7.62×51mm NATO standard, but also not with old 7.65×53mm Argentine versions. A very small number were later used in the Falklands War as sniper rifles by the Argentinians. Surplus Argentine rifles function quite well, but many imported magazines were poorly cut down to 10 rounds due to US import restrictions. Some US collectors have been able to modify BAR 1918 and MG13 magazines to fit the original caliber rifles. However, the quality varies heavily with these mag conversions, ranging from some simply being extended internal magazines without last round bolt