▁and ▁testing ▁were ▁produced ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁making ▁rif le ▁ready ▁for ▁contract ▁orders ▁and ▁mass ▁production . ▁Other ▁sources ▁however ▁claim ▁the ▁rif le ▁was ▁tri aled ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Netherlands ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁ ▁The ▁Netherlands ▁Navy ▁tri als ▁did ▁not ▁however ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁sales ▁contract . ▁ ▁F N ▁started ▁looking ▁for ▁customers , ▁but ▁the ▁commun ist ▁states ▁were ▁not ▁an ▁option ▁( as ▁they ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁buy ▁or ▁build ▁Soviet ▁designs ). ▁The ▁Western ▁European ▁nations ▁had ▁vast ▁stock s ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁fire ar ms . ▁They ▁also ▁could ▁get ▁American ▁and ▁British ▁weapons ▁aid , ▁which ▁was ▁in exp ensive ▁or ▁free . ▁So ▁F N ▁decided ▁to ▁market ▁to ▁the ▁non - aligned ▁countries , ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁commit ▁to ▁Western ▁or ▁Soviet ▁doctrine , ▁which ▁was ▁in ev itable ▁when ▁accepting ▁aid . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁contract ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁S AF N ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁rif le ▁was ▁delivered ▁to ▁Venezuela ▁by ▁May ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁composed ▁of ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁rif les ▁in ▁cal iber ▁ 7 × 5 7 mm ▁M aus er ▁with ▁an ▁additional ▁ 2 , 0 1 2 ▁rif les ▁including ▁cut - away ▁training ▁demonstr ation ▁rif les ▁delivered ▁by ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁The ▁remaining ▁rif les ▁of ▁the ▁Venez uel an ▁contract