I don't know what kind of shotgun is involved, but that sounds like a darn nice rifle to be. Makes me wonder if it's one Paul Jeager might have worked on? He made some darn nice rifles that at the time frame were way out of my bankroll's level.
I have several FN Mausers, (not the J.C. Higgins version, but FNs imported as such. One, a 30-06 has been rebarrel back to 30-06 with a 1 in 12" twist barrel and in a McMillan stock. This one is early enough to be a "C" ring action. The other two I have are in .270 Win., one stamped as being made in 1952 and the other one, an FN Musketeer I bought way back in 1973. The stock on that one is so damned ugly, that to quote Jack O'Connor, " Would abort a lady crocodile." However, it shoots so well, I'll leave it be. My point being, every imported FN I've owned (not the Sears guns) has been very accurate. In fact, with the exception of one of my J.C. Higgins M50 rifles. only one has proven to not be an accurate rifle and it's slated to be a donor for something.
I'd have to pull mine out of the safe to check on the markings, but that 1946 if on the left side was probably the date of original manufacture. That one of mine marked 1952 has the serial number on the right hand side as do all my other FN Mausers.
Paul B.
