My first Browning! What is it?

[warbirdlover]

It's the best Browning they ever made with the FN action. Don't get rid of it. Those were made before Browning came out with the A-Bolt back in the early 80's(?)... Looks like someone botched up the original stock with some syrup finish. They had some beautiful finishes on their guns back then and I don't know why anyone would do that.

I also learned alot about those guns from this thread. I had never heard of salt cured wood before but being a metallurgist I can't imagine any engineers with a company contemplating putting a wood stock with salt in it against a steel action. Doh!

I think if you found someone that works on stocks that could remove that varnish nightmare and re-finish it to a glass finish the proper way and THEN seal the inside of the wood with a finish/coating that would keep the metal from direct contact with the wood, you'd have a collector's piece. And no worry whether the stock was salt cured or not.

 

[Bigfatts]

Warbird that's along the kines I'm thinking. The smith I'm talking to for rebluing will glass bed the action and give me a quote on refinishing the stock. He does amazing work so I'm sure he'll do a good job. All said and done the refinishing and restoration work will cost more than the rifle did. Oh well, it's worth it to me.

This has indeed been a very educational thread for me.

 

[TX Hunter]

You know I was thinking about that Syrup looking coating on the stock, The original owner, may have done this out of fear of the stock being saltwood, to seal the stock and protect the metal.
It makes sense to me if this was a concern with these rifles. I love the brindle pattern of the wood, Its beautifull.

 

[warbirdlover]

You know I was thinking about that Syrup looking coating on the stock, The original owner, may have done this out of fear of the stock being saltwood, to seal the stock and protect the metal.
It makes sense to me if this was a concern with these rifles. I love the brindle pattern of the wood, Its beautifull.

That thought also crossed my mind!!

 

[bamaranger]

found article

Hey Bigfatts ,

the article on the Browning/FN High Power Mauser bolt is in "Rifle" magazine, Jan 2012. Author Barsness states that the Safari grade did have some salt wood issues, but not as bad as the higher grades. He liked'em and so do I.

Again congrats. Maybe you can find a back issue of the magazine.

 

[bn12gg]

Biggfatts-- Just my .02, but take a look at the prices of various
Browning Safari's on the Cabela's site. Subtract a couple of hundred
Cabela's markup dollars to get fair "retail." This may help you as
you estimate the value of the rifle after your smith/woodworker is
finished.

If the rifle was a 1959 rather than a 1969 (it is a 1969) it would be
worth restoring to its' originality. The 1959 Safari is one of a kind and
rather valuable.

Just my .02 David

 

[Bigfatts]

I will definately be looking for that issue. Thanks for all the input guys.

Bn, value doesn't really matter to me. This one will not be leaving me any time soon. And when it's done I'll have a rifle that I just absolutely love. It's a classical style you just don't see today, and that's what I love about it. I've already had a few people try and buy it from me in it's current condition, imagine once it's done!

 

[Scorch]

Bigfatts-
I do stock work, and would be willing to restore your stock. PM me if you are interested.

 

[Bigfatts]

Pm'd!

 

[natman]

Unscrew the sling swivel instead of the butt plate screw. It's unlikely that yours is salt wood, by now it would look horrible where the action meets the wood if it were.

I'd give the metal, especially below the wood line, a couple of coats of Johnson's Paste Wax or Kiwi Neutral shoe polish just in case.

Aside from the horrible refinish job, that's a very nice gun indeed. Fortunately, that's easily fixed.

 

[DutchTexan]

One of the links I posted is that magazine article.

Your bolt is the same as mine which is the FN Mauser. I think that is the best action. Good luck and let us know how it turns out and how it shoots. Mine shoots tight groups b ut a sleet storm kept me from sighting it in today.

 

[RemingtonArmed]

Browning Hi_Power with Saltwood

To All of you who replied to this post...Thank You. My buddy asked me "Hey I grandpa's gun, its got a little rust and I want you to see if you can fix it and tell me what it is worth right now (he wants to give his mother a fair price for it) and what I might spend to get it repaired and then what it might be worth. " Holy hell...he must think I am a miracle worker!

The rust was so bad on the barrel I could barely make out SN. When I did it was 9L 5036X. So after reading this post I now know what he has.


Then I read on about the "Salt Wood" and questions about the type of rust that can occur! Well I have a few pics that can show just what is meant by rust! It is most certainly NOT surface rust

Then the stocks finish was called into question. I happen to have an example of a stock that chips and peels. Again pics to follow.

 

[Scorch]

RemingtonArmed-
It is hard to tell from the pics of your rifle, but that does not look like salt wood damage, rather it looks like damage from neglect.

* All salt wood is Claro walnut, your rifle's stock looks like European walnut.

* I do not have the date codes right here in front of me, but salt wood stocks were used from 1968 to 1970 on Medalist, Olympian, and some Safaris, basically the fancy firearms. Your rifle looks like a Browning Hi-Power rifle, the basic model with European walnut.

* Yes, the varnish finish is chipping and peeling, typical for Brownings of that time period that were exposed to moisture. Salt wood stocks were finished with a high-gloss polyurethane finish, and these finishes often peel off in very large pieces.

* The rust on the barrel, action, and scope also seem to indicate neglect.

 

[RemingtonArmed]

Here are a few more pics. Thanks Storch...the rifle I posted is exactly like the one posted in the original post with only the slight difference in the serial numbers.

 

[Scorch]

Thanks for the additional pics, RemingtonArmed. Like I said, it is hard to tell from the pictures whether or not yours has a Claro stock or not. Either way, that is some serious rust damage. Good luck on the restoration.