Browning "salt guns"

318LJ

Having been out of the gun hobby community for some 20 years; could someone explain to me what is meant by Browning "salt guns". When were these made? How do you ID them? Did Browning offer customers any compensation or corrective measures? Thanks for any info.
Larry

D.S.COLE

25 or so years ago Browning bought a load of stock blanks that were treated and cured with salt.Why I dont know. The guns that these were used on rusted badly where they contacted it.I have worked on a couple of them for customers and they are really nasty under the wood line. There is nothing you can do about it if you get one, Ive never heard of a recall or any thing from Browning on it. Be sure to check closely on any from that time period before you buy.

MIKE WISKEY

I HAVE A COUPLE OF CUSTOMERS THAT HAD BOUGHT 'SALT' BROWNINGS. AFTER DISCOVERING THE DAMAGE (SEVERAL YEARS LATER) THEY CONTACTED BROWNING AND BROWNING REFINISHED THE GUNS UNDER WARRANTY, I DON'T RECALL IF THEY ALSO REPLACED THE WOOD OR NOT. IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE GUNS A GOOD 'FIX' IS SEVERAL COATS OF CLEAR SHELLAC INSIDE THE STOCK.

KJACK

Normally, stock wood is left to dry on its own over YEARS before use. I recall that this particular bunch of stocks used a salting process to draw moisture in a considerably shorter time and then the wood was inadequately sealed, so the results was, as stated above, rotten.

Rembrandt

Salt wood resulted from a process used on Brownings to speed up the curing time of wood...the salt would draw out the moisture and speed up the drying process, unfortunately the salt residue remained in the wood grain and caused metal corrosion where the metal and wood made contact. This was not a Browning problem, but a supplier problem.

About 1965, a large wood supplier sent wood not only to Browning for FN's use but also to Bishop, Fajen, Winchester, Ruger and to the US Military for M-14 stocks. This company was drying their walnut using granulated salt, by covering the wood with salt and placing it in quonset huts.

The wood dried so quickly that the workers said they could actually see a steady drip of moisture coming from the wood. The wood was already cut into the appropriate size planks and no one thought that any salt residue would remain on or in the wood after final shaping, sanding, and finshing.The US Government stopped using walnut for the M-14 rifles and went to other types of wood because properly cured wood was so scarce at the time.

In Brownings case, the problem first showed up starting in 1966 and ends on their guns about 1973. Superposes and T-Bolts made between 1967-1973 should be looked at; Safari, Medallion or Olympian made between 1967-1976; and any A5's 2,000,000 edition Commemoratives should be looked at.

Inspect any place the metal touches the wood. Take out the butt plate screws and look them over carefully. If you find no rust, the gun is probably OK. Sometimes you can test the wood with silver nitrate. Place a drop or two on a hidden spot on the wood, if it bubbles you have a problem

(From "Browning Sporting Arms of Distincction" by Matt Eastman)

Browning procrastinated in signing the wood contract it Europe because there was a price spike. BA thought it was a ploy and put off the purchase knowing there was plenty of cheap California wood available if needed. By the time the European wood deal fell through the California wood was gone.

The only figured wood available was planks bought in California but sent to South America for furniture. BA was trapped and had to take it. *That's* where the salt curing was being done but BA missed it being a problem.

BA *tried* to sell some to TRW for M-14 stocks but Claro walnut failed the physical test and was never used. Bishop, Fajen, the so-called Warsaw (MO) pact, bought some and sold it in semi-inlets.

BA nearly went broke from the fiasco. A serious tax problem about the same time almost put them under and as a result they lost the FN connection and were forced to Japan and Portugal for guns and parts.

1968 was the "1964" of Browning Arms. That's why round knob, long-tang, (RKLT) Brownings are more desirable.

If a Browning has French walnut stocks it can't be salt wood. All Claro, especially the higher grades, is suspect.

ishootblanks

I always wondered about salt wood too. Thanks Rembrandt, for all the information. I think you touched all the bases. This site is great for getting questions answered and gaining knowledge in general.

Without the NRA, the second ammendment would already be gone!

TOMBECK

HAD A VERY EARLY RUGER 77 THAT HAD THE "SALT" WOOD. RUGER REPLACED WOOD AND REFINISHED METAL TO BETTER THAN ORIGIONAL

sakofan

Some years ago I pulled a new but stored T-2 T-Bolt out of its box. Yipes, it had what looked like car battery corrosion on all wood/metal junctures - it appeared to me to be ruined. Browning refinished to almost better than new condition. It was hard to tell it was the same gun. The stock appeared to be new. Browning charged me for this repair, as I was not the original owner. I was very satisfied with the result.

318LJ

Last summer I bought a Browning Safari bolt action in .338 Win mag. When the rifle arrived it looked new. Some months later I removed the stock. To my surprise/ horror the lower part of the receiver was deeply pitted BUT was reblued. The barrel showed no pitting or corrosion. The wood seemed to be a much higher grade than other Safaris; it even had a matching serial number to the receiver. I guess I can conclude that at one time this rifle was a salt victim and refinished. The rifle is outstanding until you remove the stock and see the lower receiver.I like the Browning Mausers but I'm a little scared to buy another one. Thanks for any comments you would like to provide.
Larry