What to do with this Browning

[MJ]

I have have this O/U and it was stored in a plactic gun bag when I received it so the stock was green with fungus bubbles and the metal stained. I cleaned it up last year and shot a few times and it's nice but the stock is an ugly pain and not just to the eyes. This is from the late 1950's and says Belgium, Browning and St Louis on the barrels.

1. Can I find a new butt stock?
2. What meant by short tang and long tang?
3. A ball park value?
4. Can that be the original butt?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/0004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/0005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/0008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/0007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/0001.jpg

It seems to be a wizard trap shooter.

Cheers
MJ

[Jim Watson]

1. Yes, but if you go to the official source
http://www.midwestgunworks.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?
it will cost you a bomb. I suggest, since you have shot trap, to get a copy of Trap & Field and check the advertisements and start calling advertisers.

2. Means the action bottom tang. You have a long tang that runs all the way down the front of the pistol grip. A short tang stops at the rear of the trigger guard.

3. Hanged if I know, look on Gunsamerica.com Gunbroker.com and Auctionarms.com for sales and closed auctions.

4. Not likely. The contour, checkering pattern, grip cap, and recoil pad are not Browning types. I don't know that it isn't the original heavily modified, but I mean HEAVILY modified.

I think a thorough cleaning, refinish, and new recoil pad would have that one looking pretty good. You say it is a pain. Does it beat you in recoil as bad as MY Superposed does me? If so, a stock fitter could mung it up to fit you with a modern looking adjustable comb and buttplate. Not cheap but less than a new Browning stock or a nice new replacement. It wouldn't be pretty but it would be serviceable and usual for the trap field these days.

[Dave McCracken]

IMO, refinishing will fix the esthetic problem. Lot cheaper than new lumber.

Shoot it some more. if it works for you, best to live with it after a refinish.

That looks like a Morgan adjustable pad.

You have a long tang.

HTH....

[MJ]

I priced it out and $1300 for wood and refinishing the steel and that doesn't cover gold plate on the trigger. Selling it could get $1000. Just the emotive value and knowing Dad got his money out of it is worth keeping as is. I'll keep it as is for now. It sure shoots well.

thanks for the input
;)

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Even mucked up---its still a very nice gun.

[45auto]

The stock looks like it might have an oil finish. If so, you can apply a tung oil, linseed, "type" and it will look like new.

[Master Blaster]

Try polishing the stock with some 600 grit emory paper and a little mineral spirits but not the checkering, use a little mineral spirits and a tooth brush on the checkering, then wipe the whole thing with a mineral spirit damp rag, you may be surprised at how good it looks at that point.

[MJ]

Morgan is the maker?

As I said I'll leave it be and just keep staining the wood till it matches. I would not normaly spend this kind of money on a shotgun.

May interests are in other places.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/bkt007.jpg

Cheers
MJ