Old Browning bolt rifle question

[Armybrat]

I have what appears to be a Belgian-made Browning Safari bolt action in .30-06 (#7L 42xxx), The metal & bore are "perfect", but the stock has quite a few dings, dents, & scratches (acquired on an Alaska hunt decades ago).

I had an almost identical rifle, except in .243 cal. and a "perfect" stock - gave that one to my son.

Both guns were inherited from a dear family friend, a WWII "Hump" pilot who passed away recently at age 97.

Both rifles had Tasco scopes, but son replaced his with a Leopold or some other premium brand.

I've read something about many of these guns' stocks having a "salt" problem. What is that?

 

[supercalvin56]

From approximately 1966-1970 Browning used salt to reduce drying time on their stock blanks. They later learned that the salt never really left the wood and when fitted next to metal the salt caused corrosion and eventually rust and pitting. Not all stocks were salt cured. Browning made good on their lifetime guarantee and replaced or repaired a number of those guns. Kudo's to Browning for taking care of their customers!

 

[Armybrat]

Thanks for the reply.

There is no corrosion on either gun, so it looks as if we're good.

 

[Horsemany]

Just to clarify, the corrosion would be on metal below the stockline. Most salt guns look normal until you de-stock them. A good way to tell if you have a salt stock is to take out one of the buttplate screws. Those are the canary in the coal mine.