Weatherby Salt-Wood stocks?

[rcmodel]

I just ran into what I believe to be the first Weatherby salt-wood stock I have encountered.

A buddy just bought a very nice Japan made XXII semi-auto at a gun show last weekend.
He brought it by today to have me dissemble & clean it throughly.

Once the action was removed from the stock, very deep rust pitting was found all along the barrel on each side where the forearm wood touched it.

Also, the alloy trigger guard had corroded under the black finish on the front about 1/8" back from the end and crumbled into white powder when I took it out of the wood.

From the outward & internal parts appearance of the rifle, (NRA Excellent) it has had almost no use, and excellent care over the years since it was made.

Gotta be salt cured wood doing the eating I think.

Anyone heard of this on a Weatherby XXII, or any other Weatherby before?

rc

 

[Sooner1911]

I have never heard of saltwood stocks on Weatherbys, but I am no expert. I have always heard that it was Browning with the problems, I do know that Weatherby had an issue with the finish on some stocks in the early 2000s and were very good about fixing them. My Mark V deluxe had the issue and they replaced the stock with a nicer one than I originally had.

 

[dho3]

Saltwood stock did occur with German made Weatherbys, but from the best of my recollection it involved the FN Mauser action and early Mark Vs made by J.P. Sauer. Unfortunately there was a short supply of walnut due to the booming sale of Brownings and some industrious souls in the USA, Missouri and possibly California decided that salt curing would remove moisture and speed up the drying process and Browning had wood shipped to FN and presumably J.P. Sauer bought some. This process continued from 1966 to 1971 and cost Browning a lot of money. More Brownings were involved, but the salt curing of the wood did involve the Weatherby FN Mauser and Mark V stocks. I have never heard of the rimfires being involved as they were Italian made, but it is possible. I have read that you can taste the salt on the stock or test it with 1% silver nitrate solution. How, I am not sure. This from an article by Joseph Brazier.

 

[rcmodel]

The XXII semi-auto in question was made in Japan.
Prior to that, they were made in West Germany.

However, I have also heard a lot of Weatherby barreled-actions were actually stocked in California at the Weatherby plant, when they had a plant, using California Claro walnut.

Supposedly, the same California sawmill that sold salt cured extra-fancy Claro to Browning also sold it to Winchester, Bishop, and Fajen.
I'm wondering if Weatherby didn't run right down the road to that sawmill to get some of theirs too?

Here is the best synopsis on salt-wood I have been able to find.
And Weatherby is mentioned at the bottom of page two.
http://www.artsgunshop.com/Salt/Salt_Article-Page-1.htm

rc

 

[geno22]

Salt

Call Weatherby in Utah an these guys will go out of there way to fix your gun, You may even get a blue job out of it. They stand behind ther guns beause of the name.

 

[rcmodel]

My friend called them last Monday morning.

They said yes, there were some saltwood XXII's, but they had no records to indicate which serial numbers.

They sold my friend a new trigger guard for $20 bucks + shipping.

No offers for free parts, free shipping, or free rebluing though!

rc

 

[NCsmitty]

I just read the Art's Gunshop article and had no idea how extensive the problem had become.
Sorry about your friend's rifle rc, are you going to be able to fill the pits and reblue?



NCsmitty

 

[icanthitabarn]

Back in the day, around the late 70's, a much missed, gunstore owner had a fancy
centerfire, rifle of a certain brand, all new. He picked it up one day and the stock fell apart. They did nothing for him. I guess with the net, payback is a b%**$

 

[rcmodel]

are you going to be able to fill the pits and reblue?

Naw.
The barrel pitting is below the wood line and not visible unless you take the stock off.
It is 100% Like New on the exterior where you can see it.

I cleaned all the active rust out of the pitting, and slobbered on Paste Floor Wax & R.I.G. before putting it back together.

He & I both think that will hold it until neither one of us are still around to care.

He ordered the new trigger guard to replace the crumbled one.
I may try to further seal the stock inletting with thinned AcraGlas or something when he gets the new trigger guard in, but according to the Art's Gunshop write-up, that isn't likely to do any good.

rc

 

[rcmodel]

Well, I fixed the trigger guard last night / this morning.

I ground out all the corrosion from the front of the guard down to clean good metal, which removed about 5/16" from the front end. Then cut some slots and drilled some holes for good adhesive purchase.
Then lined the stock inletting with thin poly plastic sheeting.
Then replaced the guard in the stock, tightened the screws, and filled the void with J-B Weld.

This morning I took it out and filed the JB-Weld level with the guard, reshaped the front end, and wet sanded it smooth.
Then sprayed with Duplicolor "Universal Black" auto touch-up paint.

Came out looking good as new, with a nearly perfect color match & gloss!
And I betcha the salt-wood won't corrode the JB-Weld!

rc