Can anyone tell me a little more about this gun? The guy says he bought it new in the 60's and has never hunted with it. He did add a break which I am sure lessens the value.

Does it have a long (Mauser) style extractor? That would be an early 60's version. If it has the short extractor it goes down a bit in the wow factor.

Some Brownings of that era are "salt wood"...Browning bought some wood had been shortcut cured with a salt brine solution. Came back to haunt them years later when the salt leeched from the wood and started pitting the metal below the wood line. Take it out of the stock and look for pitting.

Overall they were a high quality over-the-counter hunting rifle. The muzzlebrake does wound it's collector factor. Usually the big bores like this were never fired that much so the bore probably has a lot of life left in it.

He wants $600. Is that a fair price?

quote:

Originally posted by harms:

He wants $600. Is that a fair price?

Yes, I think so, provided it is not a salt-wood version, and provided that it is otherwise in good condition. Under those circumstances $600 may be a bargain. If you go to gunsamerica.com and look at the prices being asked there for these Mauser-action Browning Safari rifles you will find that they are considerably higher than $600.

I think the metalwork on those Mauser-action Browning Safari rifles is exemplary. Some of them also have extraordinarily well-figured wood.

I do not like the Sako-action ones; I think it is an inferior action.

Thanks for the help.

quote:

Some Brownings of that era are "salt wood"...Browning bought some wood had been shortcut cured with a salt brine solution.

I think it is rather that the wood was stored in a former salt mine, which is where it became contaminated. Nonetheless, there are varying degrees of "salt wood". The worst examples corrode all of the metal wherever it touches the wood. Some of the lesser cases only show up places like the butt plate screws or bottom of the action where it contacts the wood. The stock through-bolt is a pretty good tell-tale indicator. If the salt is not too bad, then I would consider a "salt wood" gun.

$600, even for a short-extractor action, is a bargain, and even if it has traces of salt.

quote:

I do not like the Sako-action ones; I think it is an inferior action.

The Sakos were only used for the short and extra-short calibers, so the .458 in question would not have a Sako action, anyway. However, I heartily disagree with this statement, as does the market, apparently, judging by the demand for used Sakos, particularly Browning Sakos.

I have to add an "Amen" to what Stoneycreek has said. A Browning Safari FN action in .458 is a bargain. For myself, I do love those rifles, having kept and used a .30-06 Safari for the last 25 years. The Browning action Sakos date from the 1950s, and are starting to draw the same price as the Browning, and after all, for all intents these two rifles are alike.

LLS

$600 for a Browning Safari almost guarantees that it is a salt wood gun....or it has been seriously "Bubba-ed". You can't find a decent one here in East TN for under $900 or so. I just bought a 1971 .458 Safari with outstanding wood, definitely not salt wood, shot very little, for $1300. Not a bargain, but a very, very good example. BTW, for a while, Browning would replace your stock if it was a salt wood gun. I think that replacement program ended years ago, but just because your gun was a '69-71 or 2 doesn't mean it has salt wood RIGHT NOW. It may have been replaced by Browning....

MKane160

I have had, and used, a Browning Safari Grade in .300 Win Mag for years. I used it so much that I had it re barreled a few years back with a Krieger. The action is excellent and has never failed me. It is a superb rifle and if it is one not afflicted with the stock problem go for it.

If it is pre 1966, it is not a "Salt Wood" gun.
If it is 458 magnum, early 60s it is probably a long extractor FN Mauser type action. Worth more. The brake hurts the collectability but not the shootability. The stock and action alone are worth 600 if not messed with. If he kept it in "like new" condition, you have stumbled into a deal.