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Browning Safari (not BAR) with a factory oil finish stock?

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13 January 2009, 09:00
easyup
Browning Safari (not BAR) with a factory oil finish stock?
Could anyone please confirm what I was told today that one could order from Browning a oiled stock finish rather than the high gloss? Rifle is a mint long extractor that I was told this was done as a special order in a nice oil finish at the request of typically African bound hunters. The checkering which looks perfect so would have me believe this is not a refinish but a factory finish.
Appreciate the responses.
13 January 2009, 21:50
model70man
Not that I could ever find. I have a saltwood Safari Mauser and have had no luck in finding one other than eBay. The ones I have seen for sale there all had recoil pads. I have temporarily stocked mine with a Boyd's laminate stock. There is a place in Canada which sells a lot of obsolete Browning parts but they have long since sold out of the Safari Mauser stocks. Thanks...
15 January 2009, 04:55
OLBIKER
The ones made in Finland had a hand rubbed laquer finish.Looks like oil.
15 January 2009, 17:32
easyup
Thanks, Biker
17 January 2009, 19:44
John303.
If I understand correctly? it's the high gloss that bothers you? I'm not fond of a high gloss finish on gunstocks either. If you want to dull the shine into a nice glow get some OOOO steel wool and remove the shine then take some hard paste wax and apply it with the wool, buff with a soft cloth - shine is gone - looks like "oil". FWIW --- John303.
23 January 2009, 19:01
Gary Wattis
I looked in the Eastman Browning book, he states that "All rifles were finished in oil until about 1967 when the high gloss finish came along". I think that should mean that most if not all long extractor magnums would have the oil finish as that is about the time that they made both changes. He also states that the european sold guns had a flatter finish on the stock and metal than the american guns. I hope this helps