I did a trade the other day and wound up with a browning belgium 30-06 bolt action.The gun has been hunted with a lot thru the years and has small places here and there of rust.The rifle shoots super accurate and the bottom metal is like new.I dont know if the stock is salt wood or not but the metal looked like it was rusted a little/not real bad, like they would get if hunted in the rain and not cleaned. But Not real bad.What would you guys do with the old gun,any suggestions?Restock and maybe rebarrel?I can live with the barrel and caliber really ,since she shoots so well,but a new barrel in 35 whelen or 338-06 would be nice too,what other caliber would work on the action easy.But dont know about all the rust and scratches?Can the metal be reblued to look nice again?How can i find out the date it was made and if it is indeed salt wood?The serial #8L 448xx ?Is the action a fn mauser and could build a nice rifle on the action?Are custom rifles built on the browning FN actions?Anyone got anything good or bad to say about the old belgium brownings?What would you guys do with the old gun?The stock really has got to go because its dogged out,so what kind of style stock would do up nice on it and does it need the metal cross bolt thru it?A old german looking hunting stock?Or british express rifle look?Thanks in advance!

Without seeing the rifle I might refinish the stock. Just strip off the finish, sweat out the dings and sand it.

Rub the rust spots with steel wool and oil. Use the finest grade 0000.

Some of those FN Browning barrels have real character and are worth more than another in place and it shoots too! It would be a sin to remove that barrel.

If you want another caliber then buy a complete rifle in that caliber. Besides the 30-06 is the best of the best anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by blackbearhunter:
........<snip>........
I can live with the barrel and caliber really, since she shoots so well, but a new barrel in 35 whelen or 338-06 would be nice too,what other caliber would work on the action easy. ...<snip>...

.338-06 or .35 Whelen would be great choices. My choice would be the 9.3x62. But, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the good ol' .30-06 either. (I just had a custom stock done on a Ruger .30-06)

-Bob F.

I agree with you guys ,the good old -06 is hard to beat!Iam afarid of the salt wood thing though and the stock is beyound refinishing i think,too many hard dents in it.i guess i could restock and keep the barrel,just have to get the scratchs out & reblue?could i get one of those nice necg front sights sweated on or something to do up the front end nice with the hood?Those custom iron sights really dress up a rifle i think.
Also would a express rear be outa the question?I dont have a rear on it now as it was removed somewhere down the line.......i wonder if i went with a express sight i would have to redrill the holes in the barrel?How do they match those?Thanks for the help!

If you remove the barreled action from the stock, you will know right away if it's a salt gun. In most cases, a salt wood gun will have extensive rusting below the wood-line.

Just so i will know as i have never heard this one,Is the FN mauser action the same on the browning safari,interarms mark X,charles daly,bruno,and the cz?Do they just come in standard size and jumbo for the big bores?will all the parts interchange?

What you see's is what you get with an FN. I have seen FN actions without CRF and just a Sako type extractor and one was in 458 Win!

It would not feed by the way.

The Mk X and Daly actions are Yugo versions of the FN action. The commercial FN action is a bit smoother in finish than these, but most parts are the same, they also use the same scope bases. I have one that's rebarreled to .338-06 and would recommend that, the .30-06 is just too ordinary to suit me. Another possibility would be 9.3x62.

quote:

Originally posted by jstevens:
I have one that's rebarreled to .338-06 and would recommend that, the .30-06 is just too ordinary to suit me. Another possibility would be 9.3x62.

Your missing the point that it already is a 30-06 and it shoots.

The 30-06 cartridge is 10,000 times more popular than any 9.3 mm cartridge!

If this were an action without a barrel then that's another story.

Savage 99

You missed the point. I said a .30-06 was too ordinary for me, didn't say there was anything wrong with it. Apparently he is wanting to do something other than just shoot it, as he's talking about rebarrelling it, restocking, etc. Nothing wrong with a .30-06, I just like to be a bit different and stated that as my reason.

I'm sad to hear your going to change anything on your old FN Browning. I have a closet full of rifles & shotguns by various manufacturers and my favorite of all is my FN Browning 30-06 from the 60's.. It is a classic. They just don't make guns like that anymore.

I realize your stock is bad but, it just a shame to "modify" a classic.

-Vlad

quote:

Originally posted by Vladimir:
I'm sad to hear your going to change anything on your old FN Browning. I have a closet full of rifles & shotguns by various manufacturers and my favorite of all is my FN Browning 30-06 from the 60's.. It is a classic. They just don't make guns like that anymore.

I realize your stock is bad but, it just a shame to "modify" a classic.

-Vlad

I just cannot understand this.........

I think i will leave the barrel as is and just restock in a nice wood.The action is very nice condition but the barrel has a few scratches and small rust spots,maybe i can just get the barrel cleaned up or matte blued.The matte blue/black will look good with a leupold matte scope.I have been looking at a old german stalking hunting rifle designed style stock.Lot different from the safari style stock on it.I saw one done up on a old mauser action and figured the browning action would do just as good....the rifle i saw was very nice....Orbendorf classic stock i think it was called.?It has the shnapel forened which i really like.It also had the raised sides,i think they call it pancake panels or something,i dont know how i will like those but could take them off i guess if i get tired of them?I will try to post pics when i get it done.should i finish it with the hand rubbed look with the linseed/tung oil?Would that give it the old timey look?Thanks for the help!

blackbear,

All along I have been imagining one of those Browings with the stepped barrel and loads of proof marks. Those barrels have real character and would go so well with a new stock as you describe it.

Thanks savage 99,i like those stepped barrels also!Hey she/browning isnt a win.pre64 308FW but she will do.I thought about doing a stock onthe 308FW but backed out,I agree with you on that one too.It just cant be improved.The little 308 featherweight winny is fast becoming my favorite rifle!Thanks for the positive input!