Looking at one the other day, looked nice. Had a push feed action that surprised me? I assumed they would be mauser claw. I believe they are Sako actions? Salt wood was a problem too.

Any info most appreciated

I had a 375 H&H that was about that vintage a while back. I shot great, was a good solid rifle. It did not have a salt wood problem. Take the action out of the stock if possible. Any salt wood problem will be evident. The push feed was not a problem either.

No, the long-action Safaris used FN Mauser actions. The earlier ones had the traditional long claw extractor. The later ones were on an FN Supreme action which used a more modern (yes, by definition since it is a later design) "short extractor".

Only the medium (.308/.243 size) and short (.222 family of cartridges) were built on the Sako L579 and L461 actions; none of the long action cartridges (.30-06 and magnum) were on Sako actions, although many of the FN actions did have Sako triggers.

The old gun traders trick to detect any salt residue is to remove one of the buttplate screws. These are exposed directly to the wood and will show corrosion when other metal parts may not. Even if a stock shows some evidence of salt, coating the interior exposed wood of the action inletting and barrel channel with a sealant will largely arrest any effects of salt.

This one is most definitely a push feed action. I heard the short and long length were Sako and the magnum length were mauser. This is a "long" ie 30/06 length action and the bolt looks mauser all the way to front except for the fact it's push feed, no claw

Let me clarify: All "long" Safaris used the FN Mauser action. In this case "long" means anything of .30-06 length and up, including magnums up to the .375 H&H. Earlier Safaris used an FN action with the original '98-type long extractor ("controlled feed" as some call it). Later Safaris used the FN "Supreme" action which did not have "controlled feed".

The "medium" .243 and .308 were built in the first year (or perhaps two) of production on an FN "small ring" Mauser. Then the action for those two calibers was switched to a Sako L579 action, also barreled with a Sako barrel. Eventually, .22-250 and a few .284's were built on the Sako action.

The .222 and .222 Mag were also made with Sako barreled actions, on the L461 action.

All of the Browning-Sakos are "push feed", but should not be confused with the "push feed" FN Supreme Mauser.

OK this is a FN supreme push feed then. Looks like a mauser bolt except no mauser extractor... very strange. Are they any good? And the earlier ones had a true mauser action in 30/06 length? What year was the breakover?

Thanks

They are OK, I prefer a control feed on any gun, but just one of my choices...Salt wood was only a one year thing, and I have forgotten the year, but you won't have any problem seeing it on the metal with a Browning that old, I'd bet dollars to donuts without looking its not salt.