Let a trusted friend take my Browning Safari .375 H&H on his moose hunt to Manitoba. He was walking along a trail and took a major fall on a slick rock. Had the rifle in a sling over his shoulder.

When he went down, I guess his hip hit the stock going sideways, and snapped it off right at the pistol grip!! Clean break. Otherwise, not a scratch on the rifle, even other parts of the stock.

He's going to pay to have the stock repaired, as well as a new, replacement stock.

I'm seriously thinking of going synthetic. Somebody talk me out of it!! Please!!

Anyway, my friend's OK. He could have busted his hip, or worse. Luckily he had a pack on, and that saved his noggin from getting split open. I did point out to him that he could heal, whereas the rifle, well...

Thats exactly why I don't loan guns to anyone period! Wouldn't rather look at a piece of French walnut with contrasting figure and grain than the monotnous flow of black plastic?

Wouldn't you rather have a nice synthetic that you don't have to worry about. I am trying to put all synthetics on my rifles loss less hassles.

I'd tell Browning you broke your stock and inquire about getting one of their synthetics as a quick and easy replacement. They're very good stocks.

So sorry, I just realized that yours is an older "Safari" model (?). I'd get a McMillan, if that's the case.

[ 09-30-2002, 21:42: Message edited by: Nickudu ]

I'd do both! Have your friend fix your walnut, and buy a McMillan so you can loan it to him again! Put the rifle in that pritty wood for display,and dry climates like Africa, and when you get into the wet,like Alaska, and parts of Canada, use the synthetic! Now you have a real HUNTING rifle!