Just picked up a .375 Browning with the short extracter, bought it because the price was right and they're nice old guns. Trying to find out a little about it but all the sites I 've checked don't seem to line up with the serial #. Could some one that's up on Brownings let me know whats what. The serial # is 55069 L69. Thanks.

According to my "Mark Eastman's Guide To Browning's Sporting Firearms" your Safari was made in 1969, which is what the L69 means. Browning dropped the "L" from their proof data in late 1969, so you will find FN Brownings with and without the L with the trailing 69 numbering.

LLS

LLS,

If I may impose, I have a Browning FN in .458 with a serial number of L7135. What date of manufacture is it? It doesn't quite conform to the numbering system stated, but does that mean it was made in 1971?

Thanks

Butch

Thanks MCA man.

I have one...it is one shooting son of a gun!

BEGNO,

Yes, your designation of L71 means your rifle was manufactured in 1971.

1959 to 1974: Are there any years or models more prone to the salt wood problem, rusted metal below the wood line?
I'll leave that search for later.

Hullo Good Doctor!

Walnut blanks from late 1966 thru 1971 used the salt-curing process.

quote:

Originally posted by BEGNO:
LLS,

If I may impose, I have a Browning FN in .458 with a serial number of L7135. What date of manufacture is it? It doesn't quite conform to the numbering system stated, but does that mean it was made in 1971?

Thanks

Butch

BEGNO,
Sorry I am late, per the Eastman book, page 29, your Safari is a very early one, made in 1960. That years' production was 3,890 Safaris with serial numbers from L3890 to L7779.

FYI a 1971 piece will have its 71 as a stand alone figure or a stand alone -L71. In addition, the "L" identifies a Safari Grade Browning. The Medallion was identified with an "X" and the Olympian marked with a "P".

You make me glad I have kept that little book for all these years.

Larry

Glad you posted MCA man,

My source is the Blue Book of Gun Values 25th Anniversary Edition by S.P. Fjestad. It's a bit different than your source.

What are the salt years firearms?

quote:

Walnut blanks from late 1966 thru 1971 used the salt-curing process.

.

Not all, pulling the action from the stock will tell you a lot. Another place to check is http://proofhouse.com/ this has some info also.


Good luck with the Browning they are great guns.

Yes, they are Great guns. Thanks for your input.

MCA man,

Thanks for clearing that up. I was confused.
I had my rifle checked at the gunsmith and he said it definitely was not a salt cured gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Glad you posted MCA man,

My source is the Blue Book of Gun Values 25th Anniversary Edition by S.P. Fjestad. It's a bit different than your source.

What are the salt years firearms?

The 65-71 dates are correct for the salt wood guns, but they are apparently more unusual than first believed. I spent 20 years looking for one to drop into a proper stock and never found one for sale, so I finally sold the stock. Steve Fjestad publishes a good book too, I contribute to it for the Steyr and Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifles, and I've never had a question about Steve's pricing for Brownings! Whoever has provided Steve with the Browning data missed the fact that the early Safaris (59-61) ALL had a "L" prefix which also identifies BEGNO's rifle. Browning later on went to the annual changing of the leading letter, as in "L" "X" "Y", etc... as per Fjestad. And for one more joker in the deck, the Sako Brownings have another serialization series. I probably ought to forward that to Blue Book.
LLS