Older Browning Rifles.

[Jeff Morris]

I have a Browning Safari Hi Power 7mm Rem Mag with a serial # 55736 L70. When was it made? And is it one of the salt wood guns? Gun is immaculate to the eye but I haven’t removed the furniture.

[Pukindog]

Jeff,
Your rifle was "born" in 1970. Very possible it is a salt gun. Couple of ways to tell; remove the stock and look for rust, or remove a recoil pad screw and look for rust, or test the stock chemically. I do not recall what the chemical is ( I want to say it is silver nitrate) but it is sold commercially for testing salt wood.
Jeff

[MD66948]

Here is an original Funken Engraved Browning. Funken is considered Brownings Finest Engraver. The Browning Historical Society determined it is real and was done at the end of his career or just after he retired.

They put a very high dollar value on it. My son Tom owns it and he may sell it in the near future.

[Pukindog]

Nice Olympian. If you have the original box check and see if it says recoil pad as an option. Recoil pads were not installed ( unless an option ) on .30-06 production rifles of any grade. Actually, now that I am home and have a good look at rifle it does not have a Olympian stock. Looks to be a Safari Grade stock. The recoil lug is blue. On an Olympian this would be engraved and gray. Seems that the original stock has been replaced.

Jeff

[MD66948]

Jeff you are right. Browning thinks this rifle was sent back to Browning for engraving and had the recoil pad and stock replaced. The money is in the engraver.

[Desert Guy]

First time poster here, long time gun owner. Last night I was at my nephews and he showed me a BBR in 30-06 that his FIL gave him. It is in pristine condition and he was told it has never been fired. The checkering was sharp and crisp.
It was however missing the screws for the scope bases. He said he was going to mount a scope from one of his other rifles on it so I thought I would see if anyone here could advise me on what mounts would work? Would the A-Bolt bases have the same pattern? I like the Talley lightweight rings and bases or Leupold 2 piece bases.

TIA

[MD66948]

Jeff,
Your rifle was "born" in 1970. Very possible it is a salt gun. Couple of ways to tell; remove the stock and look for rust, or remove a recoil pad screw and look for rust, or test the stock chemically. I do not recall what the chemical is ( I want to say it is silver nitrate) but it is sold commercially for testing salt wood.
Jeff

That not what Browning has told me.

[ColoFriend]

Jeff,
I have a widow friend who is trying to sell a Browning BLR in .243 that has been in their family a good while. It's in very good shape, no scope, stamped "Made in Belgium". Serial is 22242 K71, which should mean manufactured in 1971. Any thoughts on approximate value? I should get pictures later today I can post.

[Pukindog]

The rifle was produced in 1971. These rifles were produced in Belgium from 1970-1974. Some early guns are stamped K70. As far as value; depends on condition, box, etc.
Price could be from $500.00-$900.00 depending on market.

Jeff

[GunsnGuitars]

I found this thread almost by accident and decided to join the forum so that I can possibly get some help on an old BAR I recently acquired. It is a Belgium rifle, with a serial 727** M9. The thing that has me baffled is the '67-'68 models had a 5 digit serial number, followed by the M7 or M8, meaning it was a '67 or '68 year manufacture. Afterwards, starting in '69 they changed the serial numbers that do not match anything I have...The rifle is most definitely a Belgium Browning, and it has the grade 2 engraving with the antelope on the right side of the receiver, and the elk on the left side.

Here's the info from Browning in regards to serial numbers and why I am confused as to why my rifle has the M9 at the end of the serial number, when according to them, the M, followed by a single digit number, being 7 or 8 (again, '67 or '68) were the only year models this was used in their numbering for the BAR...Furthermore, my serial number has a 5 digit number before the M9, when the Browning site shows a 4 digit number before the M- designation...but I realize this could simply be a type-o...

From Browning's site:

"1967-68 BARs had serial numbers that read like this: 1234M8. The number after the M designates the year. 7 means 67. 8 means 68.

Starting in 1969 Browning began the actual number using two digits for the date of manufacture, followed by an M. The number before M is the year.
M=BAR High Power Rifle. This was then followed by the serial number beginning with 1000.
Example: 69M1000 = A 1969 BAR High Power rifle with a serial number of 1000."


I'm completely guessing here, but perhaps this was a late '68 production run for the early '69 guns, and was stamped before they had changed the serial numbers...? I just don't know, and cannot seem to find answers anywhere. Any help will be greatly appreciated. There seems to be a good deal of knowledge about these great old rifles in this forum. Enough to convince me to join! Thanks a bunch.

Matt