Browning Superposed, how much is it worth?

wbaad said:
i thought it was them using salt to help speed the drying and curing process for the wood. it worked great to get an end product, but destroyed the guns!
Browning used to offer free replacement wood and possibly repair, but not sure about now.
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You are correct, my perception of what salt wood is was wrong after doing some research. How that idea got into my head I have no idea lol :rolleyes:
Same final result though :p
 
SkilledShooter said:
Thank you very much Beretta for a great offer, I appreciate it! As well thanks to every body else who posted , great community here !!!
But I think I was able to locate the choke markings on the gun, thanks to REM !

* Full on the top and

** modified on the bottom barrel,

dime sits on end on the front of the barrel. It just sits and does not drop in.

The serial number is 27591 S73.

Not sure what salt wood is or how to check for it.

Here are more pictures as requested.

Many Thanks again to all !!!



Here is a good description of the salt wood issue not my words

The best discussion of the Browning salt wood issue is in Ned
Schwing's "Browning Superposed" book (Krause Press, 1996). According
to Schwing, in the mid '60s Browning needed a better supply of high
grade walnut for it's guns. A California contractor had a large
inventory of good walnut taken from clearing power line right of ways.
Demand for Browning guns was at an all time high and the usual kiln
drying process for walnut was too slow to produce what was needed.
Rapid kiln drying also produced cracks in the California walnut.

Morton Salt had developed a salt solution drying process successfully
used in the furniture industry with good results. This cured the
walnut much faster than the kiln method. Browning tested it and there
were no problems, so Browning bought the process in 1965. "In an area
roughly the size of a football field, five-foot by five-foot by
eight-foot stacks of stock blanks were covered with salt. The salt was
supposed to leach out the moisture and dry the wood quickly. The
process did accomplish its purpose but the moisture that was drawn out
of the blanks on top of the stacks ran down into the blanks below,
resulting in a brine solution that soaked the lower wood blanks."
(Schwing, pp 246) The retained salt reacted with the gun metal with
the finished stock was installed. This caused the rust associated with
"the salt wood problem".

According to Schwing's interviews with Browning's Harm Williams and
Val Browning, all the salt curing was done in the US and affected at
least 90% of all Browning stocks from made from 1967 to 1969. The
problem continued to show up until 1972, but in smaller numbers. It
was then that the entire supply of walnut blanks was burned and
replaced with traditional kiln dried wood.

To detect salt wood on 1966 to 1972 guns, first check for outward
appearance of dark or discolored spots. Check every place that wood
meets metal, as on the rear of the forend and at the head of the
stock. Rust on the metal will be apparent if there is a problem.
According to Schwing, the definitive test is to remove the butt
pad/plate, scrape away a little wood from the exposed butt and apply a
1% solution of silver nitrate to the fresh wood. If the silver nitrate
remains light purple, there is no salt. If the silver nitrate turns
white, you have a salt gun.

If you can prove that you are the original owner of the salt gun,
Browning used to replace the wood for free and will probably still do
so. If you bought the gun used, you are on your own. I got a used
Superposed 410 with salt wood about ten or twelve years ago. Browning
charged me about $250, if memory serves, to replace the wood. It
wasn't free, but it was certainly a bargain price. I don't know what
the numbers today are.

By the way, Browning wasn't the only one to get taken in by the salt
wood walnut curing process. I've heard that some other gun companies
did also, but weren't quite as up front about dealing with it.



Unfortunately regardless the year of your gun it has to be checked since it is too close and more important since Art Isaacson (Art's Gun Shop) has documented many times that salt wood superposed guns have S7, S8 or S9 in their serial numbers. No body knows more about this problem or did more warranty work as a result of this than he did . Google is name if you want to check him out
All that being said IMO from looking at the pics of the gun I think the original owner had the wood changed out under warranty but one has to be sure
Sorry but just sharing the little bit I know about this

Also just to add if you were the original owner and it was a salt gun browning as far as I know will still deal with it. Here is one case from 2012 from a member on another forum. Nice offer IMO

His words

Browning did not refuse to repair it, said it would take 6 to 8 months or more & would be a lot of work. They offered me the Citori 725 instead of repairing my gun & I had to decide if I wanted the repaired Superposed classic or a new modern gun. I thought that was a fair offer & accepted it. ( It just took them a very long time to find out it's condition)

Cheers
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3macs1 said:
SkilledShooter said:
If you can prove that you are the original owner of the salt gun,
Browning used to replace the wood for free and will probably still do
so. If you bought the gun used, you are on your own. I got a used
Superposed 410 with salt wood about ten or twelve years ago. Browning
charged me about $250, if memory serves, to replace the wood. It
wasn't free, but it was certainly a bargain price. I don't know what
the numbers today are.




All that being said IMO from looking at the pics of the gun I think the original owner had the wood changed out under warranty but one has to be sure
Sorry but just sharing the little bit I know about this

Also just to add if you were the original owner and it was a salt gun browning as far as I know will still deal with it. Here is one case from 2012 from a member on another forum. Nice offer IMO

His words

Browning did not refuse to repair it, said it would take 6 to 8 months or more & would be a lot of work. They offered me the Citori 725 instead of repairing my gun & I had to decide if I wanted the repaired Superposed classic or a new modern gun. I thought that was a fair offer & accepted it. ( It just took them a very long time to find out it's condition)

Cheers
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Does she know if her husband purchased this Browning new?
If so, maybe a call to Browning with the serial number would shed
some light on whether the stock set was replaced?

Lots of value here.
Great info, thanks for posting.
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Mount Sweetness said:
So much concern over salt wood and the gun doesn't show a speck of rust.
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For me the concern is future resale. Those that collect these are not going to pay fair market value not knowing
Plus it is not always what you can see. How many of these salt wood guns were stored over the years makes a huge difference
Would you pay market value for it now. I surely would not especially when this could be put to rest in a few minutes. Not saying I would not buy it
Don't know if one can still buy the silver nitrate at the drug store but if not a local high school lab can surely help
I think the wood was replaced at one time on this gun IMO but with it's serial number it has to be confirmed or expect to adjust it's value accordingly if the OP plans on selling it some day
Cheers

Once again not my words but those that know

It is interesting how some were affected and some were not. I don't have a good answer but I think a lot of it has to do with the manner in which the guns were stored. High humidity? Low humidity? Kinda makes since to me. If there isn't a lot of moisture in the air then the salt cannot react to cause a lot of damage to the metal. Another thing to think about is that there are replacement stocks being ordered and made every week. So some guns may appear no salt and that is because a new stock has been made and put on the gun. Gotta be careful because some sellers will tell you that the gun is original and ask the original price, but in reality it has been reworked!
 
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FLHTCUI said:
If one is worried about salt wood pull the rear recoil pad or but plat screw and see if it is rusted .
Then again 3macs method is an alternate.
Rob
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Agree That would do it Rob IMO plus check the forearm. The nitrate is what the collectors would probally use but we have very few of them in canada anyway
Cheers
 
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You guys are great, so much information and knowledge. Learned a lot from this little project. Thank you very much.
The gun looks spotless, not a speck of rust anywhere. I think the husband got this gun as a gift. I don't think he even fired it once.
I will probably sell it at a store, in consignment or out right. I just do not have the time to try to sell it by myself. But thank you again for all great information.
Once the gun is sold I will make a small donation to the CGN, it’s a great community, worth supporting for sure :d

Thank you !!!
 
In 1962 Browning Superposed serial numbers followed with the letter "S" to signify 12 ga. . "F" & "V" were used for the smaller gauges. . eg. . In 1962, the sn followed by "S2" . . 1963 "S3" . . until 1969 when the letter S was followed by two number . . "S69" . . The long tang ended around 1967 and guns from then on usually had flat knobs as well. . Salt cured wood was used from around 1967 until 1972. . Usually the Browning guys like to keep the guns from 1966 and earlier. . Round knob, long tang. .
 
Mr SkilledShooter, seeing as your thread seems to have run its course, I hope you don't mind my hijack of it...

I have this Browning superposed, which I ended up with a few years ago, and would like to have the CGN experts weigh in on it as I really know nothing about this shotgun other than it is 12G/2 3/4"....

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I can take more pictures if needed..
 
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canuck said:
I have this Browning superposed, which I ended up with a few years ago, and would like to have the CGN experts weigh in on it as I really know nothing about this shotgun other than it is 12G/2 3/4"....
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Built in 1955. The chokes were Full over Improved Modified when it left the factory. How long are the barrels?
 
Beretta687EELL said:
Built in 1955. The chokes were Full over Improved Modified when it left the factory. How long are the barrels?
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Your barrels are in fact "Full" and "Modified" choked when left the factory.
I double checked Brownings web site and the A-5 and Superposed use the same
markings for choke configurations as listed below...............:wave:

Full: *
Imp Mod: *-
Mod: **
Imp Cyl: **-
Skeet: **$
Cyl: ***

Hayya canuck, the * on the top and the two ** on the bottom on the second photo
look different.
Are they?
Wondering if something has changed?
 
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Skilledshooter: I paid $1200 for my last Superposed, a " lightning" long tang, round knob 3" 20 gauge. A somewhat more desirable version. Your 12 ga. would be worth just a tad less IMHO. They are very well made guns, and 3" is a bonus, but not steel shot compatible, which limits their use for waterfowl hunting. I'd put fair market value at $1100
 
Shot a Browning Belgium Grade 12 Gauge O/U for years. It is a beautiful shotgun for sure!
 
Just want to give you a quick update.
Took the gun to Epps and it was appraised at $1400.00 and sold in a week. Epps took 15% so I got $1190.00.
Thank you for your help.
 
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