Restocking a salty Belgian T-Bolt

[Baltimoreed]

This poor Browning has been languishing in my safe for years. I figured it would make a good corona project so I bought a Boyds Sky Pro Varmint stock for it. As I had it parkerized years ago when I discovered the salt damage I figured that I couldn’t go back so I’d do a T-bolt out of left field. I sprayed and cooked the zinc trigger guard using high temp paint. Planning to upgrade the scope to a Nikon pro staff asap. The Boyds laminate stock was a total drop in fit with no issues at all. Other than feeling too light to me I’m liking it. Might pick up some weight with a bigger scope but I can always add some weight. I can shoot a heavier rifle better than a lighter one. My Harris bipod arrived and my scope should arrive tomorrow. They show it delivered today but no show.

[trails4u]

That actually looks pretty sharp! I have a 1966 variety......luckily enough for me, not salty. It's the same rifle I grew up shooting in Boy Scouts. Belonged to my Scout Master.....and was gifted to me upon his return to his home country of England.

It's a tack driver.....and I'll cherish it forever. I always wondered about the salt-wood rifles. Glad to see you've saved one!!

[pietro]

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I bought a used salty 1970 Belgian T-2 Deluxe T-Bolt that had an astute previous owner....

Someone had evidently caught the rusting early, alleviated it permanently, and also saved the original stock from re-rusting the metal via some kind of coating inside the inletting.

I've been shooting/hunting it for a little over 8 years now, and another grain of rust has yet to raise it's ugly head.


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[abunaitoo]

I have found that all early T-bolts have salt stocks.
I have bought two that I was told were not salt stock.
When I got them, they were not salty.
Even removed the stock and found no salt.
A few months later when I pulled one out.........
Lots of salt coming out of it.
Same with the other one.
What a mess.
I store them out of the stock.
To this day salt still comes out of the stock.
I'm thinking how much salt comes out depends where you live.

[Baltimoreed]

I tried to seal mine up but wood expands and shrinks so without a kiln to totally dry it any finish I applied would eventually fail. Living in NC on the coast didn’t help. And you being in HI would be just as bad. Laminate stocks tend to be pretty water/moisture proof though. Might be an option for at least one of your T bolts.

[fecmech]

I have a grade II salt stock that I tried to seal, no joy. I coated the barrel channel and the inside of the stock with silicone dialectric paste screwed the action in and wiped off the excess paste. That was a couple of years ago. I check it periodically and so far no rust on any metal parts.