Browning 1895 help

[Thundermaker]

I recently acquired a browning copy of the 1895 winchester. From my research, there were 8,000 made in 1984 only. 6,000 were 30-06. 2,000 were 30-40krag. They came in two grades, grade 1 and high grade. The grade 1 is a blued gun with plain walnut furniture in a satin finish with no checkering. The high grade has a silver receiver with engraving and gold inlay and a glossed, checkered walnut furniture.

Mine is a grade 1, but it has the checkered, glossed stocks of the high grade. I'm trying to figure out how that happened. Was it a factory mistake? A custom order? I don't think Browning ever sold replacement stock sets for these, and I doubt someone said, "Hey, that plain satin wood would look better on my $2,000 rifle than this shiny ****. I'll trade you."

The auction house won't provide me any information about the previous owner. I contacted Browning about it. They transferred me to their "historian". I explained the situation. He said he'd do some research and get back to me. He called back after 2 hours. This is what I got:

"I looked up the serial number. The invoice says it's a grade 1."

"Yes, but why does it have a high grade stock set?"

"The invoice doesn't say. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Great big help, as you can see. Can anyone here shed some light on the subject?

[smokeywolf]

A lot of people don't like the "piano finish" on gun stocks. I don't much care for nickel plated frames or receivers. Sounds like a previous owner had upgraded wood put on it.
Sounds to me like you struck pay-dirt. Enjoy your blued receiver and beautiful stock.

If you ended up with a 30-06, be aware of potentially bumping the shoulder too far back when full length resizing you cases.

[junkbug]

I have heard of people with "connections" being able to order high grade replacement stocks when the factory did not want them being sold. One gun writer whose name escapes me now bragged about doing this.

[HawkCreek]

The previous owner could have just bought them from a place like Numrich. They dont have the Browning parts listed anymore but I got a magazine carrier for a Miroku 1895 in .30-06 from them. They have the stocks listed still:


https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/winchester/rifles-win/1895-made-in-japan

To be honest I thought about doing the very same thing years ago with my Browning 71. Numrich had the high grade stock and forearm listed back then (maybe they still do I dont know anymore), figured it was a cheap way to make mine into a close copy of a high grade but went another rout instead.

[bigbear]

There was (may still be)* a place in Missouri that sold replacement parts including stocks for the Browning Winchester replicas. I bought a replacement buttstock for my Browning 1895 30'06 as it had a hairline split in stock when I bought it from a scumbag:evil:(online purchase, pics did not show split and seller wasn't worth fooling with over the matter, chalked it up to "tuition" in the school of life.

*They are still there: Midsouth Gun Works