Browning Auto 5 forearm reinforcement strip

[MachWon]

I have a Japanese Browning (Miroku) Auto 5 and have been restoring the wood. I was done, or so I thought, when I noticed what I thought was some kind of reinforcement strip at the inside rear of the forearm was coming loose. It was very easy to peel the strip out of there - no adhesion at all. The strip seems to be just a slippery piece of brown plastic, similar to Teflon or Delrin.

Is this a reinforcement, or some sort of rub strip? What would be a good adhesive? This kind of plastic is usually hard to bond...

Gary

 

[e rex]

I believe "reinforcement" though I've never seen one quite like that. Browning has a repair facility in Missouri, I'd call them and ask. I've talked to them before and they are really nice people.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

That is in fact a reinforcement to inhibit the wood splitting there, which A5's have a reputation for doing. You might try roughing the area and laying in a strip or 2 of fiberglass matt, bonding it with Brownell's AcraGlas (once that stuff is back in stock).

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Col. Harrumph: ".... You might try roughing the area and laying in a strip or 2 of fiberglass matt, bonding it with Brownell's AcraGlas ...."

The forearm of my Howa 1000 semiauto shotgun is reinforced like that, fiberglass matt bonded with bedding compound. Probably be easier to do than trying to bond that plastic strip.

 

[entropy]

1100 forearms are reinforced the same way.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

That is in fact a reinforcement to inhibit the wood splitting there, which A5's have a reputation for doing. You might try roughing the area and laying in a strip or 2 of fiberglass matt, bonding it with Brownell's AcraGlas (once that stuff is back in stock).

You nailed it, but I prefer fiberglass cloth for the repair.
Over the years Browning has used different methods to reinforce the back of the handguard. They used wood vainer and glue on the older models. The problem is that after being oil saturated over time, the glue would give way.
They did finely go to an epoxy, like on this handguard, but the epoxy they used doesn’t always hold up.
One reason that causes the handguard to crack at the rear is, improper tightening of the barrel nut.
Over the years, I’ve probably repaired close to a hundred A5 handguards.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

I bow to you GunnySensei, since I don't know the difference between matt and cloth. Also I know enough to shut up when a Sgt. speaks.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

That strengthener does come off over time. Not uncommon. Here is the forearm off my Savage 720. See the repaired crack? When I bought the gun it ran bout 2/3 the length of the forearm.



It was repaired with Acraglass. Strong, solid repair. Gunny, this work (and more) was done by your grasshopper in Arizona many years ago. I asked him to make the repairs but leave them visible because of how the rest of the gun looks. He also filled in some stuff on my buttstock and even recut a little checkering. What ever happened to him?

 

[GunnyUSMC]

That strengthener does come off over time. Not uncommon. Here is the forearm off my Savage 720. See the repaired crack? When I bought the gun it ran bout 2/3 the length of the forearm.
View attachment 1146719
View attachment 1146720

It was repaired with Acraglass. Strong, solid repair. Gunny, this work (and more) was done by your grasshopper in Arizona many years ago. I asked him to make the repairs but leave them visible because of how the rest of the gun looks. He also filled in some stuff on my buttstock and even recut a little checkering. What ever happened to him?

That would be Tom. Tom is married and has a little girl. He drives trucks for a living now.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I bow to you GunnySensei, since I don't know the difference between matt and cloth. Also I know enough to shut up when a Sgt. speaks.

Fiberglass cloth


Fiberglass mesh, or mat

 

[Remington1911]

As I understand things it was for two things. First like everyone said it is to make that end just a tick stronger. The other is make it a tick more slippy. Way back when they use to put a little diagram on how to install the friction rings on a little slip of paper glued to the inside of the stock. Every once and a while you still find one there. IIRC my 20 has one. Usually they are damaged from all the stuff moving under the gun. Someone told me if the gun ever went back to browning for repair it was SOP to remove that paper as it would come off and "gum up the works". Over on the shotgun forum there is some good info on them, and their step sisters, the Remington.

As to what to do with it, busted fore arm is not good, my 16 is like that and it is just heart breaking having that on a gun from the 1930's. The "glue", I think I would lean to some kind of epoxy, I doubt wood glue would hold. I would head over to shotgun world and see what those folk have to say before I started anything.

 

[I6turbo]

You nailed it, but I prefer fiberglass cloth for the repair.
Over the years Browning has used different methods to reinforce the back of the handguard. They used wood vainer and glue on the older models. The problem is that after being oil saturated over time, the glue would give way.
They did finely go to an epoxy, like on this handguard, but the epoxy they used doesn’t always hold up.
One reason that causes the handguard to crack at the rear is, improper tightening of the barrel nut.
Over the years, I’ve probably repaired close to a hundred A5 handguards.

I have an Auto 5 that I originally set up as an HD-type of gun, but found that I love to shoot it for just about any type of shotgunning. It doesn't have any cracks, but I've thought about adding some type of reinforcement to the forearm area that is prone to cracking, hoping to prevent a crack in the future. A couple of questions for Gunny and anyone else with a good bit of experience doing this:
1. Is there a fiberglass or other kit that works well for a one-time use like this (I don't particularly need a bunch of resin and matting left over, so I'd prefer to buy a smaller kit if there is a good one available)?
2. What is the best way to prep the wood surface for adhesion prior to application -- what type of surface finish are you looking for to bond well?
3. How big of an area should I apply the reinforcement to?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have an Auto 5 that I originally set up as an HD-type of gun, but found that I love to shoot it for just about any type of shotgunning. It doesn't have any cracks, but I've thought about adding some type of reinforcement to the forearm area that is prone to cracking, hoping to prevent a crack in the future. A couple of questions for Gunny and anyone else with a good bit of experience doing this:
1. Is there a fiberglass or other kit that works well for a one-time use like this (I don't particularly need a bunch of resin and matting left over, so I'd prefer to buy a smaller kit if there is a good one available)?
2. What is the best way to prep the wood surface for adhesion prior to application -- what type of surface finish are you looking for to bond well?
3. How big of an area should I apply the reinforcement to?

Thanks in advance!

The only other epoxy that I trust, other then Acraglas, for stock repairs is Devcon 2 Ton Clear with the 30 minute set time.
Fiberglass cloth is not expensive, and easily found in automotive stores, or where they sell auto body repair items.
On the Browning A5 handguard, there’s about an inch wide area at the back of the handguard that is reinforced. It it is coming loose, it can be removed and replaced with new fiberglass cloth.
You need to clean the area good to remove the oil. Denatured alcohol works good, but you will need to clean it and let it sit for a day or two and clean again. This may need to be Don a few times.
When you clean the area, once the alcohol dries the wood will be a lighter color. If it darkens after a day or so, that is oil coming back to the surface. Clean again. Once clean, rough the area with sand paper.
After you have finished the repair and let it cure, wrap sandpaper on a dowel and sand the repair smooth to match the level of the wood.
I don’t have pics of the repair on an A5 handguard, but it looks close to the repair on this 30-30 handguard.

 

[Charlie Martinez]

I believe Brownell's has a very detailed video on restoration of an old A-5 and this is one of the items addressed in the video. The stock and forearm were first treated to remove all the oil accumulation and then the forearm reinforced before refininshing. The final product was beautiful so I think anyone that has an old A-5 should watch this video.

 

[I6turbo]

The only other epoxy that I trust, other then Acraglas, for stock repairs is Devcon 2 Ton Clear with the 30 minute set time.
Fiberglass cloth is not expensive, and easily found in automotive stores, or where they sell auto body repair items.
On the Browning A5 handguard, there’s about an inch wide area at the back of the handguard that is reinforced. It it is coming loose, it can be removed and replaced with new fiberglass cloth.
You need to clean the area good to remove the oil. Denatured alcohol works good, but you will need to clean it and let it sit for a day or two and clean again. This may need to be Don a few times.
When you clean the area, once the alcohol dries the wood will be a lighter color. If it darkens after a day or so, that is oil coming back to the surface. Clean again. Once clean, rough the area with sand paper.
After you have finished the repair and let it cure, wrap sandpaper on a dowel and sand the repair smooth to match the level of the wood.
I don’t have pics of the repair on an A5 handguard, but it looks close to the repair on this 30-30 handguard.

Thanks for the detail. Have you ever seen an A5 forearm crack with the factory reinforcement ring still secure and intact (as mine is)? In the interest of preventing a future crack, do you think it would be better to continue with the factory reinforcement as long as it is intact, or would it be better to preemptively replace it with the Acraglas method?

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Thanks for the detail. Have you ever seen an A5 forearm crack with the factory reinforcement ring still secure and intact (as mine is)? In the interest of preventing a future crack, do you think it would be better to continue with the factory reinforcement as long as it is intact, or would it be better to preemptively replace it with the Acraglas method?

I’ve had a few that still have the factory reinforcement. Sometimes the crack is due to stress in the wood.
Most often I’ll remove the factory reinforcement and replace with fiberglass cloth and Acraglas.