I just purchased a nice B78 6mm, but it looks like the previous owner dropped it a couple times. I'd like to refinish the stocks and was wondering if anyone knows how to get the grip cap off. It has the shiny silver (I guess engraveable) cap with no exposed screws. I don't want to mess it up.

B78-6mm, my plain silver cap recently fell off whilst hunting and I later re-attached it with some epoxy glue - no doubt similar to the original adhesive. So, possibly try carefully levering the edge with a fine flat screw driver and/or maybe gently heating the cap with a small gas burner to initially break the bond. Hope you're successful as they're a beautiful rifle.
Cheers, Ross.

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One clean, humane shot for all ferals !

Thanks for the advice Ross, it was as you suggested. A little heat softened up the adhesive and it came out pretty easy. I've stripped off the old finish and will soon start therefinishing.

what sort of finish are you going to go back with?

This kind of thread, without pictures, is like having someone describe a Picasso to you...sounds great n' everything, but let's see the before n' afters!

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Ask me about QDMA.

I've decided to try the African Express finish (Brownells). I've used Tru-Oil before and been pretty happy, but how will I know if I'd like something else better if I don't try it? I sent my order in yesterday. I plan to follow advice found elsewhere on this site and steam out the dents, put clear epoxy in the imperfections, touch up the checkering and start finishing the stock. This would have been a better January/February project than now with spring arriving, but such is life.
This B78 has an octagon barrel and Browning bases on it. Does anyone know if I can reverse the front base to mount the scope a little further back?

[This B78 has an octagon barrel and Browning bases on it. Does anyone know if I can reverse the front base to mount the scope a little further back?]

Since the B-78 octagon barrels are tapered, my guess would be "no".

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I have the same caliber B78 and mount my scope with both front and rear offset rings. This is one of my favorite rifles and it's incredibly accurate with factory 100 gr. ammo.

mcshot, are your offset rings Browning or Leupold? Does Browning make off-set rings? If Leupold, can they be used in Browning bases or do I need to replace my bases also? Thanks.

B-78 Grip cap. The plastic base is attached to the stock with a wood screw and has 2 pins in it to keep it from turning. Sometimes you can get the nickel silver plate out of the cap by hitting the side of the cap with something like a screwdriver handle. It's NOT uncommon for the caps to crack as a result of the pins being to tight in the cap and the plate will just fall out on it's own. It's possible that you might have to get the edge of the plate with something sharp and "PRY" it out.

NO BrowninG never made off-set mounts or rings for the B-78.

Here are a few photos of the B78 that I refinished this year. I wish I had taken some before photos because it was pretty beat-up, with scratches, dents, scars, crushed checkering, etc. I took it apart, stripped the old plastic finish, steamed out the wood, sanded, finished, re-cut the checkering and touched up the bluing. Here is the finished product:







This last photo shows it next to my relatively new Winchester 1885 in 22-250. I thought it was a pretty gun until I saw some of the wood on the old B78's. They don't make them like they used to!!



Sorry the photos are too large, you have to move the image around to see the whole photo(????).

I notice if you just click on the photos above they shrink to the appropriate size.

Very nice. The B78 and especially the 6MM is my favorite.

Very nice, turned out great

Great job!