Back when I was in a Mauser frenzy (meaning buying 98's and FN rifles to strip for the actions) I had several FN Mauser actioned Brownings with salt wood. As I was stripping the guns for the actions, no real problem, as the actions would receive a polish or a bead blast and a trip through the bluing tanks. Stocks were cut up and donated to the shop wood stove.

The salt wood was real obvious, with rust on the bottom half of the barrel and action.

Rumor back then (in the 1980's) was Browning bought walnut from Turkey, the raw logs were stored in salt water mill ponds at a sawmill. I never thought this was the real story, nice to see the real reason as posted above.

What is unbelievable to me is the stupidity of someone in the gun industry even thinking about using salt cured wood.