Yesterday I bought the lil 22/250 Savage (11GNS) and lastnight I took it down too the bare wood, got out the linseed oil and began handrubbing everything down both internal and external. The lil piece of wood actually looks very good and has a fantastic, straight grain too it and really woke up once the oil worked into it. I left it under a ceiling fan all night and this morning it looks like an entirely different gun. The lil stock looks like something from Ruger or Browning instead of one from Savage (now if I could just do something with that typical Savage bluing!
).
I realized then that I am FINISHED with synthetic guns. I have a safe full of guns and this was the 10th centerfire that is in it. 3/4s of them are synthetic "tools" but the wood guns just have so much more character and "warmth" too them. I have found NOS Kane's Gun Chaps for just about all of them now. I doubt I will bother with one for this Savage as it isn't going to be a traveling gun so I doubt it will get knocked around.
My next big game caliber will be a 300WSM and I was deadset on the Abolt Titanium, but after playing around with that wood stock lastnight I realized that I am now back on plans for something like a Abolt White Gold, possibly even a standard Medallion, a new Savage 14 American Classic or my another, which is a question I pose for anyone that might know. Will the new Weatherby Vanguard short actions fit into the old Vanguard Deluxe Custom (look just like the Mk V Deluxe stocks with maple spacers and rosewood caps and high comb Monte Carlo butt) stocks? I know Weatherby just "re-introed" the Vanguard Classic which features high gloss wood and a rosewood cap, but it still isn't as "classic Weatherby" as the old Vanguard Deluxe stocks. I can find shortaction Deluxe stocks here and there, just wandered if they fit (or can be slightly inletted to fit) the new 300WSM versions?
IMHO synthetic guns are no different than a box of allen wrenches or screwdrivers, just tools. An attractive wood gun with nice accents is not only a tool but takes on their own personality and almost becomes a "friend" while in use. Does that make sense?
RA