I know what you mean, seams no matter how carefull I am in the woods I always end of with a scratch or ding someplace. Used to have a real pretty Sako Forester but sold it cause I couldn't hunt it anymore. Now I have a Winchester M70 XTR Black Shadow with the plastic stock, and a Remington 700 MT SS and had to take the Nice lam stock of and replace it with a B&C comp stock. Not near as nice to look at but it won't kill me if they get used.