[quote=bigbulls;3889491]I much prefer wood stocks if given the choice. If sealed with the proper finish they are just as weather proof as a synthetic stock.
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun.[/quote]
+1000
I hunted for about 40 years with my walnut stocked .30-06/.30 Gibbs. I hunted elk with it almost every one of those years in all kinds of weather, and it rode many miles in a leather scabbard on the side of my horse. I hunted with it in Colorado, Montana, and Alaska. The checkering shows some wear, but overall, the stock is still in excellent shape.
I also have over 30 years of hunting with my fancy walnut stocked .257 Ackley. It's been on probably 4 or 5 dozen deer and antelope hunts and a number of bighorn sheep hunts. It's also still in very good shape.
About 10 years ago I broke down and bought a Rem 700 in 7mm Rem mag. It has a stainless barrel and action, and is in a plastic Remington stock. I did take it on one hunt in South Africa, and I have used it on several deer, pronghorn and elk hunts, but I mainly keep it as a backup rifle for wet, and foul weather hunts.
My main rifle now for elk and probably any hunts outside of Montana is a .300 Weatherby that I stocked in AA Fancy walnut. I finished it with over a dozen hand rubbed coats of Tru-oil and I rub it with stock wax before every hunt.
I've also heard that Thompsons Water Seal can be applied over the finish of a wood stock and it will repel water and not damage the finish.
By the way, bigbulls,
GREAT AVATAR!!!! 