i think the next rifle i buy is gonna be the most ulgy gun ive ever seen...reason being i hate takin my browning abolt out cause it looks so damn nice an i dont wanna scratch it or knick it up or do anything to it........ anyone else have this proablem...

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.

This is precisely why most of my firearms have either a synthetic or laminate finish. In fact the only two that have wood stocks are my Marlin 925M and 925N .22's. I couldn't care less how it looks, provided it has accuracy and reliability.

If I had anything with fancy wood or any of that it would reside in a display case, and I wouldn't own a gun I'd be worried about scratching, etc.

Wood is purty but so hard to maintain.

What's wrong with getting a few scraches on a wood stock? It was made to be used. Get out there and use them. Scraches are just character marks and adds to the memories of the many hunts that you took that particular firearm on.

Boy, our grandfathers sure would have had a hard time getting out in the woods if they were all Nancy boys too.

I have synthetic stocked guns too but given the choice I'll take a beautiful wood stock any day over synthetic in a hunting gun.

Bigbulls I seem to think we agree on more than 1 topic....

haha, I hear this from time to time....and I think scratch......what's wrong with character? now im not going to drop my rifle to give it more character, but a rifle is a rifle, no matter how much it cost, i wouldn't worry about a scratch/nick, dropping a rifle sure you hope itll still shoot straight. If I were to buy a new rifle and noticed a scratch or nick sure i'd be mad, but cmon, use that sucker!

Don't get an ugly rifle either! Even if its synthetic, they make some nice synthetics....to me synthetic doesn't inherently mean ugly.

I think a satin clearcoat or oil rubbed stain finish probably shows less wear as well, vs a super shiny high gloss finish. Personally I like the non glare as well, and to show off the wood more with a oil rubbed look vs a high shine, though some love that high gloss look.

Mostly everything I ever used growing up was wood stocked, I've only recently bought my first synthetic, but its very nice/attractive, weatherby mark V fibermark stock, compared to the regular synthetic, IMO it's no comparison.

Nowadays my view on a stock is where I plan to use the rifle.....while I've yet to go or purchase a rifle for africa, all I can visualize is a gorgeous wood stocked with a blued barrel, or just some dark stainless barrel.

But say in alaska I want a synthetic stock with a stainless barrel. I think if I were to start from scratch and buy everything, most of mine would have a syn. stock with the only exceptions probably being the larger /dangrous type rifles. though I plan to get a .375 in syn/stainless, so really only .416 and .458 would then be wood/blued.

My .270 and .300 win mag are wood/blued, I think about replacing them, but they are just too nice and shoot too well to do such a thing, so my only option would be to buy another rifle.....maybe I'll have a few boys one day,or girls....and they can each choose which they want....

I say use all your rifles and just be careful. Don't baby it. Some scratches make for good stories.

Tom

I look at all my rifles as tools and tools are ment to be used. Even though I am very careful with my tools but they do see some wear. I don't mind the dings from the field but it bugs the heck out of me if I put a scratchon one taking it out or putting it in the gun safe.

me no got ulgy guns

Quote from somewhere "Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun!". I agree!!