Working with wood stocks can be very rewarding. There’s a lot of work involved but when you’re done you have something to really be proud of. There are a couple major types of finish grades the “hunter” and the “gunsmith” finish. There are several sub-grades involved but they have mostly to do with the grit of sandpaper used and the degree of gloss. I want to just hit the major categories for now.
There is really only one major difference and that is weather or not the pores of the wood are filled and sealed. You will find the “hunter” finish on the Marlin and Savage stocks. The way you can tell this is by gently moving your pinkie nail across the stock. If it feels like driving down a washboard country road you know you have a “hunter” finish. The reason it feels like that is because the pores are wide open and can still absorb moisture. This is where you get the stock warping with increased humidity. Almost all the older rifles were done with this finish because it doesn’t take long to do and is therefore inexpensive.
With a “gunsmith” finish it takes several days longer to do and because of that it isn’t cheap. You will find these finishes on Kimber’s and the higher grades of Remington and Browning. To have this finish put on your rifle you are usually around the $200 mark because of the increased time and work involved. However, if sealed properly (inside and out) the pores are solidly filled and are unable to absorb moisture. A lot of manufactures skip the inside of the stock, meaning the barrel channel and mortise, so you still have concern there but very little. What you end up with is a stock that doesn’t warp unless you soak it in the creek for hours. That’s right, no humidity warping. If you’re saying to yourself,” that sounds like the reason I bought a synthetic stock”, then you are getting the point. Here comes the statement folks…a properly finished stock will weather virtually the same as a synthetic stock. The way you can tell a new rifle has a “gunsmith” finish is the same method we used for the “hunter” stock. Run your pinkie finger nail across the grain of the wood. It should feel like a sheet of glass. That’s how you can tell that the pores are filled and will not absorb moisture.
So, my friends, go out and impress everyone with your wealth of knowledge. Challenge the guy behind the gun counter that tells you that you will never have an accurate hunting gun without a synthetic stock. And by all means, if you want to do away with your “hunter” finish go see a local gunsmith or ask the right questions to the right gunsmith.