[300winmag]

I think it slightly more handsome than the new ones, maybe it's just because the wood has turned all dark. Not fancy, but likable, at least to me.

Traditional finishes turn darker with age, and the older guns used a better grade (denser, darker) of walnut. Today, stocks are mostly beech, unless you pay extra for genuine walnut. And even then, it's a lighter, less dense walnut, unless they offer an option of a really expensive walnut.

I've had good luck refinishing modern walnut stocks with some Brownell's "military walnut" stain, which darkens and adds a nice red tinge. And a nice tung or linseed finish looks traditional, even if not too durable. For "durable", you have to go with the modern plastic finishes.

[Sam Cree]

That makes sense, it just seemed a nicer wood than what you see now, even though not a fancy rifle.

My Remington 700 has one of those plastic resin type finishes, it looks Ok, but, wonderfully, is almost maintenance free. I'm glad I bought it before they started putting the dumb*ss little scrolls on the barrel or reciever or wherever they've done that now.

You and g'nad are very knowledgable about this kind of stuff.