Mike,
Valmet had a reputation for making pretty rudimentary firearms, and the stamped checkering fits right in. The stocks on their 640 series rifles were notorious for cracking, and many split behind the tang.
The wood on the 412 series was plain with few exceptions. The 2400 Savage guns seemed to be some of the nicest guns they produced; the contract with Savage appears to have dictated that.
I recently received two of these 1970s 330 guns with the embossed checkering. The wood is good dense straight grained walnut with no figure. The guns were cheap enough, and I bought them for the barrels, but I have grown to like these "experienced" guns just as they are...great utilitarian firearms. I got one in 12/222 and one in 12/12 28" M&F to make a 3-barrel set for that wonderful 2400 12/308 I got from you. In the two older guns I got were one with SST and one with DT receivers. I'm tempted to install the DT in the 2400, since I'm more used to double triggers over years of using them.
