I have yet to see a wood stock as strong or as light and strong as the better synthetics. Never have any of mine been noisy or smelled.
I wouldn't suggest you put that wet rifle up against that wood stove and ignore it very often. Even stainlees will rust if neglected enough. E
A laminate stock (or walnut I suppose) is far, far quieter than fiberglass or plastic when branches are rubbing against the stock... the butt in particular is a noisy area in a plastic or glass stock.
Can't say my only fiberglass stock (Kimber) smells, but plastic ones usually do, especially the first couple years.
While stainless will rust, that just is what it is. I'm not taking my main rifle out of it's stock in hunting season anyway, so.... The reason I sleep easy with my (laminate) M7 leaned up in the corner by the woodstove is that I know the stock isn't going to warp, split, twist, or whatever... the POI won't move on me.
