guninfo......You have a fine rifle. I have had several Mark X's and still own one. Refinishing the stock, if it is needed and done well, won't be detrimental to the worth of your rifle. As a matter of fact touching up the checkering and putting something like a TruOil finish on it should have the opposite effect. Also if you are around 5'8" or shorter in height you might want your g'smith friend to shorten the buttstock to better fit you, while installing a good recoil pad. A basic ladies stock, if there is such, can be probably 3/4" to 1 1/4" shorter than the standard Mark X stock to have a proper fit. The barrel on your rifle is approx 24" if uncut. You might also consider shortening that to 22", maybe even 21". With the shorter stock and barrel your rifle will be a trifle lighter and much better handling mostly because it will fit you better. If you still have money after all this add some Talley Lightweight Rings and whatever 32mm to 40mm scope strikes your fancy and is affordable. With these improvements I believe all notions of exchanging your mauser for something newer but not better will vanish from your mind. It will be a thing of beauty.
As far as the detachable box magazine adoption, I have seen one and it hurt my eyes. Workable, but not graceful in the least. The bottom metal on your mauser is graceful as well as functional, particularly so if it uses the Oberndorf type floorplate release located in the trigger guard. Even if it used the push button release ahead of the trigger guard it's still ahead of the drop box IMHO.
And by the way; for $170 you got a bargain. FWIW
