Art, <P> I hope we can respectfully agree to disagree on this topic.<P> I was at my stock duplicator's place when he measured the moisture content of my blank and several of his best blanks- some worth several thousand dollars- and the moisture content of mine was about 13%, his were anywhere from 8% to 12%. All these blanks, including mine had been stored inside for many years. Mine had actually been in a heated shop for at least 5 years. The stocks in the stockmaker's shop were dry and anywhere from 5 to 30 years old. I have found that most furniture makers like their wood to be around 6%-8% moisture content or maybe a bit above. The reason being that most homes change temperature/moisture levels often and lower than this will cause moisture migration into the woods which will in turn cause the wood to move and warp. Wood floor installers also insist on these moisture levels and will leave the wood in the home to be installed sometimes for several weeks until the moisture level stabilizes at ambient levels, as I do with furniture wood in my workshop. Usually, this is about the best guarantee of avoiding problems later on. <BR> The electronic moisture meter he uses reads at least 1" into the blank, so surface moisture is not the only measurement and he wouldn't trust it anyway. <BR> Moisture changes are constant in an oil finished stock, that is a given. Also, the oil used on your grandmother's furniture is definitely not the same oil as that used on fine stocks. Interior grade finishes don't have the same solvents, plasticizers, or waterproof fillers included in exterior grade finishes. <BR> I have and do use the plastic finishes on stocks, in fact my stocks are about 50/50 oil finishes and polyurethane/varnish finishes. I find the "plastic" finishes to be slightly harder to work with, but beyond that, I enjoy rubbing in the oil finishes by hand and watching the wood transform a small step at a time.<BR> Art, I seem to be reading in your post that moisture just pours through an oil finish, as long as the wood will absorb it. Actually, it has been my experience that even in damp weather (not monsoon weather we experience here at times) the wood will absorb very little moisture- certainly not enough to cause major problems, but possibly enough to cause the barrel channel to move enough to contact the barrel.<BR> Another thing I have heard from many sources- once the wood is dry, very little moisture will be absorbed through the sides of the lignen fibers, most of the moisture absorbed by wood is through the end grain,since the fibers are like long straws and hollow. So sealing the end grain is mandatory when sealing a stock properly.<BR> I submit that whatever stock finish you use will work perfectly if applied properly, taken care of properly, and maintained. If you are in a location where severe weather is commonplace and your rifles are subjected to it, you should definitely consider one of the Poly or Epoxy finishes for your stock- or buy a plastic stock and stop worrying about it! Heck, my elk rifle wears a plastic stock and it doesn't hurt my feelings one bit! LOL- [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]- Sheister
