Thunderstick, Sitka can probably answer this better than me but I'll give it a try.<P>Considering that the finish on Remington stocks is geared to production and a nice shiny finish as more of a sales tool than weather protection, they work fairly well if taken care of. However, I have owned several Remingtons that the finish has been damaged or otherwise been worn off in spots and the water damage is almost immediate. In other words, the wood has only a surface protection and no protection IN the wood. I would give these finishes about a 5 on your scale.<P>Straight Tung oil and Boiled Linseed oil are about the same, but in a different manner. They are completely dependent on being totally absorbed into the surfaces of the wood for the protection from water, so this portion of the finish must be carefully attended to. If absorption isn't complete, these finishes are not much better than bare wood. Also,if you are using straight Tung oil or Boiled linseed oil without the newer additives, plasticizers, and other carrier solvents, you will probably end up with a beautiful finish that doesn't necessarily protect well by itself. Use of Tru-oil and other newer finishes with additives will enhance the protection qualities of the finish and can still be thinned properly to permeate the wood in the initial applications. However, even with the best application, these finishes will not come even close to the epoxy finishes in water proofing your wood. I would give them a 6 or 7 on your scale.<BR> If you want a really weatherproof finish, you really need to apply the epoxy finishes over several coats of thinned oil in the wood. If you like the rubbed oil look, it can be achieved with a little work by using the methods mentioned by Sitka in the post above. It is a lot of work but if you hunt in monsoon conditions it is definitely worth it.<BR>Keep in mind that most of my advice above is geared to JJ's question and the use of the gun in question- which will see no real moisture exposure.- Sheister
