I was always taught by my dad how to handle/treat a rifle/shotgun. Only scratches that ever happened were horse related or slipped in the mud and dropped it on a tree root/or rock, etc. The rain and snow are the Boogermen I deal with/dread. Nice wood can really get messed up if wet long enough, of course. so yes, I've had a few rifles that were just too pretty, I couldn't make myself put wear on them and there are have been some that shot so well I took them anyhow, ha. Now, in the last "1/3rd" of Life, I use I have, when I have the opportunity to hunt!
My latest "nice one" is a nicely figured Kimber 84L Classic, .270. I'll just take the little sack of Gun Slicker with it when I go into the mountains. Pluse, I always use Outers Tri Lube on the metal and Howards Feed N Wax on the wood. The "hard use" rifle is a Bergara B14 300WM. I like how their stock feels, kind of a "rubberized feel"? The older synthetics got so cold they hurt my old hands, wood is much warmer. Hopefully this Bergara will be bearable. Yes I wear gloves....:)
