Just a suggestion for those use old classic rifles. For keeping that wood stable and keeping it from getting ruined an pine tar treatment is excellent although unconventional. Strip the finish off and from there apply a mixture of pine tar , mineral spirits, and boiled linseed oil conncoction either on a really hot day or with heat gun. A couple of coats and the wood sheds weather like a duck. I treat my stocks on my Ruger rifles with this method and it darkens the stocks but its a better treatment for tough weather than traditional stock and furniture finishes, the heat sinks the pine tar intonthe wood and its impregnated. Good stuff. The vikings treated their boatsnwitb it and it preserves wood like notjing else.
WARNING! Keep away from open flame!
Careful, threads about stock finishes get nasty in a hurry.
