Indeed.
Truthfully, I would leave it alone if all you want is a shooter. The factory used a tinted lacquer because, as stated above, birch is awfully splotchy and a tinted barrier finish is the only way to get an even dark "walnutty" look. If you're hellbent on refinishing it, absolutely use a wood conditioner on the wood first (Minwax makes a decent one), but even then it's gonna be splotchy - at least 9 times out of 10 anyway - but maybe not as bad as if you went at it without a conditioner. An oil finish will make it look worse too. There is just no way to make a pretty job of a birch 99E stock, IMO.
Selling the thing on eBay and putting the money into a walnut stock of some sort was the best advice I've heard so far.
(Birch doesn't even make for great firewood, compared to oak, locust, osage orange, etc.)
