Jimmy, If I didn't climb around mountains with a rifle on my back I'd never own plastic rifles... for sitting in a deer stand I much prefer a nice walnut/blued rifle no matter the weather.
My "ideal" stand rifle for Eastern Whitetail would involve a custom chromoly M70 SA in 250 Savage with a 20" bbl, open sights, Mannlicher stocked in a classic pattern topped with a Leupold 2-7x33.
Yeah, it'd have a leather sling too...
Yes there's the problem. The mind says kevlar/stainless, but the wood just has soul. You go to buy the "right thing" and then you see that unique chunk of wood sitting on the rack stairing at you... All my wood stocked guns have leather slings as well
Jimmy, if you're a wood/blue metal guy, DON'T FIGHT IT! I hold my head high when razzed about my old fashioned choices in outdoor gear (wood stocks, blued steel rifles and handguns, carbon steel knife blades, wool clothing, leather slings). There are tradeoffs, and "romantic" isn't always to most practical or efficient (though sometimes is) but this hunting thing is about having fun, and only you can determine what's most enjoyable for you. I bought a 700Ti last year only for it's light weight, and the reasons Brad mentioned but I live for finding pretty wood figure in a factory stock. Each stock is unique and beautiful in a different way. Yeah, a ding does hurt me more than the wood, and I've taken some nasty face-plants just to save my rifles since I can heal, but the rifles can't! A wood stock and blued metal can be weather proofed enough for year round hunting, or just your once a year stand hunting. Then during the rest of the year, you've got a rifle you're proud to have leaning in the corner of your livingroom or office.
IMO, a blued steel/wood stocked gun can start out pretty, and then gains character throught decades of use. Discounting some very nice custom guns I've seen built, a stainless/synthetic rifle starts out ugly and just gets uglier with more use.
Would you rather date Rita Hayworth or Hilton/Lohan/Richie/Spears, etc? I'll take the "classic" one myself. OK, maybe that was a poor example, but you get the idea....
