Go to WOODCRAFT and get a little jar of LIN-SPEED. It is made especially for gunstocks. It is a combination of Linseed oil and a couple of other ingredients. It is rubbed on with the fingers in a thin layer and repeat the process 3 or 4 days later. I finished a 1903-A3 Springfield 30.06 back in the 1970s with this stuff, and hand-rubbed in about 15 coats. By taking the time of man-bonding-to-gunstock via hand-rubbing in the finish, it makes the person appreciate the gun and respect it even more. I know...it sounds kinda crazy, but it did for me. By spending that amount of time hand-rubbing in the finish, he will also treat the gun stock carefully for the rest of his life. That stock is impervious to all elements when he gets done, and it looks fantastic. It becomes part of the wood, not just a layer sitting on top, waiting to get damaged. It can also be used again in future years, by just rubbing in more over the top of the old. (but...I have never had to do it....it is a claim made by the maker). A little jar is $10 and he won't use a 1/3rd of the jar. Dip in two fingers, rub it on, dip again, repeat. let dry 3 or 4 days...repeat again. I did this to my gunstock when I was 16. I turn 60 this year. still looks as good as the month it took me to apply it. I recently saw it for sale in WOODCRAFT and bought a jar to use on my lathe projects! There is no shortcuts with this, but it just takes time and it is easy to apply.
