but IMO poly is a less than desirable finish for gun stocks. It is harder than spar varnish and will develop 'crazing' if the stock is subjected to extremes of climate change or dampness. Wood will move, no matter how well seasoned it is, and I prefer a finish that will move with it (like spar varnish which is more elastic than polyurethane).
Then why are polyurethane products so widely used in the auto industry? Poly finishes if applied properly don't craze due to weather or temperature changes and sheet steel in a whole lot more elastic at extreme temperatures than wood. I consider the ability for a finish that is tough enough to ward off dings, brier scratches and run ins with barbed wire fences (hardness) as a virtue not a drawback for field guns.
