totallycustom -
How about an update on your rifle and it's wood.
Interestingly enough, I picked up my Marlin 444SS at my gun shop Friday (5/11) and the wood on it was very nicely figured with a nice rich, deep, walnut colored, finish. However, the gun shop owner had just gotten in two full Marlin Lever Action Cowboy Rifle sets (45-70, 45 Colt, etc.) and put up one set in his gun rack. All of the rifles had "PALE" finished stocks. Almost in the white so-to-speak. Looked like they had only been lightly stained. I commented about it to the dealer and he said, all of the Cowboy Rifles that have come through his shop have had a similar finish. My 2007 Marlin Catalog says that all the stocks for the Cowboy Rifles are American Black Walnut so I guess they are. One other thing. The stock finishes shown in the catalog look lighter for the Cowboy Rifles than they do for the other lever action rifles in the catalog. Maybe Marlin is just trying to make the finish on the Cowboy Rifles reflect the finish of the 1800s and early 1900s rifles to make them more authentic.