Agreed, we have loads of restrictions on firearms, even on airguns, but bad people miraculously still shoot people here with illegal weapons. Basically in our nanny socialist utopia the baddies have guns and the goodies have none, can't see a happy ending there. However my longbow is primed and ready and my 4" bladed knife (max by law to carry) strikes fear into burglars. Not much point in jailing them either, a life sentence is around 8 years served, but steal money from the rich and you are in for life. The stupid thing is that illegal firearms are plentiful now with no European wide customs controls, I was offered one in a pub in Manchester 4 years ago for £150, and that was in a nice pub whilst chatting over a sandwich, so the wrong people have them readily at hand. The terrorist situation is very very real, the people assigned to protect the public aren't armed so effectively there is no protection for ordinary people. We are very proud of our police not being armed, but in bad situations, which are getting common, they are ineffective. So fight to retain your rights, once gone they never return, enjoy your shooting, it's a great sport. I agree about the stock being nice, some of the modern stocks are fantastic, but none to me look like walnut, which I personally associate with classy weapons. Also I would not choose stainless for various reasons, nor polymer which is coming in rapidly, blueing the barrel and lightly oiling is part of bonding with your gun, as with stripdown and cleaning. I'll bet Last Cold Beer agrees with this.