The ones I saw had rough looking real wood, like it was made with some hand tools by a beginner. It was under the lights in the showcase at Cabelas, and showed a lot of flaws for a gun at that price. The other one was at the range one day.
Nicer wood and better bluing would have improved the look a lot.
Don't know what you saw, but I know exactly what I own, and it has none of the flaws you describe.



















































