Seal the ends of birch shotgun buttstock?

[MD]

I just got a nearly unused 1987 Remington 870 Express shotgun with a birch stock.

There is nothing wrong with it so I'm not prepared to replace it with a synthetic one yet, but I'd like to seal it as best I can. I have been oiling it frequently (I haven't used it yet) with tung/teak oil, but a buddy says I should pull it off the receiver and seal the ends with varnish to prevent moisture from seeping in the ends.

I have read elsewhere that if you seal the ends, then any moisutre that does get in cannot escape and that is when you get swelling problems.

So should I seal the ends or not? I've got some spar varnish.

 

[Fall Guy]

If you can keep it from getting absolutely drenched/submerged in water, no worry.

I had a walnut stock swell noticeably at the butt plate after several (full) days of hunting in very humid, wet weather.

After this experience I have wondered why manufacturers don't seal the ends either.

 

[MD]

Here on the wet coast I'm often in a full downpour and wind dessed in full raingear, but the gun gets soaked from the rain and is often splashed with seawater too from me wading in the salt chuck.

 

[gunasauras]

Seal the ends with acraglas.....