Well said. British double rifles in medium to large nitro chamberings were concieved, designed, and built with only one thing in mind: hunting wild game in the far-flung outposts of Empire! Around the turn of the previous century till the First War, arguably the 'heyday' of the British double, the colonies were principly tropical and sub-tropical Africa and India with their sweltering heat and monsoon summers.

What stocks did every one of those rifles wear?

....oil-finished walnut!

I've had rivers of rain-water sluicing over my doubles in the height of a tropical downpour more times than I can remember, and they're slippery with sweat for hours at a time on the average hunt in my backyard. I wouldn't go 6 or 7 years between strip-downs here though, but admittedly there's never any hint of impending disaster.

I usually strip and clean a double immediately after acquisition, and polish any internals that are not already bright and smooth. Then I lightly coat everything with my secret recipe (50:50 mix of AlCom No.2 waterproof grease and high-grade light machine oil). I sleep pretty soundly at night!