The 1903 has what the English-language M-S catalog at the time referred to as "pretty wood,"
an available special order factory upgrade. It also has finer checkering than the regular factory stock.
Most M-S wood of the time is remarkably bland.

The Model 1956 "slope-away" stock works remarkably well for head positioning with either open sight or scope.
I also didn't like the looks of it until I actually tried it. Now I am a convert.