In the local paper(NY Daily News) there was a special report on missing Stradivarius violins. As a side bar they had the three layer varnishing process that was used on the superb violins.
First coat seems to be a mixture of silica and potash, designed to soak into the maple,wrapping around the fibers of the wood and giving it strength.
A second coat may consist of egg whites and honey or sugar and the final coat, which gives his instruments their distinctive orange-brown color, appears to include a mixture of gum arabic, turpentine and a resin called Venetian red. It goes on to say Stradivarius never passed on his secrets.
What seemed intresting was the first coat giving the maple strength, probally raise hell with the checkering tools on a gunstock. Also there was a article on using egg whites as stock sealer in a recent Gun Digest. Seems like wood finishers are always experimenting, trying to find the perfect finish or Mama had something leftover from making a cake.
Bob

Interesting info. If I recall, Venetian red in powder form has been used in both walnut and maple gunstock finishes. I believe Herter's used to sell it for gunstocks.

I tried analine dye on eastern maple,quite mixed results,surgi?? effect and blotching.

Egg white is used as the binder in artist's paint. Now I'm trying to remember if it's oil based paint or one of the other media.

Anyhow, it's durable stuff.

You know that if you soak leather in water and then dry it under heat it forms a polymer. Lots of chemistry going on under your nose where you may least expect it.

Well, it isn`t the so-called "Traditional" way of finishing maple, but if the goal you have is to seal the wood, protect it from scratches, look great, and be totally maintinance free, then you may want to consider an automotive clearcoat. Blasphemy I know, but if you don`t like swelling and POI changes, clearcoat is the way to go.
Almost every rifle out of my shop gets clearcoated, and it`s tough as nails. It seals the wood completely, and I don`t give a rats ass what detractors say, it does not let moisture in or out. I have hit quite a few of my stocks with a moisture meter that I use for checking them while drying batches of stock blanks and music wood, and a year or two after completion, the M/C is the same. I could drop a $4000 stock in a bucket of water and leave it a week(but I won`t, hehe), there will no ill effects.
If you want color, here`s 2 ideas that work. Forget Aniline dye, it sucks. Go to www.woodfinishsupply.com and order up the metal extract dye. It will hold color in the sun without fading seal the stock with a few coats of wiped on Benite(hardware store) and then thin the dye in lacquer thinner - 10 teaspoons to the quart. Wipe on with a sopping wet rag, and wipe off right away. leave it be a half day, and repeat til you get the amount of color you want.
2: The automotive shop has a transperant coloring agent that goes into the clearcoat and is awesome. You just spray it on like regular clear, after the initial sealing of course. When you get it right, one or two more coats of clear and wet sand with 1500 grit McGuires paper. You can then buff it to a satin, semi, or high gloss with rubbing compound.
Simple, works every time without fail, is quick compared to months long applications of oil, and seals out the elements. I doubt your rifle is a $175,000 classic double rifle, so just do what is right for the gun.