I've been working on finishing my 6mm Ackley's laminate stock, (finally) I believe it looks fairly good for my first real finishing attempt except for two problems, both in the pistol grip. My dad says he can't see it, but I think the pistol grip area is darker than the rest of the stock. I thought this might be from oil and handling the stock before finishing, but I sanded it really well, and the comb and forearm show no darkening. On the pistol grip there is a palm swell, and right in front of this there is a slight dip, and I can't seem to get a smooth finish there. I can always see streaks and lines, that don't really correspond with cloth I'm using. They seem like pretty wide streaks. I can't really notice it until the sun hits it, but then it becomes quite apparent.

March up through the ranks of progressively finer sandpaper, up to 400 or so, then do a final smoothing with 0000 steel wool. Look from a low angle in bright light after steel wooling, and you will see any big scratches. Go back to 200 / 300 grit sandpaper to get them out, then back to steel wool, etc.

Finally, when all scratches are gone and you have a nice smooooooth finish with steel wool, wet sand with some kind of sanding sealer and 400 grit wet/dry paper. Wipe the finish + dust slurry off AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE to the grain. Let dry several days, gently steel wool, re-fill grain if needed, apply final finish.

Make sure you use something other than your fingers to back your sand paper. A pad of some sort. Using your fingers will usually give you an uneven finish.

Tyler,
There was an noted gun stock maker from middle of the last century that said he NEVER was happy with any stock he ever finished. That is sort of how it goes with wood. If you have good eyesight and light at the right angle you will always find some little nit that you don't like.

Well it's done now...whenever it gets sunny so I can take good pics I'll put them up. Finish is not glass smooth, but it's my first attempt at doing this so I didn't expect perfection. But what I really didn't expect...is that stupid long stringy piece of lint/something on the bottom of the comb! WTF!

I hear you.
I used a can of spray Tru-Oil on a Lee-Enfield once. On one piece I got the smoothest high gloss---Roy Weatherby would have died with envy.
The other piece had orange peel....Some 400 grit fixed both pieces.

The problem with the darkening in the grip area is that you are dealing with the end grain at that point.

Well the pictures suck, not worth the time of putting on photobucket, then here. The camera doesn't capture the prettiness of the wood well at all.

Tyler,

You can smooth out your finish by using a bit of linseed oil and a touch of pummice on a felt pad. Rub around in tiny circles covering just a little area of the stock at a time. This will give you a satin smooth finish. If you desire a glossy finish, then do the same thing using rottenstone instead of pummice. Remove all the oil and pummice or rottenstone when you're done.