I purchased a Tacticool stock for a MKII from Midway un finished. I had the same general idea, go with a gray stain to end up with something similar to the pepper laminate. Well it did not come out at all like that. One coat of stain wiped on and wiped off left large patches of completely stained wood all around the pistol grip... there didn't seem to be any "grain' to give variation. the fore arm and buttstock areas did pick up some nice color variation. I did a lot of wiping and sanding around the pistol grip area before it looked acceptable. I then spent the better part of a week hand rubbing linseed oil into the stock. I did end up with a good looking stock, certainly unique. I almost think that Boyds paint covers up less than ideal laminate grain. I have another one that I purchased in the forest camo laminate, very very pretty stock with very fancy variation in the wood, as you would anticipate. Not so much with the unfinished stock.