The way I see it, it depends on what you are going to do with it. If you want to hang it on a wall and look at it, by all means, spend the extra money and get the good wood. As I found out (the expensive way), if you are actually use it for action shooting, it is a tool! Look at it that way. You will be throwing it down on loading, stage, and unloading tables not to mention your gun cart in total frustration! It will be dinged, dented and generally looking like crap after the first year. It will shoot well for many years if you clean and pay attention to it as you should, but it will not be a museum piece. If it does, your not shooting hard enough. So save the money and buy more ammo! Good luck, W. L.