I recently purchased a Garand presentation grade walnut stock that is unfinished.  I would love to read your recommendations on finishing it to make the grain contrast stand out nicely.  For reference, this stock has the type of finish I am seeking.

DGR

That stock in the photo has alot of "bling" to it. All my M1 stocks have tung oil finish, which is what the factories started using in mid WW2.

BEHR 600 Perhaps ?

Let us know what you decide.... Oh, and post pics ...

As Dean from DGR says: Life's too short to shoot an ugly gun.
The stocks he uses come from and are finished by Wenig Custom Gunstocks.
[www.wenig.com]
I hope I did the link thing right.
At least one of the guys who works there (Wenig) used to work for Fajen...I've been to the old Fajen plant and met him there. They had the contract to build stocks for Garands during WWII and Korea, and after. Fajen had equip that would cut a dozen or more stocks at once, kinda like cutting  a dozen keys at once on one machine.  
They are good ole boys, I bet they would be glad let you know what they use. They offer more than one type of finish and color.
If you check out DGR's website, you can get a better idea of the different grades of walnut and finishes available. Dean at DGR is good people also, I know he personally refinishes many stocks, but the picture in that link is a wenig stock...how do I know?

Two days ago I recieved my SA Garand back from DGR.  I bought a pretty well shot out 1943 SA Garand, bbl bore was pitted pretty bad from corrosive ammo, furniture was goodwill....and the metal finish wasn't much to look at. The rifle was really a beater, but the price was right.
I sent it to Dean, he reparked, put on a Douglas/Barnett medium weight 7.62 bbl, and I shot the wad and went for that same Bastogne Walnut furniture pictured in the link.
Bling isn't the word.
SPECTACULAR is more like it. When I unpacked that rifle, I freaked.
Don't get me wrong, I love the look of a nice well used M1 or M14 w/oiled walnut...I've got more than one of both, but this Bastogne Walnut will knock your socks off, combined with a  reparked  Garand...it doesn't get much better than this.  
IMHO

(drool!) I love the looks of that clear maple stock!!

John

LinSpeed and Tru Oil...maybe a few coats of wax as a final finish?