I've said it many times, but I'll do so again; if a guy plans to use his Smith gun on a regular basis, he should spend a few bucks and have the stock head reinforced and glassed. Once that is properly done, you no longer have to worry over moisture and oil absorption issues; and, as long as frame screws remain properly aligned (a tight wood/metal fit is maintained) and no calamities occur (drop the gun, etc.), stock cracking is no longer an issue. That said, a Smith owner should also always respect the age of his gun and shoot shells with pressures that do not exceed that for which the gun was manufactured.