You did a GREAT job on that pistol, Bob, and glad that you are having a lot of fun with it.
Couple years back, I built one of Pedersoli's "Bounty" pistols, with that long 16+" barrel. It was for my son, and he said he would shoot it two handed - the left hand forward under the barrel. So, I checkered the butt, and a 4" portion of the forestock. Looked pretty nifty. Pedersoli's wood did not have a lot of figure in it, but it was close-grained, and finished well. I used a fairly hard finish on it, can't recall, but believe it was a spar varnish. I did that so I could cut the checkering in and have it hold good. I shot a rabbit with it at about 25 yards.