I get it. When I went to South Africa both rifles I took were CRF and Lord willing, if I ever go back to hunt dangerous game it will almost certainly be with CRF rifles. Not because I think they are necessary but for the romance of it.I get that the CRF isn't really the most critical feature in the world for 99% of hunting out there. What really appealing to me about it is that if I start doing more remote hunts in deeper wilderness areas especially Alaska. A buddy and I were dangerously close to doing a DIY Alaskan moose hunt this year. I've gone to sleep on an Alaskan ridge/small mountain looking at snowless mountains only to spent the night thinking my tent would be shredded any moment and waking up to a snowy wonderland. I can name a few of times like that, but the appeal of a CRF rifle for me is really for those types of remote wilderness types of hunts, where there's no going back to a shelter that night.
I definitely like the look and feel of the hogue stocks like the Ruger Alaskan, but I also know how flexible they can be and that can throw off a long shot. I'm not planning to shoot a critter at a half a mile, but with a hunting gun with hunting accuracy I want to stack all the odds in my favor that I can out to 500 or 600 yards absolute max. I've never had a laminate stock like the guide model and while I've heard great things I think the weight of it would make me pass.
"If" I were to buy the Ruger Hunter Hawkeye in 300wm I would likely chose this stock if I ended up replacing the stock at all. https://www.stockysstocks.com/h-s-precisionr-pro-series-2000-sporter-stocks-rugerr-77-mark-iitm.html For the caliber I'm thinking of like the 300wm I don't think I want to go too light on the rifle. I'm positive I'll hate every ounce of the gun going up and down hills, but when it's time to take the shot I'll be glad I have an extra pound or two.
Ultimately, it's just something fun to think about now because I don't have that kind of hunt planned for this year, but next year it's a very likely possibility. To be ready for that means I should be getting the gun dialed in this year so I'm familiar with it and have all the bugs worked out before.
Laminate stocks are typically heavier but the Ruger Guide Gun is actually the same weight as the Hunter due to the shorter barrel. It's a much handier package for navigating thick cover as well. If you do get the Ruger, get it early enough to spend plenty of time working the bolt or take it to a gunsmith and have it slicked up. Rugers are not the smoothest feeding CRF rifles at first.
If you decide on a lighter rifle, Kimber makes some nice synthetic stocked CRF rifles. They handle really nice, have really good triggers, and in my experience handle recoil very well for as light as they are.