cayugad

Its a matter of mass production and bottom line cost I would guess. To make a product able to enter the market place in a competitive manner, companies cut costs everywhere they can. Some places cut back on inspections. How many get a new rifle that has to go back to the factory right away because something was not fitted properly? Sometimes it is a change in material, like from wood to they laminates or the composite stocks that are now so popular. Many people request the non wood stocks. Also they have made great steps in making some of the material they use very pleasing to the eye. Some of the laminates are very attractive. Granted they are not wood, but they are still very nice.

Also wood does have some qualities that can hamper long range accuracy. If not cared for properly, wood can absorb moisture and swell. Anyone that shoots between summer and winter knows what happens to a wood stock as it expands and contracts. Some people report changes in POI others do not. Although this happens to synthetic stock rifles as well.

If I had to guess, it is a bottom line production cost reason. Make a good product as low cost as possible and pass the savings on to the consumer. The end results are more sales and satisfied customers along with higher company profits. Wood is still nice in the traditional rifles. It is so uncommon now in the modern inline rifles that people do not even get upset over the missing wood. They want thumb hole stocks, and other items. I like a nice chunk of wood on a rifle. But the new composite and laminate stocks are fine also.