I have to agree with ktscontender. A nice wood stock gives a firearm it's personality but, the values of a good synthetic is hard to argue against. I remember ordering a rifle 12-14 years ago. It came in with a synthetic stock and the retailer said it was the ugliest rifle he had ever seen. Here's a dealer that stocked 200-250 rifles. I told him in 10 years ALL his rifles would look like mine and he laughed. I made a point of reminding him of that several years ago when all but of few of his rifles were 'all black'. Let's face it, nice wood is expensive and synthetics are cheaper to make, and all the companies are in business to make money.