Gm54-120

I have both and i prefer to hunt with a good composite, especially a good Kelvar/graphite composite that only weighs about 20ozs or less.

Bullcamp82834

On a snowy winter evening I love to sit by the fire and admire the beautiful wood and rich blue on my wood stocked rifles.

When I head out up the mountain it's almost always a stainless / synthetic rifle that goes with me.

Wayspr

My teenage sons and myself are heading to the range in the morning. About an hour ago I pulled 4 rifles out of the safe and laid them on the floor, all were synthetic with matte bluing, borrrring. Wasn't planning on it but I was forced to grab a couple wood stocked beauties just to add character. Nothing wrong with synthetic but something special about nice walnut or even laminate. As I get older, I'm not as worried about the dings and scratches, I say their from "use not abuse".

Mystro

It depends on the gun. A high end heirloom quality gun usually only comes in wood and that's because a high quality English/French high grade walnut blank to make the stock cost as much as the average rifle. Synthetic stocks on a high end rifle is about as appealing as plastic leather on a Porsche 911, which you can't get for the same reasons as mentioned. I believe in shooting/hunting with all my guns regardless of price. Good walnut is tough and has been the standard from the beginning. Every mark tells a story and only adds to the character. I have no emotional attachments to my synthetic/stainless rifles. They are a tool and that's it. Rifles under $1k can go either way. Cheap rifles are better with synthetic stocks than with a poor wood stock not properly bedded. Good high quality walnut stocks are expensive and need to be done correctly and when bedded correctly they will hold up every bit as good as plastic stocks.

Murdy

I think part of the problem with wood these days is that unless you are buying a (very) high-end gun, the quality just isn't there any more. I have an old 8mm Mauser that my Grandfather had a custom Monte Carlo stock put on in the 1950s that's still in great shape. I also have an 870 that's 6 years old that hasn't worn so well. So, for my average purchase, I will be buying synthetic (and probably stainless as well, because I haven't been real happy with some of the bluing on my recent purchases).