I think the synthetic stocked rifles is more due to a cost and price factor and push marketing by the makers and sellers than anything else.

A synthetic stock might be far nicer than a plan featureless lump of crap walnut. Much cheaper than a decent walnut blank and also far cheaper to make. SOMETIMES reflected in price, but when not, where it s the cost factor going?

The "tactical" marketing push and image has caught up a lot of newbies and others.

However a good synthetic stock does have advantages in durability, rough handling and weather variations.

I will use both, have two sythetic stocked rifles, a Mauser M03 but also recently bought another walnut stocked one. And a restocked military Mauser M96 in 6.5x55. However I would like to see that stocked with a classic walnut stock one day, maybe ... The rest are all walnut.