Was late to the synthetic stuff, being a walnut/blue steel kind of thickheaded ol' bastard, but I tend to give credit where it's due.
The idea of an affordable (but well made) rimfire that's easily adaptable to both young and older shooters, fills a need and Ruger saw that, made it happen.
Didn't like the RAR when I first looked at one, bought one anyway. It is now one of my favorite rimfires, as issued.
If the look/feel of plastic gets to botherin' me, can always pick up something with a nice walnut handle and shoot that. Even if it doesn't hold a candle to the RAR, downrange?
My opinion, they can stick that birch stock where the sun she's a no shine, especially at a price increase.