I might be wrong here but Browning was the first to offer a production bolt gun with a synthetic stock named the Composite Stalker back in '89.
Browning definately was ONE of the first to offer a synthetic stock on a production rifle, but I believe the very first was Weatherby, with their Fibermark model in 1985. I bought a Fibermark in .300 Weatherby in 1986 and hunted it hard for quite a few years. Great rifle.
I, too, am puzzled as to why the Browning rifles don't seem to get more respect. I've never actually owned one, but I've handled and shot a few and they seem fairly well designed and put together.
"Don't let the things you can't do, stop you from doing the things you can do."
