I think there's been very little mention of synthetic stocks because we all have to admit, the wood stocks look prettier than the synthetic ones.
Though the synthetic stock has multiple advantages, people sometimes choose the wood ones for their looks.
These two rifles may be good choices. All are .22LR
CZ 452 Varmint Wood Stock $ 407.00 - no sights
CZ 452 Style Synthetic Stock $ 378 - No sights
My first starter rifle in competition was a Remington 541x, which I ordered from the
Civilian Marksmanshgip Program (CMP) . They no longer sell the rifle to civilians but to clubs only. Some information if you want here. They also sell the Kimber Model 82, but I've heard bad things about it.
CMP .22LR Rifle Sales. Go to
Guns America Auction Site or
Gun Broker Online Auction and type in Remington 541x or just 541x, and you should get a few results. Not a bad deal if you
MIGHT go into competitive shooting.
Another thing you might want to consider looking into are air rifles. Some can be just as accurate as a target rifle (the very expensive, high end ones) and others can have the same accuracy as a regular plinker. Also a lot cheaper to shoot, especially if you choose a rifle that doesn’t require an external air tank, with regular fill ups.
If you like, I can put in a list of manufacturers who make bolt action .22’s. Just let me know and I’ll post a link.