I fall into the "Grand Pa" category I sadly admit.Pretty wood stocks need care, in handling, and some upkeep.
Synthetics are easier to make, virtually zero upkeep and come in more desirable configurations.
Detachable box magazines just make life better, IMHO.
Big bolt knobs, easier to manipulate under stress.
The word tactical gets thrown around a lot, but in this case, I am not sure what features other than the stock you are refering to when you mention "tactical design".
I fall into the "Grand Pa" category I sadly admit.
To this end I must say I have both the fancy wood, deep blueing, and Plastic ugly guns labeled "tactical" by some of the more optimistic.
There's no more or less maintenance on either as far as I can tell.
Am I anal in cleaning? I may be to some and to others I may be lax in my cleaning. I don't have rusty guns and my wood guns are still in good shape. Many are over 100 years old and still get shooting time.
Good bluing lasts forever as do any quality made product. Good wood will outlast a human's lifetime.
I own both, shoot both, and use both for all types shooting.
Tactical is ugly to me but it has a wicked cool factor making it desirable to me. A well finished quality gun is sexy, beautiful, and to be appreciated.
I like the old grandpa type guns. Something about wood and blued steel.
I don't have a single long gun that isn't blued with a wood stock.....they just look nicer, and I have more pride in ownership because they display craftsmanship and not automated machining.
A lot of new synthetic socks are such crappy pieces of plastic is disgraceful that some manufacturers put them on their rifles. Some are really rough and nice. A KID showed me a Rem 770 he bought that had a plastic stock that flopped around like a sorority chick. That synthetic stock is NOT superior to the well crafted piece of Walnut currently t residing on my 40 year old M77 and that rifle is not more accurate despite being more tactical than mine. My old M77 goes everywhere in all conditions BUT (as others have said,) I tale care of it. I wouldn't call it anal, bit out status reasonably clean and gets dried off. Most folks never push their synthetic rifles to the environmental edge they claim they need them for. That being said, my wife nearly bought a MacM stocked Savage in .338 because she thought we needed a Winter gun.
It just depends on what your after, some folks prefer a beautiful rifle, some prefer performance. Neither is the wrong answer, just different.