Being a southpaw complicates it some. If you like in features and feeleither the ruger or savage thenthe 2506 will work great. If not then buy a standard offered in the others. With the 22-250 available for yotes you really can buy whatever you wish for deer and anything else down the road.

Can't fault your logic about spending more on glass and other stuff but don't settle on fit and feel either. One reason I don't own a 2506 is I can't find an off the shelf in LH and at this point don't want to pay to build one. My 7mm rem mag works fine for all the big game I hunt, fits me to a T and is extremely accurate. My confidence is very high with this rifle in my hands even though I have others I could use, it is the one I reach for.

Good luck