RE: First Centerfire
Wow, just a few posts here, but some EXCELLENT advise.
I have no idea of the regs where you live, but if what Jason has stated is true, I agree, you should seriously consider a NEF Handi Rifle. There is a TON of info on Graybeardoutdoors.com on the Handi. Most Handis are excellent shooters with just a slight amount of tweaking and understanding. All the info is on Graybeards and if you enjoy tinkering, that alone is a lot of fun. I had never owned one prior to the 223 Heavy Barrel I bought a few months ago. I did the trigger on it and it is now awesome at 3 lbs.
If that is not appealing to you, I agree with the Stevens and if you can squeak a little more into the budget, get the Savage for the Accutrigger.
No matter what you get, I highly recommend a Nikon Prostaff or Burris FFII. Both of these scopes are great and a terrific value.
Oh, and unless you are pretty sensitive to recoil, don't worry about the .308 or 06. Just use a little extra padding when you are target shooting as well as good hearing protection. I just use a folded up kitchen towel when I shoot.