His budget of $1500 is more than enough to get a very nice rifle and have plenty to put good glass on it as well.

All of the major rifle makers make good rifles in his price range. What you didn't say was if he'd prefer a particular action.

I'd say I'd recommend the following:

Bolt-action:

Look at the Browning A-Bolts...a bit more spendy than others, but very nice. The Remingtons M700's are very good rifles too. Since he's got a fairly high budget, he might also look at the Sako's. Now that the Model 85 is out, he might find a brand new Sako 75 for under $1000, which is a real bargain. Also, don't discount the Savages. Not as nice as the Brownings or Sakos, but the Accu-Trigger is excellent and they are amazingly accurate out of the box. As for cartridge I'd suggest 7mm-08, .270 Win, or .280 Rem (if he can find one). .30-06 is also a great choice, as is the .25-06.

Lever action:

Marlin 336 in .30-30. Might be just about perfect for his application. Compact and fast handling, with more than enough power for 100 yard shots in the woods. The Hornady Leverevolution ammo takes the 30-30 to a new level.

Semi-auto:

Browning BAR Safari (or, if he likes Euro-Trash "styling"[:@], the BAR Long- or Short-Trac). Great rifle. A bit on the heavy side, but very fast handling with the ability to deliver a near instant follow up shot. Also, don't discount the Remington 7400/750. Lighter than the Browning and very functional.

As for the scope, I'd strongly suggest the Nikon Monarch line. Excellent glass for a good price. Might also look at the middle-high end Leupolds (VX-II) or the Zeiss Conquest line. I'd put a 3-9x40 or so on a bolt or semi-auto, and maybe a 1.5-4x32 on a levergun.

I'd strongly suggest that he go to a gun store with a good selection and handle as many rifles as he can. One might just jump out at him. The above suggestions are just a good starting point, as there are MANY good rifles that will suit his needs within his budget.

Mike