Ugh...that was a total buzz-kill, but thanks for the honest feedback.

Ok, maybe I should start over in my quest for advice. Here's the question:

You are a 6'2", 210lb, novice hunter. You have about $1000 and you have to spend it on a new 7mm-08 rifle. You will be hunting whitetail deer in the midwest with it. It cannot have a synthetic stock. You already have a scope that you must use on this rifle. Any cash leftover must be used to buy ammo so that you can practice. What rifle do you buy?