1. Try different brands of cartridges. Your rifle will show a preference (very small groups) for a particular brand or several brands. When you find what works, buy those.
2-3. Practice with the loads you'll hunt with. For deer or bear, 150 grain to 165 gr. loads will be all you need. They'll be lower recoil, flatter trajectory and won't tear up so much meat. If you go after elk, switch to 180's. You may be surprised, 30-06 has a reputation for putting several different weight bullets in the same spot at 100 yd.
4. Stay away from lower priced scopes. Just about any brand in the $200-$400 price range will do right by you.
5. I'd recommend sighting in 2 in. high at 100 yd. That'll put you close to right on out to 200 yd. or so.
6. Welcome to the forum.