Originally Posted by bigbulls

There are a bunch of ways to go if you have plenty of money but if your budget is $700 total for rifle, mounts, and scope here is my first choice. This will offer you by far the most rifle and scope for your $$$$$$$ than pretty much anything else out there.

Howa 1500 with the Hogue stock. Incredibly solid rifle with a very well made forged flat bottom receiver, solid 100% one piece vented bolt, M16 style extractor, three position adjustable triggers, pillar bedded stock. The Howa will run you $400 - $450.

Top it with a Bushnell elite ($250), Burris Full field II ($180), Nikon buckmaster ($210), Redfield ($150), all in 3-9X40. All of these scopes will serve you well and will last a lifetime. And it 99% of all hunting situations you might encounter in you lifetime you will never need anything other than a 3-9X40 (specialized rifles excluded).

Mount the scope with game reaper mounts. These will run you $50 - $60. Some of the best mounts made IMO. and far far better than the Leupold/Redfield standard mounts.

AS far as what chambering to get only two would make my list when all things are considered. Either the .270 Winchester or the 30-06. Ammo is available absolutely any where, is going to be the least expensive to shoot on a budget, and will easily kill anything you would want to hunt on this continent.