A couple years ago, I did the same thing (well not 500 yds, I don't have a place to practice that). I hunt mostly whitetail, but want to move and explore western hunting so wanted some thing I can use here and there and take everything from pronghorn to elk, maybe moose.
I went with:
remington Model 700 in .30-06
Leupold VX3 scope in 2.5 - 7
sling
Rang it around $1100