What kind of "competition" are you looking at? You may want to consider that as your skills develop, so will your appetite for enhancements and accessories. With that in mind, you may want to consider starting off with a Remington 700. It's probably the most "configurable," "accessorizable" rifle on the market at the moment right behind the AR15. The 700 SPS Tactical might be a good place to start - often in the $650 neighborhood.