I don' t think you can go wrong with a Remington 700. You can save some money by buying an ADL instead of the BDL. Not as fancy but the same rifle without a floor plate and fancy stock. Use the money you save on the rifle and put it towards a good quality scope. Quality scopes in the middle price range are Weaver Grand Slams and Bushnell 3200 Series scopes. I don' t think you will go wrong with either. I would choose one or the other in a 3X9X40mm. These will be a little under $200. Also, invest in a quality set of bases and rings from companies such as Millet, Redfield, Leupold, or Weaver. I prefer the windage adjustable kind.

As for caliber I would choose a 270, 308, or 30-06. These are all fine calibers and the ammo is virtually anywhere you will go. The ammo is very cheap at any Wal Mart in the US.