Calico--If I was looking for a good rifle I would check out the Marlin X7's. My son bought one last year in stainless for something over $300. He now has two, one in 30-06 and another in 25-06. They seem to be good bolt actions. A year or two ago one of the outdoor mags tested several makes for accuracy, the X7 beat the others by a good margin. Of course, that could have just been that particular rifle. I don't like the looks of a stainless rifle but that is what I would get. I also would go for a plastic stock or something that moisture can not enter. Leupold makes a great scope, I also like Redfield for the same warranty.