For 1k total gun, rings and scope its hard to beat one of the new Savages. Accustock, Accutriggers are real nice and they're very accurate out of the box. You might even have enough money left over to get you a few box of rounds to sight it in!

You can not go wrong with a Remington 700. The SPS stainless can be had for around $500, leaving plenty of budget room for a good quality scope.

$1000 will get you set up well. Go for one of the Rem 700s in -06 and get a decent Leupold scope.

I'm only recommending the Remington simply because you say most of the folks you shoot with have them. That will get rid of any questions that might arise from different locations of safties and different ways of pulling them apart, etc.

Will also reccomend the remington 700 sps not becasue your buddies shoot them but because I love them. I agree with the good leupold scope. As far as which caliber to buy it in that depends on what you are hunting.

sir,just about any rifle will give you years of excellent service if taken care of properly.i currently hunt birds with a 1929 browning 12ga.my rifle is a 1951 remington 721 so you do your part and it will serve you well for years.you might consider a 30-06,its very versitile and is excellent for deer elk and what ever.pleas checkout the TC venture rifle.

Take a look at these;

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/prod...ducts_id=86358

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/prod...ducts_id=86703

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/prod...ducts_id=90826

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/prod...ucts_id=113410


Optics;

http://www.opticsplanet.net/burris-2...ect-scope.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/zeiss-3-...-reticle1.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/nikon-mo...flescopes.html


A few ideas for your consideration.

Marlin XL7 30.06 with a Nikon Prostaff 3x9x40.

500 Bucks

Will shoot every bit as well as the most expensive rifle you can find.

Only weighs 4.5 lbs - you can carry it all day.

Composite stock won't swell or warp, If you scratch it, who cares ?

Dial it in with Rem Coreloc 180's & you can hunt anything in America.

God Bless America !!!:patriot:

I second the Marlin XL7/XS7. The synthetic versions lack character, but so does a model 700 SPS. We found one in a full wood stock, and it looked remarkably nice, nothing like a cheap gun. Got it for under $400. Shoots good, lightweight, decent recoil pad makes that '06 feel like a 30/30. Throw a decent scope on it, and you have a good rig for life. Probably the best looking rifle of the workingman's rifles.