OP Update:
Went to Bass Pro and they had the Browning Hells Canyon Speed in 6.5 PRC in a display model what I got for $799 before MIL/LE Discount and 8pct Browning Mail in Rebate.  Softened the blow some on the price of ammo.

Not my pic:
Attached File




I hunt from a stand but want to be able to stalk if I need.  I've done it with AR pattern guns and while I love them overall I don't care for them in the stand for some reason I can't articulate or I would just buy a Ruger SFAR.


Looking at a few options.

Stock guns:

Tikka Roughtech (havent decided on color cause it really wont matter)
Browning X-Bolt (medallion or hells canyon)
Winchester 70 (new pre65 style) (light coyote, or one of the extremes (weather or hunter)

Gun to upgrade:
Tikka T3X Lite - add a Timney and a Bell and Carlson Stock


I already have a scope to move to whatever flavor I get.

I am trying to stick with a common caliber between 6.5 creedmoor and 30-06 as I want to be able to snag ammo at walmart in a pinch.  

Any other guns I should look at in this range?  Steyr Pro Hunter 2?  A Bergara offering?  Weatherby Meateater?

I am trying to stay under $1500 if possible for the gun.  

I am not big on Savage after owning quite a few.

If you're going to leave it stock, of your choices, I'd pick the M70, no question.  I prefer 3-position safeties and hinged floor plates.  Fit and finish on the new M70's I've handled has been great.  That said, I don't own one because they're not currently making lefty versions.  If you may want to modify it down the road, I'd choose one of the Tikkas for the aftermarket options available.  I do have a T1x and it's a nice rifle, but there are definitely a few things that could be improved.  The X-Bolts are nice rifles too; I also own one of them.  They definitely improved some things from the A-Bolt, but they also cheapened it somewhat in other ways.  I don't think that they're an especially good value for the money once you get into the fancier versions.  They have effectively no aftermarket, so only consider one if you're never going to want to modify it.  I do like that both the Tikka and X-Bolt have lower bolt lift since it makes it easier to mount a scope low.

The Christensen Arms rifles get some very mixed reviews, but I like my Ridgeline.  I'd think the Mesa would also be nice and fits in your budget.  EuroOptic has some good deals currently.  I noticed a Mesa FFT in .308 on their site for $1250 yesterday.  The Bergaras are also nice rifles.  Since they're both Remington 700 pattern, the sky is the limit for aftermarket on them.  I didn't feel the need to change anything on my Ridgeline other than adding a CB brake and a can though.

In the last several years I decided that I also wanted a couple hunting rifles that I could get ammo for at Walmart if necessary.  I ditched some of the slightly oddball calibers and went with a 16.5" .308 and a 22" .300WM.  Depending on your use, 6.5CM, .270 Win, .308, 7mm RM, or 30-06 would probably be the most available options.  I picked .308 because I wanted to go short on the barrel and I think it's the best option of the Walmart calibers for a shorty.  150 yards would be a very long shot where I usually deer hunt and there's some thicker brush, so I chose to keep it as compact as possible.  The .300 is mainly for future hunts for larger game.

What features do you want on your new rifle?  What are you going to hunt with it?  How far are you shooting?  Are you planning to use it as a range gun too?  More detail on your anticipated uses will help narrow down the best options.

Shots are up to 250 where I hunt up north but most shots would be shorter.

Would be nice if I could find a caliber that might have a varmint load to hunt coyote if the deer aren’t doing anything.

I like 270 and 30-06 for the wide range of game they can take and their useful range over say a 308 or 6.5.

If it was range and whitetail only I’d do 6.5 Creedmoor and call it a day.

I want a quality stock or the option to upgrade to one on the rifle.

I like the safety location on the browning x-bolt
And probably wouldn’t change anything other than an m-carbo spring.

In that case, I'd probably lean toward 6.5CM myself, or maybe even .243.  I'm not sure what the varmint load situation looks like for the CM though.  At least around here I see more CM ammo on the shelf than .243 now, but that may vary locally.  .308 is even more available here, but CM isn't far behind.

The trigger on my X-Bolt is pretty good.  I left it alone.  Mine is a wood stock, but my recollection of the standard injection molded stock was that it was okay, but not great.  McMillan makes at least a couple models of stock for them, but I'm not aware of any other options.  Adding a McMillan, or buying a version that comes with one, would blow your budget out of the water though.  I also like the safety position and the button to open the bolt with the safety on.  I think the more basic models are a pretty reasonable value, but prices on some of the upgraded ones are a little steep in my mind.  Mine will be going down the road soon, not because it's a bad rifle, it's just in one of the sort of uncommon chamberings (.300 WSM) that I want to get out of, and the barrel is too thin to thread unless I was willing to go to a 1/2-28, which I'm not willing to do on a .30 caliber rifle.

You don't have a bad rifle on your list and all of them would do the job nicely, just a question of fondling them all and deciding which features you want the most.

Purchase made!

That's a good deal!  Enjoy the new rifle.