Great rifles.

If I were gonna spend that, I’d buy a model 7 or 700 if it already didn’t shoot lights out I’d have the action trued and a good barrel screwed on it find the stock and scope I liked and be done

Sako finnlight in .308 but I’ve been very happy with my model 7 In .308

Sako…

Buy a cheaper rifle of your choice and put a good trigger in it and decent glass on it. No sense in spending any more than you have to just to go kill stuff. I hate using my better rifles to deer hunt with because they are going to get dinged and scratched. I just feel a lot better about it myself when there’s not as much money involved.

hayman for the win

Life is too short to hunt with ugly guns.

Buy a nice rifle, kill stuff with it and enjoy it.

Sooo,
As mentioned, the Kimber lineup and Winchester….if you want a CRF/Mauser/full length extractor action? If you want light as possible in that set?…Kimber, hands down. Some may require some tinkering to smooth out feeding, and have mag lengths on the short side. Customizable easily, and factory stocks might be the best production factory design out there.

Winchester? Gets you Fort Knox, built like a tank actions, with inherent smoothness and plenty of length for long loads, while paying a weight penalty vs the Kimber, though they’re only 3oz or so heavier than a 700 or other push feed action. Imminently customizable as well.

Or, did you want a standard, two lug push feed? 700s or some of the Howa, Bergaras, or maybe Christensen models?

Then there are Sakos and nicer model Tikkas that might be in your window. The newer Mauser M18s and Sauer 100s are very smooth/fast.

CZs as well.

We can guess all day until you tell us more about YOUR criteria. I’m sure myself and others would be glad for you to handle or even shoot some of the various stuff, if there’s an opportunity.

I’ve generally got various CRF and PF based guns around, from ultralight to classic. Not sitting on any euro bolt guns at the moment….though all sorts of stuff visits the red light district in my gun safe on a regular basis.

AMEN

I think some folks might underestimate how tough good walnut and deep blued steel really are. I’ve got a Supergrade that’s seen more hot loads than Monica Lewinsky and you’d never know it by looking at her.

Tikka, christensen arms mesa

Don't get one of the 85's with the "sticky" stock problem. Look for a 75

got to shops and try them on. one of 'em will feel right. fitment, balance and trigger are keys.

Get a bar and be done with it

Soooo any $1500 rifle will do is what you guys are saying? 🤣

Try a Mauser M18. They are the up and coming rifle I hear.

Now that I said Mauser… I think every rifle brand around was named.

One would be hard pressed to not buy Steyr. I haven't shot all the calibers offered but I've yet to pull the trigger on a Steyr and not be happy group wise. Yes the .376 kicks but it IS a .375 after all.

Sound advice except I'd steer away from the Kimber unless I wanted to gamble on getting a decent shooter. I'm assuming their QC is still as substandard as its always been.

Personally I'd go with the Mark V or Steyr and be confident that I had a solid shooter that would outlast me.

Franchi Momentum Elite. Check one out and they are a couple hundred less than Your $1,000 budget. I have one in 6.5 Creedmoor and IMO it is a bargain for the price. Trigger on it is about as good as it get. No felt recoil whatsoever.

I have personally set up over a dozen Kimber rifles at this point, and they all shot well. Never had an issue finding a factory load that would group sub-MOA including a Kimber Montana that weighed 5 lbs before I scoped it and 5 lbs 12 oz after

If I was looking at a ‘Euro’ rifle, it’d be Tikka, Mauser M18 (or12), Sauer 100, CZ600, or maybe even Steyr….not a fan of the sticks and weight on the Franchi/Benelli bolt guns. Just me.