I will go against the grain and recommend the Vanguard if you can get one for less than 480. If not go with a Howa 1500. Great accuracy. The receivers are CNC milled from forged steel bar stock and are not cast. Modified Mauser action. No need to have to upgrade anything. Why should you? Large integrated recoil lug. The supplied synthetic stock while not the best sure beats the Savage or Marlin and there are plenty of after market stocks available. I have a 20 year old Vanguard in a 308 that shoots any factory ammo at less than 1 moa and usually a lot better. My Howas in 270 Win. and 300 Win. Mag. do the same. I just finished a custom stock for my Vanguard in a 300 Wby. Mag. and in the synthetic it did the same. This one is custom pillar bedded, with Devcon, front and back as well as the triggerguard and it should shoot even better. The weakest part about the rifle would be the trigger, but all the rifles shot those groups with the supplied trigger. Polishing the sear face with 2000 grit sandpaper would be the same as a new trigger, but personally with time the triggers seem to get more seamless. I did however add a Timney 3 position trigger to the custom to upgrade it's value.
Thing about today's rifles, is that they all are very accurate out of the box. So it really is a personal choice. 10 years ago, if they shot a 3 inch group you were satisfied. Now you are disappointed. Whatever you get, make sure it is what you want, even if you have to wait a little while. I know I have wanted something that maybe cost a 100 bucks more and settled for something else and I was disappointed later on. So even if what you want costs less, get it and be happy. Life is too short not to be happy. Enjoy it and be proud of it.
