Recommend a bolt action rifle in 30-06

[Col. Plink]

+1 on Mossberg for accuracy for the money when the first shot is the only shot. With a $50 scope I had an ATR 100 in 30'06 that could be dialed in for that first shot to be 1/2moa at 100 yds. Tax included the whole setup was about $270. For that money you could get one in 30'06 and one in .243 for your pricerange

 

[AKElroy]

Life is waaaaaaay to short to hunt with something as ugly as the Pro Hunter or a weather warrior type. 'Sides, you said inclement weather doesn't happen too often.

+++1. I like the Savage Classic series; pretty walnut, ebony fore-end cap, nicely blued, everything I have read claims the best out of box accuracy. You would be under budget with a Nikon prostaff 3X9X40 & leupold one-piece mounts & rings. Definately my next bolt rig; assuming I ever have a next bolt rig. I would be wholly unconcerned over bad-weather wear; hundreds of thousand of soliders using wood-stocked & blued M-1's, M-1a's, M-14's in conditions you will never see suggest that is a baseless concern. I have a 44 year-old model 70 that has hunted in torrential downpoors; still looks near factory new w/ pretty walnut & deep blue. If you take care of it, it will last forever.