Remington: http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-cdl.aspx A little out of price range, but thats also MSRP... This would be my first choice within your parameters.

Weatherby: http://www.weatherby.com/product/rifles/vanguard_2/sporter_dbm This would be my second choice, I know there isn't much love for them on here, but I love mine.

My $175 savage 110 would disagree with you....

Perfection.

Marlin xl?

Don't know if you can do it for $800 or not...but here's my for a project gun.

1) Sako action,
2) Douglass medium contour barrel,
3) Thumbhole laminate stock.

When finished, it will impress anyone that looks at it, and when you finish shooting in the barrel and working up a couple of of good hand loads, it will amaze even you...since you want a tack driver use glass above 3x9x40 (4x12 at least).

If you just want to buy off the shelf, just buy something new...most have better accuracy than customized guns of 10 years ago and most will deliver the accuracy you desire with some good hand loads after you shoot in the barrel...you have been given some off the shelf good options already. Interestingly, Savage has built a reputation on cheap, accurate guns in recent years and dragged the other manufacturers kicking and screaming toward better accuracy at a low price point. Good luck.

Oh yea, when I was your age I said roughly the same thing about wanting a "last gun"...Several hundred guns later...I decided to say my "next gun". Hope this information helps.

You can "see" decent pics of a Boyd's "Prairie Hunter" on the Montana Rifle Co web site, as that's what they are using in their wood stocked ASR's in the base grade American black Walnut. Looks to be the same quality wood as a Ruger 77, Winchester M70 Sporter etc and same finish in the Semi Gloss as the ASR's.

Personaly I prefer Classic styled stocks with a low Euro "shadow" cheek piece, and have Lusted In My Heart over the Richards Classic round forearm stock for years ..just never had the bux or willingness to spend more the for the stock than I did for the rifle. Oh Well.
Ron

Ron you might lust after this Custom Stocked CZ550 (it's the one I posted earlier)

Hardly.

What I am missing most is the collection of SAKO AI, II, III & IIIMg's Classic Grades I used to have "back in the day". Had a Catalog'd 243 & 270, a limited subscription production run of 1 of 300 in 223 with wood like you see today on the oil finished Deluxe Grades, a 1 of 13 300WMg, and a 1 of 1 25'06 that I took 6 hours to pick the stock out at the plant on...and hunted with all of them except the 25'06. Hard times makes for bad memories. Todays Model 85's IMO are not the same quality guns any more to me, but my disc'd M85 260 Hunter Grade is at least "decent looking".
Ron

Sako A7 - you'll love it!

I believe that the OP specified a desire for a wood/blue shooter, and the SAKO A7 has a carbon fiber synthetic stock in either a matte blue or Stainless Steel metal "furniture"....or I might have one or more my own self IF they came even in a plain vanilla wood/blue...like the Tikka T3 Hunter Grade.
Ron

Not sure what the street price is on the CZ's but I would be looking at those if I had that kind of money to spend on a rifle.

I vote Tikka or maybe a Winchester Model 70 (newer FN made rifle)

Tikka

This is a no brainer for me. Used..get a pre-Garcia Sako Finnbear. These were made in the 1960's...I gave mine to my son and my father had given it to me...this is what Sako was made for...the finest hunting rifles in the world as heirlooms to be passed down from generation to generation...Everytime I am hunting with my son, I remeber the hunts we've been on and the deer he's harvested with it - and before that the 30 years of hunts with my father and the times we experienced. Perhaps that adds to the aura and esteem I have for Sako Finnbears...but perhaps its the fact that the gun has been about the most accurate hunting rifle I've ever seen and an action that is smooth as silk.

I don't mean to disparage the modern Sako's....but there is nothing like a bofor's barrel Finnbear...nothing...

Earl

The last I checked Pre Garcia Sako's were in the $1100-$1200 range.

Yes nsmike, they often are. But a patiente person can find one in the $800 range. Earl

I agree with savage under $300 from pawn shop.

Savage every day and twice on Sunday.Buy a used one then the nicest piece of glass you can afford. Shoot the barrel out then rebarrel down the road.

T= THIS
I= INVENTION
K= KAN (WORK WITH ME)
K= KILL
A= ACCURATELY


And a nice scope!ZEISS


Bored in my box blind...can you tell ??