Eye for an eye, I get. But I dont think I can live with being a murderer myself, esp. after so many years have passed. However, if revenge was an option within the same year, i'd probably kick the chair.
For a newbie shooter, I always recommend howa 1500's. They are great out of the box rifles and very affordable. And yes, maybe consider .233 because .308 will run you 2-3x the cost to shoot.
Cant go wrong with either for performance. Contact Ross and you can have your brake tailored to your exact dimensions. Also youll be able to buy 2 Ross brakes for the price of a JEC.
You can find a nice bolt gun for cheap. Howa makes the 1500 and it is great out of the box and will run you under $500. Im glad i started precision shooting with .223 because of the cost difference vs i.e. 308. There is no need to spend so much on a custom rifle until later and rather spend...
Ive shot FGMM 168/175 and Nosler 168. Found that FGMM shot better (0.4moa) even though Nosler rounds looked prettier. I was quite surprised how well the model 10 shoots out of the box.
+1 for a good set of rings over lapping cheap rings. From experience, a good set of rings (seeking leupold nightforce badger etc.) mates perfect with a well built scope. Don't need to fuss about lapping.
Weaver, vortex, sightron are all excellent scopes within your budget. I have experience with all 3 and each have their different +/-. Can't go wrong with either of them.
Im gonna let out something I discovered. Nitrex was a company under Weaver that makes almost identical scopes, but lesser quality? Their 50mm sunshade is the same as the SS and tactical. However, parts from them are also discontinued and rare. Only place that has them in stock is...
SWFA also has their S.S.A.L.T., which is very similar to the Burris PEPR but i think a little cheaper. Unlike the Burris which includes railed and smooth top rings, the swfa can be purchased separately, individually and/or canted rail. They also include 1" inserts.
I tend to make my own measurements. Based on your dimensions, it should fit perfect. Take half of your objective bell measurement and add the caps (26mm+2mm=28mm) and that is your "minimum height" to clear. Take the 0.80 inch rings and add the base height (20mm + 7mm= 27.32mm). With that you...
I love my 223 howa 1500 for a fun and cheaper shooter than my 308. Recoil is very manageable, rounds are abundant, afforable and i also find that cheap ammo vs match grade does not make as dynamic of a difference compared to 308 ammo.