First Dedicated LR rifle

[summy]

Hello all
I've caught the bug...I'm currently planning my first dedicated LR rifle and I figured I would toss this out here and see what everyone thought about choices/rational behind them.

Howa 1500 varmint in .308 w/ 24" or 20: barrel (barreled action from LSI or wherever I can find one)
OR
Tikka T3 CTR in .308 (sell stock and what everyone seems to say is a TRG mag for hopefully ~200)

Both these actions (from what I've heard here on the Hide) apparently are some of the smoothest around with at least decent triggers. I also shoot Olympic Three Position for my college competition team and am used to two stage triggers between a couple ounces and maybe a pound so.
I would then drop the barreled action into either:
XLR Evolution
Roedale RCS2
KRG x-ray (Tikka only)

How I currently shoot (Three position) I don't like to wrap my thumb around the pistol grip so, is there a comfortable way to still shoot like this with these chassis? Another concern is adjustability, I'm used to being able to change LOP and comb height easily and would like to keep it that way if possible. Major concern is comfort though, I don't want to feel like the comb is digging into my cheek or get some nasty cheek slap.

I don't want to even think about optics just yet as this build will be done as I get funds which could take awhile since I'm in school. I would like to keep the factory barrel at least for the short term and have this come in around $1500 sans optics. But in the meantime, I'll just keep practicing with my .223 and try to push that to 5-600.

I want to stay with the .308 because I am already set up to handload for it, but I do plan on rebarreling to 6mm or 6.5mm in the future. I want to stay away from savage because of the heavy bolt lift (thats what my .223 is and I just cant get over that fact that I can lift the rifle by the bolt and I wont open). I'm not completely opposed to Remington, but I haven't been hearing good things about them lately, may have to throw a R700 AAC-SD in for consideration...Anyway, what do you think about the proposed options? What would you pick and why? (I don't want any Remington or bust crap, give me a well thought out opinion please) And as always, who doesn't like pictures? Thanks in advance guys!!

 

[TheGerman]

I know you said you want 308, but you'll find out that if you're shooting your .223 to 500 already the 308 will give you more distance but you'll want something else WAY before the barrel wears.

Consider:

Donor Remington barreled action (keep the factory barrel on it or just find the action if you can find one with the 308 bolt pattern)
Manners stock or if you want adjustability and a chassis, a Whiskey 3
Timney trigger at around 3 lbs
then get it trued/lugs lapped when you get it re-barelled with a match grade 6.5 Creedmoor barrel

This is the route you're going to go anyways within 6 months of spending the money for the 308 setup. Even considering new dies and components for 6.5 (or similar caliber) you'll be ahead when figuring in the roughly $800ish dollars for a new match barrel and to have a good gunsmith re-barrell, true, etc.

 

[summy]

Oh i fully intend on getting whatever I end up with trued and rebarreled well before the barrel wears. Like I said, I want to spread out the cost a bit since I'll be saving little by little. I'd like to be able to get out and learn the rifle first as well as gain some knowledge as I push the distance. I feel that if I shoot the factory barrel for a few months before I throw a match grade barrel on I'll be ahead of the game and be comfortable with the rifle and trigger, or know that I hate the trigger and want to replace it with a timney or something else.