First choice, quick and easy and within his price, would be a low priced Savage. I have a Savage 111 package rifle I bought used for about $250, threw away the original scope, put a Leupold on it and it shoots hunting hand-loads within MOA. It has killed a few tons of game from moose to tiny island blacktail deer. The plastic stock was uncomfortable in my hand due to tiny extrusions from the seams of the mold, so on my first caribou hunt with it I kept paring off the rough spots with my knife until it feels very smooth and good in my hand. I like the detachable magazine.
My personal first choice would be a Tikka. I'd save up for a T3 Lite in stainless synthetic. My sons and grandsons now own five or six of them and they are simply the smoothest handiest good shooting non-custom rifle I know of that has no need of aftermarket enhancements.
By way of reference, I've owned and hunted with a couple of custom rifles, three Remington 700's, a Remington 600, 788, Mauser, and a few others. The low priced Savage bolts work well and the Tikka is sweeeet.
I would agree with you on the tikkas, ive owned nothing but savages but the tikka is SMOOTH when I handled one up at my local BPS and made me want to sell my savages lol.
