I very much appreciate all of your comments. Although I hadn't really given any thought to a lever or single shot until a couple of days ago, they both make sense but not as a stalking rifle at this time. Thanks to you guys, I'm going to be on the lookout for a Savage 99 (maybe 250 Savage) as a keeper and to take out on sunny Sundays. It'll be easy to justify one at home. It's a piece of hunting heritage and history is always easy to justify. Also, from Edmonton, anything with the number 99 on it is an easy sell. It may take me a while to get up on the learning curve on 99s where do I find good ones, how do I know if they're good, what's a fair price and so on but with the Savage forum, I should get a lot of good info to educate myself. I know Mule Deer has a couple and I hope to get one that I like as much. It sounds almost as hard as getting a first Parker.

Maybe I'm just too set in my ways but for now, I'll stick with a bolt. This is the same reasoning behind my 2003 "last rifle" which was a pre64 M70 in 338-06, my 2001 last a Classic Compact in 308, 2000 last in 700 ADL 308, 1998 last a stainless and walnut M70 in 30/06, a 1995 last Rem700 rebarreled to 7x57 and my favorite "go to" last in 1992 a pre-64 M70 also in 30/06.

My thoughts are to use the Ruger action for its quiet tang safety which will handle the same way as my grouse gun and from some I've seen and handled, it's very quiet. (I get really excited when I sneak up on a bedded deer).

Chambering 308 win (think of the money I'm gonna save by not having to buy new dies). Really though, for me it's the biggest cartridge I can shoot in comfort from a light rifle. I don't want to go too much smaller because we have moose around the farm. Case capacity should give good velocities with a 165 Partition and should handle any game I'm likely to see. I think a spitzer is warranted because I'll be hunting through clearcuts that may offer a 200+ year shot at various times during any day in the field. I love my 7x57 and 30/06 so the 308 is not a bad midpoint between the two.

Sneaking through heavy bush (which should be most of the time) I think a short barrel is in order. It'll be a 20.25 incher (51.44 cm) so I can put that odd number in our pinko driven obscene gun registry. Suitable contour so it doesn't get muzzle light. We have a local barel maker (Ron Smith) that makes excellent barrels but I hear it takes a while to get one.

The trigger will be replaced with an aftermarket set at 3 to 4 pounds for some degree of safety hunting with a gloved hand.

Express sights -- probably not needed but you never know (Also Jeff Cooper says you should have sights).

Straight grain walnut stock with a Decelerator Sporting Clays for easy mount, plain 18LPI checkering. This should look good and be quite utilitarian at the same time. Wood is probably going to be warmer on the hands on a cold November day.

A Leupold 1.75 to 6 should finish it off and If I can get it close to 7 pounds it'll be perfect. Maybe not too perfect because if it is it could be may really really last.

Thanks for all your comments.