Depends on your budget.
I would have said that the Marlin X guns were the best buy in entry level CF rifles, but Marlin Remington has discontinued them.
Allow me to fix that. The Marlin X guns were the pick of the budget guns, but Remington's marketing department decided the 783 would be an "improvement".
The Howa / Weatherby Vanguard is good if the price is right, the Savage Axis is OK.
I haven't had a chance to examine a Ruger American in detail yet, so I'll withhold judgement.
The worst? Easily the Remington 710/770. Wouldn't own one if it were free.