Thanks for all the replies.
Let me address the restocking the original gun idea first.
It is a good idea but when we sat down to discuss what options he wanted on the new gun, I felt that going with a new gun was the better option. Some of those features were a 6 1/2 lb (or less) gun with cerakote finish, a quality trigger and stock, and the remington style safety. All his choices. So his original gun would need a new stock, new trigger, and cerakote and I would not know the weight of the finished product. Plus, how cool would it be if some day his children would be interested in hunting and he could start them off with the same gun he started with?
He has a Tikka Lite in 22-250 so another gun in 223 or similar caliber would not be necessary.
As many have stated (and what I suspected all along) any one of the three will work for his needs and we will let whatever gun he picks help decide what caliber.
Thanks
Seems like he wants a bunch of custom options, so customizing his original gun seems like the best choice, since he's just going to customize some other gun to get what he wants anyway. A new Timney trigger for a Remington is ~$130, or a well adjusted factory trigger works just as well. A Mcmillan Edge is around 600. Cerakote is garbage, so buy a couple cans of spray paint and you'll get the same result. The rifle with a 24 ounce Mcmillan Edge will make the 6 1/2 lb goal. As far as the possibility of having future grandkids to start out, simply bolt the rifle back into the original youth stock.
If simply looking for a new rifle, buy a Barrett Fieldcraft and "fuggetaboutit", as the NYC boys say.
