Trying to give good advice to a 24 year old newer hunter who needs to by his first hunting rifle. He wants to be able to use it for elk & seems OK with a little recoil.

He wants to spend as little as possible to get a decent rifle. Told him 7mm or 300 are good choices for elk at 300+ yards.

So under $500 gets
Weatherby Vanguard
TC compass
Ruger American
Tikka T3x
Browning AB3
Howa
Mauser M18
????

He planning to buy rings glass after rifle - thought Burris FF2, Meopta, Zeiss

Am I missing something?

Thanks