Well, if you want a sleeper I'd try to find a Remington 581 (plastic magazines) or a 582 (tube mag). I'm actually partial to the 582s.
The Remington 511 and 512 sporters have dual lugs and the ones I've had shot very well FWIW.
I like the plain Jane Marlin 81s, but they all need trigger work IMO. Need it, but worth it. And they are a bargain these days.
Winchester 75 sporters are said to be fine shooting rifles. I've never had one so I'm just repeating what I've heard.
Everyone will point to the different CZ's, and with good reason. I only own a 455 but it is definitely "a shooter".
Obviously, something like a 54 or 64 actions Anschutz, a Cooper, etc is dynamite if you have the money. I like the looks and feel of the old Kimber Cascade if you decide to shop for scarce old guns.
And there are plenty more.
The only thing I can add is that I see a lot of poor muzzle crowns on modern products. Savage seems to be the leader in this but they are definitely not the only ones.
I really don't see poorly machined crowns on the older guns.
By poor I mean bad geometry, usually seen as an off center chamfer. When I see that one side is heavier than the other its "back on the rack" and on to the next one.
If they don't care enough about their barrels (barrels!) to properly execute this one easy and obvious to the buyer step, then its pretty clear that they aren't putting any quality work into the parts that I can't see for myself.
