I used a Marlin 336 in .30-30. My uncle was right proud, dropped a 6 point buck with one shot at 150 yards. He dumped an 8 point ten yards from mine less than ten minutes later. And you ain’t getting no JM Marlin 336 for 600 or less now, methinks.

Get him a .308 if you want him to never need anything else. A 6.5 Creedmoor if you want him to like boys😂. Not really, just poking fun at the Creed fans.

Personally, if the hunting stays in NC, hard pressed to beat a lightweight bolt or lever in something on the .308 Winchester case. .308 for utility and pragmatism, .284 for class, .243 if he is a disciplined hunter and accurate shooter, .358 or .338 if he plans to be a loony. And all of this pretty much applies to anywhere in the lower 48.