Bought one in 30-06 several years ago when Wal-Mart was closing them out for $200. Liked the weight, hated the gritty action and flimsy stock. Replaced the stock with a laminate giving it a much more solid feel, but then it became a heavy SOB. Also, with 2 stocks, 2 scopes, and multiple bullet/powder combos, I never found a load that was consistently better than 1.5 MOA. I started out on M77s and I decided I'll just stick with them. As for budget rifles, I've got 3 Marlin X rifles in the safe to cover all scenarios. If the need ever arises for another budget rifle, I'd probably go with a Howa.
