My go-to rifle these days is a Kimber Montana .308. With a Leupold 2.5-8X aboard in Talley mounts, it's 6 pounds, just add ammo.
Sometimes I get a little frustrated with it since it doesn't shoot with some of my heavier bolt actions but keeping things in perspective, it's a pound lighter than a lever action .30-30 before optics and it sure as [bleep] shoot circles around those.
Cost, on the Kimber, is on par with some of the higher end Remington factory rifles. It's no loss-leader, but its no bank-breaker either.
Tom
