Okay, I need some advice on a rifle purchase. It's not for me, but instead for a very good friend. This is important for me to do right, so I'm looking for advice.

About him: He's a very large guy, 6' and almost 400 lbs. He loves shooting. He's got one rifle now, a Mossberg .300 Win Magnum, which he thinks is all right, but is less than ideal for hunting most species in Washington. He doesn't mind the recoil from the .300 but thinks my .308 is much better suited for hunting here.

He doesn't make much money because he chooses to stay in a dead-end job that has good benefits and flexibility. He does this so he has the time to devote to his nephew, who desperately needs the attention and care my friend spends on him.

As a result, he doesn't have much free time or money. He's never had a chance to go hunting, but we were planning on going next year.

Now he's losing his sight. They don't know what is causing it, if they can stop it, how bad it will get, or how fast.

So-we're going this year. So I'm scrambling to find a good guide in Washington, get vacation set up, find everything we need-and get him that .308.

I'm trying to find a rifle that will be suitable for the climate here in WA, while still being accurate and maybe even beautiful. I would love to get something like a CZ 550 Luxe (CZ stocks are beautiful pieces of wood, and tack drivers) but I don't know if a wood stock is reasonable in this climate.

He's shot, and liked, my Tikka T3 and a Ruger Scout rifle, but neither of these is what I would call beautiful. Is that a consideration that I need to let go of? What would the people here recommend? I'm planning on up to $1200 for the rifle. Less spent there would let me use the money elsewhere, but I'm not going to skimp on this.

So...ideas? Remington, Savage, Browning, Sako, Ruger? Wood, laminate, or synthetic?

My first-cut list:
Remington 700 SPS Stainless
Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker
CZ 550 Satin Luxe
Ruger M77 Hawkeye All-Weather
Ruger Scout Rifle
Tikka T3 lite or Hunter
Sako A7 Roughtech Pro

So...thoughts? Thanks for the help.