I want to purchase or build a general purpose all-around hunting rifle for under $1k to use for:
- Hunting everything under the Sun in Texas. This means everything from
Whitetail deer to Mule deer to Pronghorns to Hogs to Black Buck to Coyotes to
Alligators.
- I want a gun that is light enough to walk with but not so light the recoil is severe.
- I want a round that has easily obtainable ammo.
- I want a round that is fairly flat shooting for max. shots out to 400 yards.
- I want a gun that I wont cry over after it gets its first ding.
- I want a gun that wont rust overnight if I throw it in the back seat or tent after a
hunt.
I've shot just about every caliber ever made and there are two points here that bear making. First, having more than enough caliber isn't always the best approach. Shooting a 300 win mag will make accuracy more difficult than a caliber that accomplishes your criteria with less than half the felt recoil. A .243 will kill anything you've got in Texas, including the Red Stag and 400 pound boars found on some of the private hunting ranches, but it won't inflict flinching and cussing after the third shot.
The suggestion for the 7mm-08 is extremely sound. This caliber has all the ballistic qualities of the 308, but performs better than the 308 and is cheaper (in my area) to shoot. I do believe "easily obtainable" ammo includes ammo that falls in a reasonable price point, as well as overall availability.
Based on your criteria, a 7mm-08 in a Savage Axis with a $300 Vortex Viper scope will fit the bill perfectly and come in around $800. For a true "truck gun" get said caliber and scope on an H&R Handi Rifle and you've got a gun you won't cry over for about $600.
The felt recoil on a 7mm-08 is comparable to a .243...very very manageable. Which increases your ability to be accurate. A 130 or 140 grain bullet from a 7mm-08 will kill everything up to Wyoming elk! Furthermore, the caliber is deadly accurate and flat shooting out to 500 yards, but will easily reach to 1,000 yards.
That said, I also second the nod for the .270 caliber. Again, a Savage Axis, Howa 1500, or Tikka are excellent choices and can be combined with a Vortex Viper for under $1000, which would include bedding the action and floating the barrel by a good gunsmith (a must for any rifle).
270 ammo is unquestionably available everywhere, is easily hand loaded if you prefer, and has very manageable recoil so accuracy can be improved. In any of the branding I mentioned, you will get a good gun with very reasonable accuracy, light enough to pack all over the place and not feel like you're carrying the kitchen sink, and has very manageable recoil.
ALL the magnum suggestions have high recoil - some to the point of being prohibitive unless bedded in a heavier stock, etc. etc. Even the 30-06, my favorite overall caliber, is more than enough for what you state you want to hunt, will result in a higher recoil than the 7mm-08 or 270, and can be more expensive to shoot in terms of ammo prices.
One final thought. Don't believe that in order for a gun to avoid rusting is MUST have a stainless barrel and synthetic stock - both cost more money and neither is a substitute for good gun care. Simply take reasonable care of your gun and a wood stock with blued barrel and action will last for over a hundred years with no rusting. Wood is easier to bed and float the barreled action in than many synthetics, so for optimal accuracy, consider a good wood (laminate) stock that can be had for ~ $100 from Boyds. Doing so will make you a happy camper/hunter and still keep you under your $1000 budget!
