Just looked on Gun Auction and you can get a savage 116 FCSS in 6.5-284 for @ $750 in your hands and out the door. Then the real fun of Deciding on mounts and scope. Maybe Burris signiture rings and a Zeiss 4.5x14 with rapid-z 800 retical ? I'm just day dreaming for me now!
Lots of great ideas from all on here. It seems that you are looking at lighter recoiling guns with the 243/250. I do not have any trigger time behind the 250 but have been around many 243's. I personally own a 243 AI and have had a darn good time with it in the field. One season my two big guns were down due to getting new barrels so I used my 243 AI on everything. I started the season with an antelope at 402 yds and finished with 3 muley does between 50 and 467 yds. Since then I have used it on pdogs and coyotes out to 836 yds. Pic on Bergers web page 7th photo from top: Hunting_Stories_4
The gun is a used 700 varmint rebarreled with Shilen barrel and blueprinted. My total cost on the gun with $850. Good luck with your search!
Dave
