I have had a few people mention the 6.5 as an alternative to some of the seemingly more popular calibers. As I will not be hand loading in the near future, should I stick with something less exotic, like the .308 or 300 win mag? Also, I believe that I may have narrowed my manufacturer field down to Tikka, Savage, and Ruger. Tikka is a bit on the high side of my budget, but per your recommendations here, I have found Savage and Ruger rifles that seem extremely cost effective. My only caveat with this is balancing cost and quality. Is the extra 300 dollars for the more expensive rifle money well spent, or better spent for glass? Thanks again!
JMO, but it's
really tough to beat a Savage for out-of-the-box accuracy.
Do a search here, you know what they say about opinions...
The .308 is capable, but not optimal, for 1000 yards. The advantage here is the plethora of factory ammunition available- unmatched by any other chambering.
The .300 WM is optimal, but will put a hurting on your wallet, and your shoulder. Most guys at the range I see shooting this, on a rifle not equipped with a brake, are done after 30 or 40 rounds... And, as a beginner, I wouldn't go with anything that heavy on recoil. It will be tough for you to shoot accurately.
Hornady's match ammo for the 6.5 Creed has gotten excellent reviews, FWIW, and is affordable.
There are other options....
My personal LR stick is 7mm.-08. Capable, moderate recoil, and good barrel life.
USA F-Class is shooting 7mm...and there are a number of chamberings in this including the venerable 7mm mag that qualify (but again, the magnum thing...).
Were I you, I might lean towards the .308 due to it's versatiliy, cost to shoot, and availability of factory ammo.
If you go with Savage, it's inexpensive to do a DIY barrel-swap for a different chambering down the road if you get bit by the bug and start to handload- as handloading is pretty much part of the long-range game.