First of all I,m very sorry about your dad.As for the 770,I don,t own one,but my shooting buddy does and he shoots competitively{with hand guns though}He says,it looks like crap,bolt feels like crap,trigger feels like crap and is creepy,but the accuracy is just as good as any rifle he owns. I,ve been with him on the range with it and I have personally seen what he can do with it.He told me the only reason he bought it was" it was so cheap". It,s a 300 win mag combo,which he never even fired a shot through it with the scope that came with it,he took it off and gave it to me{I don,t even know what i,ve done with it}He still has it today and he bought it in 2008.
All the big players have the inexpensive bolt action rifle now.Rugar being the latest to enter the market.My TC Venture has already been recalled,but no one seems to bad mouth it.
I will probably own a 770 in the future just to see for my self how awful this rifle is.
Good Luck with your decision and glad to see heading back out to hunting grounds.