One other option.
The one thing you would need is someone with experience and a good eye.
There are a lot of overpriced junk used guns in racks of pawn shops and at gunshows,etc.
But it is also quite true that among the community of shooters there are a lot of men getting long in the tooth,they have more than one safe full of good,solid guns.They do not own the junk on the pawn shop shelves.They own good guns,well cared for.
Some of those guys have daughters married to crack heads,or pot head sons who ,due to their use of marijuana,are "prohibited persons",etc.
There are a lot of men with 27 long guns,24 of them have not been fired in 5 years.
They are 60 some years old,and one of their nightmares is dieing and having all the guns go to pawn shops to pay for bad habits(No,I do not have this problem)
I'm thinking if you show yourself as a sane,mature young gentleman and get to know some older gentlemen..with your folks help,maybe join a 22 smallbore group if you can,you might find an old guy dragging something out of his safe for you.
Hidden away are a lot of well crafted,safe and sound 7x57 mauser,6.5x55 mauser,Rem 721,rem700,Win 70's,Mark 10'sSanta Barbaras,Rifles like JC Higgins built on commercial mausers Harrington Richardsons,Rem 788's,do not turn up your nose at a Savage 99 in 300 Savage.Husquvarnas...
IMO,I'd rather choose from these than newer econo guns.A lot of them might have a decent k-4 Weaver on them.In the 60's and 70's a lot of men spent a month's pay on a '98 mauser,having the bolt bent,scope mounted,restocked,Douglas barreled,etc.These guys won't sell that rifle to a pawn shop because it means something to them...but they know market is not over $300.
If the same knowledgable gentleman helps you,you might get a $75 or $100 deal on a used Leupold 2.5X,.3X,0r 4x scope on ebay.Lifetime guarantee still applies,no problem.
even some of the cut down military stock econo-sporter jobs are a sound hunting rifle for a young man.
I killed my antelope quite dead this year at 297 yds using an old Lyman Alaskan 2.5 x.Its on a 1903A4 Springfield copy I made that I shot 3 consecutive 3 shot groups that went 2 1/2 in at 300 yds.Then prone,sling,cheating on a sandbag I put 3 into 3 1/2 in at 350 yds.I'm old,stiff,blind,and a bad shot.They quit making that scope about 1954.
For $75,you can get a Denver made Redfield,a Lyman All American...Think low,fixed power,quality brand.
The important element in pulling this off has to do with being the sort of grown up responsible,pleasant,trustworthy young man that an older gentleman would want to pass on the tradition of hunting and shooting to.
Alright,I'll tell you a sneaky trick.There is a book"The Old Man and the Boy" by Robert Ruark.Get a copy.Carry it around with you as you read it.Read it in the barber shop.Read it in a coffee shop where old men with 3/4 ton pickups drink coffee and talk about rain.
Say "Sir,please,and thank you". Don't touch tools or guns without permission.
Rake some leaves,mow some lawns...and be patient.You see a man with a good looking bird dog or two,offer to pick up poop.
What I am telling you is true.
One more thing that will help,now,remember;it may be your best bet to come up with a firearms mentor.That might be your dad or uncle but it might not be..I do not know you or your family.
As an adult,I would be very selective about the responsibility I take if I help a young man like yourself aquire a firearm.It is your job to develop trust and live up to it.
A good step,actually a mandatory step,go to the Firing Line home page,the one where we sign in.Look up at the top bar,slightly left,you will see "firearm safety".Go there.Make a point of memorizing and understanding Mr Jeff Cooper's four rules of gun safety.Soak that up real good.Be able to say and explain them.
Put them into practice,every time.
It matters to an adult if you first,do not touch without permission.
It matters if you ask the weapon be cleared before it is handed to you,then ask the proper way to check it yourself,and check it.
It matters to an adult if you pay attention to your muzzle,and it matters if you do not.
Before they can feel right about helping you to get a gun,they have to trust that safety is a habit with you.
I think if you can grow that sort of relationship with folks like you read here,your $500 dollars will take care of you.