I’m looking at .308s, is there a preferred brand?

Inexpensive and accurate, savage

Agree with Savage.

Been very satisfied with Tikka

If I get another one I would look pretty hard at the CVA bolt action if I was going the more affordable route. It's getting some pretty strong reviews from some gun guys I trust. Food for thought. CVA is owned by Bergara and it uses their barrels with a 3 lug action.
I purchased a new series 1 Weatherby Vanguard this winter in 7mm rem mag and after I bedded the action I am Moore than pleased with its accuracy. More of a mid ranged priced gun.

Bought this awhile back cost about a grand, has good reviews just waiting on my RT6 scope to get here so I can shoot it

Remington 700...hasn't let me down yet

First?

Was very bored yesterday and it cost me! While on the net, I discovered one I've been looking for locally but could never get my hands on. So I ordered the Tika .308 in the compact model. I have the T3x in .270 WSM and absolutely love it. BUT I refuse to pay the $60 per box when I see the .308 for less than half that price. Sooooooo......... man's gotta have ammo to go with it so I also stumbled upon my new favorite ammo the Winchester Deer Season XP for $28 per box. I ordered 10 boxes. Luckily I already have a scope waiting for it.

That is the rifle I'd choose as well unless I wanted a semiauto.

Yes, the first gun I will walk into a store a purchase.

One thing I've learned about rifles over the last 35 years guiding professionally is that you get what you pay for usually. Spend the dollars in the beginning. IMO the best factory rifle on the market today is the Sako. I've had everything else at some point and nothing comes close. As a side note I've seen more Remington's fail in the field than any other brand. Couldnt give me one.

FNAR.

Soo... I would have to agree with the Remington issue... I talked my dad into buying a new Remington Model 700 in 30-06 several years ago, and there are several issues with it! One being that it will not cycle the third or forth shell. It's basically a double barrel rifle!

I bought a savage model 110 when I was 14 years old. I have packed it everywhere, I use it every buck season, and countless predator hunts in the winter. It has never failed me, it is accurate and dependable. I honestly don't where is stands in regards to cost. But I would highly recommend a savage!

I'm not a long range guru, but I constantly kill blacktails and muleys out to 400 yards with hand loads with the old savage 110.

I find the term “Savage” inappropriate, is there another name they can go by?

I should add that I bough my savage before the accutriger was invented. And I did have a gunsmith work on the stock triger... I don't know what he did to it, but the trigger work, and hand loads, did make a huge accuracy improvement for me and my gun.

I am also on a forum focused on hunting. The Tikka T3 gets a tremendous amount of positive support on that site. Overall quality, accuracy, smoothness of action, and value are highly touted.

lol

It's actually the founder's last name.

I bought a Tikka T3X a year ago in 270. It's a decent gun, nice trigger, decent stock for the price but it's accuracy is only decent. Tried 4 different factory loads and best I could do is just a little over 1 moa. I'm sure if I keep playing I can find a better factory load or do better with hand loads but it's not what I would call an inherently really accurate rifle. But I know lots of others that have Tikkas that they claim are real accurate so I may have got the oddball.
Backfire 40 on YouTube has lots of reviews and comparisons of budget and mid price ranged rifles and does a good job comparing them and talking about what he likes and doesn't like about them.