Drew,
I have a ruger mk II in 7 mm rem mag and I love it. I did a trigger job and can shoot 3 round groups the size of a quarter at 100'yds. I ve taken plenty of deer and elk with it and it has always performed well for me. That being said, some of the more "modern" calibers like the .30O wsm are worth a look. My 7 probably weighs in at more than 9# with scope, sling and full magazine. It's stainless with a laminated stock, 24" barrel. With the short mags you can lose a few inches in bbl length and action. Don't forget that you need to spend $$ on good glass! People look at the price of the rifle and then realize they need to fork over another $300+ for a good scope. Remington, ruger, Winchester, savage all make fine rifles in addition to browning. I do think that Remington 710'(I believe?- comes in a combo) is junk.

Good luck
Willy