ive heard good stuff about the r1 from benelli, and bad stuff and the occasional good news from the hunters, sure the semi automatic action is a good choice, but look around, if you can find a good used bolt action get it, i own a pre 64 model 70 that was given to me by my grandmother who killed many elk with it, it has the smoothest, fastest action i have ever shot, ive killed turkeys at 200 yards with it, i have a redfield widefield 2x-7x 30 mm, its a great gun, i use it for everything, it is a 270, i use it for everything, call it over kill, but ive used it for those pesky crows out at my deer feeder troph, i just sit it on the roof of the pickup and shoot from there, i have a cheap bi pod on it, it was only 15 bucks at cheaperthandirt.com, and a neoprene sling that was 20 bucks at academy, that gun is pretty heavy, it weighs 12 pounds, but ive packed it around for miles and its like its 7 pounds with that neoprene sling, but if you are still wanting an auto, go with a b.a.r. lightweight stalker, the sug. retail is 825, but youll get every pennies worth