New rifle thread - narrowed down

[PaulNZ]

If you don't want to go second hand or rebarrel a rifle from another calibre (both good options), would the budget stretch to a Cooper Model 52? Would seem to tick all the boxes, and open sights are a factory option. Other than the Cooper and the Roessler, the only other new 7x57 I can come up with is a Montana ASR - and that doesn't have open sights. I'm sure that aftermarket open sights could be fitted by a good gunsmith, either by drilling and tapping the barrel or by soldering them on (probably up for a re-blue then though).