All of the rifles you listed are great rifles if he's go the money. Of the 4 you listed I'd opt for the Sako, Browning, or Weatherby in that order. The Tikka is fine but well under budget if thats truely what he wants to spend.
The A-bolt should be the lightest of the 3 the so depending on how it will be used that could be a huge benefit. Because of its light weight it will have more recoil than like chambered rifles no matter the cartridge. May or may not be an issue for him depending on experience and what caliber he wants to go with. If desired for bench shooting moreso than hunting its probably not the best choice, light rifles dont lend themselves to bench accuracy as readily as a heavier rifle.
The Sako is a great rifle as well. I've had a 75 and have shot 2 85's. Will be heavier than the Browning (more or less so depending on model i.e. Finnlight, Hunter, Deluxe, etc...). Again, depending on its intended use that could be good or bad. Theres a pretty wide array of chamberings offered so you should be able to cover about anything you want from that respect. The Sako 75 I owned and the two 85's I've shot all lived up to the accuracy claims, great shooting rifles.
The Weatherby is also a nice rifle though I've never had a chance to shoot one. I'm assuming you're talking about a Mark V, not the Vangaurd. Again, several models that are lighter or heavier. The downside I see with Weatherbys is you almost have to get one chambered in a Weatherby cartridge. That may or may not be worth it depending on the performance you're looking for. Expect increased ammunition costs whether you reload or not (brass might kill him on that these) and I dont really even know the component situation in Canada.
As far as glass goes he should be able to get a great scope with that budget. Right now I use Nikon Monarchs, Ziess Conquest, and a Kahles. All of them come in magnification ranges that should suit any needs. Of the three Nikon will be on the less expensive side with Ziess and Kahles on the higher side of things. A lot of guys like Leupolds and they are a fine scope, I've just never chosen them for one reason or another.
Good luck helping your friend and let us know what he lands on.
The A-bolt should be the lightest of the 3 the so depending on how it will be used that could be a huge benefit. Because of its light weight it will have more recoil than like chambered rifles no matter the cartridge. May or may not be an issue for him depending on experience and what caliber he wants to go with. If desired for bench shooting moreso than hunting its probably not the best choice, light rifles dont lend themselves to bench accuracy as readily as a heavier rifle.
The Sako is a great rifle as well. I've had a 75 and have shot 2 85's. Will be heavier than the Browning (more or less so depending on model i.e. Finnlight, Hunter, Deluxe, etc...). Again, depending on its intended use that could be good or bad. Theres a pretty wide array of chamberings offered so you should be able to cover about anything you want from that respect. The Sako 75 I owned and the two 85's I've shot all lived up to the accuracy claims, great shooting rifles.
The Weatherby is also a nice rifle though I've never had a chance to shoot one. I'm assuming you're talking about a Mark V, not the Vangaurd. Again, several models that are lighter or heavier. The downside I see with Weatherbys is you almost have to get one chambered in a Weatherby cartridge. That may or may not be worth it depending on the performance you're looking for. Expect increased ammunition costs whether you reload or not (brass might kill him on that these) and I dont really even know the component situation in Canada.
As far as glass goes he should be able to get a great scope with that budget. Right now I use Nikon Monarchs, Ziess Conquest, and a Kahles. All of them come in magnification ranges that should suit any needs. Of the three Nikon will be on the less expensive side with Ziess and Kahles on the higher side of things. A lot of guys like Leupolds and they are a fine scope, I've just never chosen them for one reason or another.
Good luck helping your friend and let us know what he lands on.
